Arab Golf Championships Take Mideastern Golfers to Morocco

During the upcoming week male and female golfers from fifteen countries will take to the fairways at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, in Rabat, capitol of the Kingdom of Morocco.

The 31st Arab Golf Championships begins on September 14th and golfers from Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Egypt, Oman, Qatar, UAE, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, Palestine, Bahrain, Syria... and Morroco... will compete at the Robert Trent Jones designed golf venue  in Men's, Women's and Junior categories.

The Arab Spring brought a wave of protests and demonstrations to cities and towns across the Middle East and North Africa.. and unrest continues in many places.  There's a new sense of pride and empowerment in many parts of the region... but also a sense that the upheaval will continue for some time to come.  Some sporting events in the Middle East have even been canceled, so it's testament to the dedication of athletes, organizers and sponsors that this... and other golf events... are taking place as scheduled.

We've written in the past about the growth of golf in Middle Eastern countries, and efforts to bring the game to the local, native-born populations. We've also done stories on some up-and-coming players including  Ahmad Al Musharrakh and Khalid Yousuf who'll both be representing the UAE next week in the Moroccan capital.

The UAE contingent will also include the Dr. Rabab Al Haj... a physician at Dubai Hospital... who'll be competing for individual honors in the women’s category.

Along with fellow Emeraiti golfer Eida Al Mehairbi, Dr. Al Haj made history at last year's Arab Golf Championships forming the UAE's first women's team to compete in the event.

The standard of the golfers and golf facilities in the Middle East has risen substantially over the past decade.  The fact that the game will return to the Olympics in 2016... as well as the announcement of the new MENA Golf Tour.... ensures that the game will continue to grow in the years to come.

Retief Goosen Wins Middle East Curtain-Raiser

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It's one of the most popular and prestigious Pro-Ams in golf... and the field this year certainly reflected that.

41 European Tour Champions, 11 Ryder Cup players, three Major Champions and the reigning World No.1 played in surprisingly undesert-like conditions today, at Yas Links Golf Club in the Emirates Airline Invitational, hosted by Abdullah Al Naboudah.

Yas Island Links Golf Course where the invitational took place for the first time this year, is the first links golf course in the Middle East.  Designed by Kyle Phillips who created The Kingsbarn Course at St. Andrews it no doubt evoked the images of the Scottish seaside today in overcast conditions uncharacteristic of Abu Dhabi.

Goosen's eight-under 64 win in the professional round today, coming at the start of the European Tour's Middle East Swing may help reignite the two-time US Open Champion's winning fire.

The tournament's hospitable host Abdullah Al Naboodah... a passionate and prodigious golfer himself... played with W#1 Lee Westwood today. The pair didn't manage to defend their 2010 team title this year however...  and the 2011 win went to Ross McGowan and former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan.  50% of all of today's winnings will go to charity.

Later this week the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship tees off at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, followed by the Volvo Golf Champions, in Bahrain, The Commercialbank Qatar Masters in Doha, Qatar, and the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in Dubai.  It's the The Middle East Swing, and the number of events, the elite fields and the spectacular courses are all evidence of how dramatically the region's golf profile has grown.

Photos: Emirates Airline Invitational, official site