Ahmed Al Musharrekh left for Cairo on Saturday to compete in the Egyptian Open, determined to post a good finish in the European Challenge Tour event that gets under way at the Mirage City Golf Club from October 20 to 23.
The young prodigy has already created a bit of history becoming the first UAE national to qualify for the event where a strong field, spearheaded by world number nine Rory McIlroy, will contest for a share in the $250,000 prize money.
Al Musharrekh may not have produced scores to his expectations at the recent Arab Golf Championship where the UAE team finished seventh, but he is determined to make amends.
“I played well there, but only in patches. I know I need to be more focused when you play golf at this level,” said Al Musharrekh, who plays off plus two handicap.
“What happened in Tunisia is history. I am looking forward to the new challenge. I have learned from my mistakes and, hopefully, I will be able to come up with good results.”
Al Musharrekh had flashed glimpses of his talent at the Egyptian Amateur Open – the qualifying round for the Egyptian Open – where he raked in a top-five finish he needed to qualify. Consistency was the key as shot rounds of 72, 76 and 72 to finish fourth on a gross 220, just five shots off winner Eddie Pepperell of England.
Saeed Albudoor, general manager of the Emirates Golf Federation, said Al Musharrekh has the stuff to make his presence felt at the Egyptian Open, but “it will all depend on how he maintains his composure and stay focused on the job”.
“Whatever the results, the experience of playing in such a strong field will certainly go a long way in honing his competitive edge. I wish him all the best."
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