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With Mum and Dad in tow, Dubai teen Ananyaa battles rain and wind to win US Kids Golf Championship in Scotland
The performance enabled her to qualify for the European Championship and a four-tournament tour of the US
Ananyaa Sood with the US Kids European Championship trophy. - Supplied photo
It was a family affair as Indian-born Dubai resident Ananyaa Sood won the 13-year-old Division of the US Kids European Championship in Scotland.
Most parents would do anything they could to grab a front-row seat if their child was playing and that‘s exactly what happened at the weather-beaten tournament where Ananyaa shot rounds of 73, 73 and 71. A 54-hole total of 217, one over par, helped her win the Division by an impressive margin of six shots.
The performance helped her qualify for the European Championship through the Local UAE Tour.
“It was a hard-fought battle all day with my father on the bag and mother as my forecaddie,” Ananyaa told Khaleej Times. “I felt confident and strong and fought well. I was fortunate that my best was good enough to win this week.”
Ananyaa Sood won by six shots - Supplied photo
There were 17 categories in the Championship for golfers aged seven and under and 15 – 18 for Boys and from eight and under for Girls, aged 15 – 18 years-old.
Fellow UAE resident Sophia Zbiri finished fourth in the same Division. Several other UAE-based juniors participated in other Divisions of this annual event.
Ananyaa studies online at the United States Performance Academy (USPA) and is a member of The Els Club, Dubai. She is coached by Sujjan Singh at the Claude Harmon CH3 at the club.
Ananyaa with other winners in Scotland - Supplied photo
“Scotland threw a lot of surprises our way and it was not just the weather,” said Ananya. “Due to heavy rainfall and adverse course conditions, our tournament got moved to a different golf course just one day before the event - from Musselburgh Golf Club to Craigielaw Golf Club.
“All three days threw different weather our way in typical Scottish fashion. Day one saw heavy rain and wind followed by a truncated second round in heavy rain with the remaining 26 holes to be played on the last day.
“Finally, the sun made an appearance on the final day but brought along with it a four-club wind,” she added. “I felt confident and strong and fought well. I was fortunate that my best was good enough to win this week.”
Ananyaa caught the golf bug from her father who is a very avid golfer. She took up the game during the pandemic and started competing in December 2022.
She will now travel to the US with her parents to play in four golf tournaments in July.
The US Kids World Championships, now held in historic Pinehurst, North Carolina, are premier events in golf. Together, these events combine to annually host more than 2,300 players from more than 50 countries, and serve as two of the largest golf championships in the world.
U.S. Kids Local Tours, founded in 2002, allows players at all levels to enjoy tournament participation while learning, competing, and spending time with new friends. There are now more than 115 U.S. Kids Local Tours operating around the world - including the UAE.
US Kids use the Longleaf Tee System where up to seven sets of tees are used for players of different ages, rather than relying on handicaps. It is to encourage golf to be more enjoyable for all players - while keeping the design, integrity, and challenge of the golf course layout intact.
Ananyaa’s Tour of the US
July 1-3: FCG International Cup, California.
July 6-11: IMG Academy Junior World Championships, California.
July 15-17: FCG Callaway Junior World Championships, California.
July 25-28: US Kids World Teen Championships, Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina.
For further information on US Kids Visit www.uskidsgolf.com
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