History-making UAE golfer Rayan Ahmed has expressed his determination to stay ‘laser-focused’ on achieving his goals when he tees off in the 76th US Junior Amateur Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club on Monday.
Seventeen-year-old Ahmed, a UAE Passport holder, is the first player from the UAE to play in the US Junior Amateur Championship. He was exempt from qualifying thanks to his World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR).
A big field of 264 golfers from 36 countries will play over 36 holes over two days over the North and South Courses at Oakland Hills. The top 64 players progressing to the matchplay stages which begin on Wednesday.
“It’s amazing to be playing and competing with absolutely the top juniors in the world and to top it off to see the likes of Charlie Woods and hopefully see his dad,” Rayan said. “I am laser-focused on the goal to make the cut and do the utmost best in the match play.”
Ahmed has had an excellent 2023 – 2024 season.
He won both individual and team gold at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Golf Championship in Qatar, then narrowly missed the cut in the Abu Dhabi Challenge in Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club his European Challenge Tour debut in April.
Ahmed also won the 2024 GCC Youth Games at Abu Dhabi Golf Club by 14 strokes. He finished 15th in the 2023 – 24 Emirates Golf Federation Men’s Order of Merit.
Ahmed is a golfer in form having qualified for the US Amateur Championship last Thursday at Columbine Country Club with a three under par 69, over the 7,353 yards course to be joint medalist.
A four birdie – one bogey round, saw Ahmed tied first with six players qualifying – a play-off on one under was required to determine the qualifiers.
The US Amateur Championship will be held August 12th – 18th at Hazeltine in Chaska, Minnesota, which has hosted U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, a Ryder Cup and a U.S. Amateur in the past, among other big-time competitions.
Other representatives in the field for the US Junior Championship are Jordan’s Mohammad Alrawashdeh and Mousa Shana’ah.
There are 36 countries represented in the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur including both Charlie Woods (US), son of Tiger Woods and Louis Klein (Czech Rep) – a regular visitor to Dubai and the UAE for winter training in addition to playing in EGF Order of Merit events.
Notable previous winners of the US Junior Amateur are Jordan Spieth (2011), Scottie Scheffler (2013), Will Zalatoris (2014), Min Woo Lee (2016), Michael Thorbjornsen (2019) and Nick Dunlap (2021).