The inaugural tournament, which serves as the penultimate event to this season’s European Challenge Tour, will be held from Tuesday to Saturday, October 29 at Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.
A field of 105 players, comprising of international talent, European Tour professionals, MENA Tour winners and some of the UAE’s best amateur and pros, will battle it out for a share of the $350,000 prize pot.
While watching the competition unfold on the course, spectators can also enjoy the Challenge Village, which is organised by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA).
Open daily from 10:00 to 16:00, the village is expected to draw visitors of all ages and offers something for everyone, from tips on how to play golf from experts at the Golf Clinic, to a round of mini golf, a bouncy castle, face painting and a softplay area for small children.
When the sun goes down, specatators and players can make their way to The Bay Sports Bar where they can enjoy live entertainment from 18:00.
Guests who stay in Ras Al Khaimah during the tournament will have access to a free shuttle service that travels between the competition’s location and hotels around Al Hamra and Al Marjan Island.
“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.
As far as what to watch for on the course, some of the top players in action will be UAE-resident John Edfors, who is currently ranked 33rd in Challenge Tour standings, Jake Shepherd, a two-time MENA Golf Tour winner, and young phenom Rayhan Thomas, who, at the age of 15, became the youngest amateur to win a MENA Golf Tour event this past September.
For more information on the tournament, visit www.europeantour.com/challengetour.
Wherever you live in the UAE, there are plenty of reasons to make your way down to Ras Al Khaimah for what should be a spectacular tournament both on the and off the course.
Great event today to announce #RAK Golf Challenge happening next week .@AlHamraGolfClub .@Challenge_Tour .@RAKTourism pic.twitter.com/A6u87vmXtP
— Arabian Golf TV (@arabiangolftv) October 23, 2016
