Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), has revealed a golf development programme in schools, similar to the highly successful HSBC China Junior Golf Program model, will be put in place in the capital soon.
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The China Golf Association-backed programme was launched 11 years ago as part of HSBC’s sponsorship of the WGC event in Shanghai.
Guan Tianlang, who made history as the youngest player at age 13 to make the cut in Masters in 2013, was part of the programme, and so is the 20-year-old Li Haotong, who finished tied seventh alongside world No. 1 Jordan Spieth at the WGC-HSBC Champions last week.
HSBC are also title sponsors of Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, and on the sidelines of announcing the participation of Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Henrik Stenson in the 2016 edition, Al Awani revealed ADSC’s vision.
“We are planning to announce a programme in association with HSBC, our partners IMG and the various Abu Dhabi golf clubs in the next one month,” said Al Awani.
“We are hoping to train 200 school children annually for the next five years. In the same way that we saw the Chinese talent in Shanghai, we will have a UAE golfer emerge from this programme in the next five years.”
Meanwhile, Al Awani believes the quality of the field in Abu Dhabi, and the enhanced spectator experience at the venue, will lead to new attendance record this year.
“We’re teeing up an unprecedented player field with fresh talent, some of which has never previously been seen in the region,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mercedes Benz have signed on as a new sponsor for the 2016 edition of the event, which takes place from January 21 which will also be supported by St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Rolex, Gulf News, Xerox and Nike Golf.
