MENA Golf Tour Sets Stage for Thrilling Season Finale at Al Ain
The MENA Golf Tour is poised to conclude its 2025/26 season on a high note in its UAE home, as the Al Ain Championship takes center stage at the Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club from 30th March to 1st April. Players will battle over three demanding rounds for a $100,000 prize fund and the coveted season-ending rankings title.
Having already witnessed fierce competition in Portugal and Egypt, this tour has cemented its status as one of the most successful and captivating in its history. With stops in Morocco, Jordan, and Qatar still to be played, the tour’s top talents are preparing to descend on the “Garden City” of Al Ain for the ultimate showdown.
The Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club boasts impeccable credentials, having hosted the Abu Dhabi Challenge on the HotelPlanner Tour for the past two years. The venue is celebrated as one of the finest tournament courses in the Middle East, with water hazards on most holes and fairways running alongside Al Ain’s horse racing track, demanding both precision and strategic course management. Among the highlights is the distinguished par-five 10th hole, stretching 678 yards, making it the longest par five in the Arabian Gulf—a true challenge for even the tour’s most powerful competitors.
Beyond golf, the club hosts Olympic and international-standard facilities spanning equestrian, shooting, rugby, and cricket.
Mohammed Rashid Al Nasseri:
“We are delighted to welcome the MENA Tour back to Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club. It’s a proud moment for us to once again host another OWGR-recognised event and provide a platform for talented professionals and rising stars from across the region.”
The venue holds special memories for Dubai-based Garrick Porteous, winner of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Challenge on the same course, who remarked:
“I love Al Ain, I’ve got some great memories of my HotelPlanner Tour victory there. It’s got some really challenging holes, especially on the back nine, and if the wind blows, it can be set up quite trickily. It’s always in fantastic condition, so I always really enjoy playing there.”
One of the most compelling stories of the Al Ain Championship will be that of Ahmad Skaik, the UAE’s leading professional golfer. Skaik brings a strong affinity and deep course knowledge, having competed at the venue in the Abu Dhabi Challenge in 2024 and 2025, and in the inaugural UAE Cup in October 2024. Now competing as a professional and serving as the standard-bearer for Emirati golf, Skaik said:
“Al Ain is a place I know well and where I’ve had some great experiences. To come back here as a professional, representing the UAE at the season finale, is something really special. The MENA Golf Tour has given players like me exactly the platform we need to develop and compete, and I want to finish the season strongly in front of a home crowd.”
Keith Waters, Chairman and Commissioner of the MENA Golf Tour, commented:
“To bring the curtain down on what has been a truly outstanding season here in the UAE feels entirely right. The MENA Golf Tour was built to serve this region and the talent within it, and the Al Ain Championship represents everything we stand for – world-class competition, a spectacular venue and a genuine pathway for the next generation of professional golfers.”
The Al Ain Championship marks the finale of a 2025/26 schedule that has taken the MENA Golf Tour across Europe and the Middle East, awarding $100,000 prize funds and Official World Golf Ranking points at every stop. With local stars, global talent, and intense competition guaranteed, all eyes now turn to Al Ain for a fitting climax to a memorable season.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
