On an island off the coast of Dubai, with only dolphins and a Swiss watchmaker for company, the UAE’s first professional golfer revealed plans for his Ahmed Al Musharrekh Foundation.
What’s going on here?
At a high-profile event held at The World islands, 4.5 kilometres off the coast of Dubai, Ahmed Al Musharrekh was revealed as an ambassador for Swiss watchmaker Jaermann & Stubi. The company announced plans to back the creation of the young golfer’s foundation. As well as being gifted his own signature watch, Al Musharrekh also played three holes with his younger brother Hassan, and two children from the Emirates Golf Federation, Khalil Kashwani, 12, and Maryam Al Marzouqi, 13.
Who is Ahmed?
Al Musharrekh, 24, is the first and only professional golfer from the UAE. Born in 1990, the Sharjah-based Emirati has been playing on the Mena Tour since late 2012 and is hoping to build on what proved a difficult season last year. At last month’s RAK Classic, he led going in to his final round and is already looking forward to a busy winter of events around the region as he chases his dream of playing in Europe.
Route to the top
He was pushed towards taking up golf by his father, conceding he used to hide at home in order to avoid having to practise. One evening, when he was 15, he had a light-bulb moment when he struck a perfect drive at the range and realised perhaps he had the talent to take the sport seriously. Nine years later, he is a professional and no longer has any place to hide.
The Al Musharrekh Foundation
While Al Musharrekh will help promote Jaermann & Stubi as they look to build their brand in the UAE watch market, the Swiss company will help the golfer with the launch of his eponymous foundation. The Ahmed Al Musharrekh Foundation is an initiative that aims to inspire Emirati children to look beyond the usual sports of football and equestrian and instead take up golf.
What he said
“Being in my position and being who I am, it really makes sense for me to do something like this,” Al Musharrekh said. “It’s an honour, more than anything, and I hope to help as many people as possible to benefit from the life skills and values integral to golf. We are planning to provide transportation and bring the children from the schools to the courses and make it really easy for them because when something is provided on a silver platter, it makes children so much more likely to get involved.”
Utilising enthusiasm
The Ahmed Al Musharrekh Foundation will open in January 2015 with Ross Bain, a Scottish former pro, as chief executive. The foundation’s offices will be in Dubai, but the ambition is to provide easy access to golf across the country and, in time, across the region. “We want to take golf to schools and use Ahmed as the face of the project,” Bain said. “We hope to utilise his enthusiasm and highlight the sport to schools that might focus more on other sports.”
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
Royal Birkdale Golf Course
Location: Southport, Merseyside, England
Established: 1889
Type: Private
Total holes: 18
RESULT
Fifth ODI, at Headingley
England 351/9
Pakistan 297
England win by 54 runs (win series 4-0)
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Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
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Tearful appearance
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She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
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