The final field for this week’s inaugural Ras Al Khaimah 2016 Golf Challenge – the penultimate event of this season’s European Challenge Tour – will feature a wealth of emerging international talents, seasoned European Tour professionals, MENA Tour event winners and a host of the UAE’s best amateur and professional players.
The 105-strong field will compete for a share of the US$350,000 tournament at Al Hamra Golf Club, Ras Al Khaimah, from Wednesday 26 - Saturday 29 October.
Sponsored by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), the field includes European Tour veteran and UAE-resident Johan Edfors, who won the Terre dei Consoli Open Challenge Tour at the beginning of this month and is currently ranked 33rdin Challenge Tour standings.
With scores of emerging talents and seasoned European Tour players gunning for Ras Al Khaimah glory, Edfors will be joined by fellow UAE residents Jake Shepherd, a two-time MENA Golf Tour winner, and 16 year old golf-prodigy Rayhan Thomas, who became the first and youngest amateur to win a MENA Golf Tour event at the Dubai Creek Open in September. The only teenager in the field is far from nervous.
“Although this is my Challenge Tour debut I’m treating it like any other event,” said Thomas. “I’m feeling good and I’ve been playing well for months so I’m not setting targets. I’ll just play my usual game and take it shot-by-shot. My iron play is on point at the moment so I’ll be looking to capitalise by hitting some good shots and holing some putts. It’s been about 18 months since I played the Al Hamra course but I’ll play a few practise rounds early next week to get reacquainted with it.”
And while playing alongside a who’s who of internationally experienced players might faze your average teenager, Thomas is keen to simply enjoy the big tournament experience.
“I don’t see my career as a timeline or a schedule. If I keep playing well, I know more invites will come way. I’m just going to keep taking it as it comes, stick to my routine and enjoy myself out there.”
Michael Harradine, who has been invited by the Ras Al Khaimah Committee, is also joining the field at Al Hamra Golf Club. Harradine qualified for his spot by winning the Emirates Amateur Open earlier this year. The 34-year-old and son of Al Hamra Golf Club designer Peter Harradine, holds multiple Emirates Golf Federation Order of Merit titles.
Nick Tarratt, Director of the European Tour International, said: "It is an exciting time for the Challenge Tour as we prepare to embark on a new territory in Ras Al Khaimah. It is tremendous to be showcasing the emirate through our media platforms and the 46-minute television highlights programme which will be distributed around the world. The Challenge Tour and Ras Al Khaimah have so many common synergies, specifically in terms of the players on our development Tour playing in this growing destination for both golf and other attractions. The emirate is a perfect fit for us and we look forward to a great tournament and then building on that success in the future."
Alongside the on-course action, the Ras Al Khaimah 2016 Golf Challenge Village will be open daily from 10am – 4pm is expected to attract thousands of spectators and their families. Organised by RAKTDA in partnership with key sponsors, families of all ages will be able to gain tips on how to play golf from the experts at the Golf Clinic, play a round of Mini Golf or enjoy other activities such as a softplay area for younger children, a bouncy castle, face painting and roaming characters. Once the sun sets on the fairways each day, Al Hamra Golf Club will be welcoming players and spectators for an evening of live entertainment at The Bay Sports Bar from 6pm.
“As an emerging golf destination Ras Al Khaimah is known for its world-class greens and fairways, complemented by the emirate’s iconic natural landscape. Hosting such a prestigious European Challenge Tour tournament cements our positioning as an emerging sporting destination, while the other activities visitors can experience surrounding the main event underline our family destination credentials,” said Haitham Mattar, CEO of RAKTDA.
Hotel guests staying in Ras Al Khaimah during the course of the tournament will have access to a free shuttle service travelling between the tournament location and hotels around Al Hamra and Al Marjan Island.
Designed by Peter Harradine, Al Hamra Golf Club is one of two 18-hole, all-grass courses in Ras Al Khaimah, the other being the 7,199-yard Tower Links course which meanders through a mangrove reserve.
The Ras Al Khaimah 2016 Golf Challenge has attracted a marquee line-up of international sponsors including RAKTDA as title sponsor, Al Hamra Golf Club, RAK Rock, Stevin Rock, RAK Chamber, BMW and Rivoli as event sponsors, and Waldorf Astoria, Voss Water, Wicked, icflix and Nike Golf as event partners.
