GCC Junior Golf Championship kicks off at Ghala Golf Club

MUSCAT: The GCC Junior Golf Championship for girls and age categories Under 13 and Under 16 for boys and girls gets today Monday morning at Ghala Golf Club, hosted by the Sultanate of Oman and organised by the Oman Golf Federation, with competitions running from December 21 to 24.
The championship brings together a select group of promising young talents representing national teams from the Gulf Cooperation Council GCC countries, reaffirming the growing focus on youth development and grassroots programmes in Gulf.
The official opening ceremony was held on Sunday evening under the auspices of Hamad bin Abdullah al Busaidy, in the presence of several dignitaries, heads of GCC golf federations, official delegations and participating teams.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ahmed bin Faisal al Jahdhami, Secretary-General of the Oman Golf Federation, emphasised that hosting the championship reflects Oman’s commitment to nurturing young athletes as the foundation for a sustainable sporting future, noted that the event serves as an important platform for talent identification, skill development and strengthening the spirit of fair competition among GCC youth in a positive and fraternal atmosphere.

Al Jahdhami also expressed his appreciation for the continuous support of His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, highlighting the role such support has played in advancing golf in Oman and enabling the hosting of major regional tournaments, further thanked Ghala Golf Club for providing top level facilities and organisational support, as well as partners and local and regional media outlets for their professional coverage of the event.
Meanwhile, Major General Abdullah Al Sayed al Hashmi, Chairman of the UAE Golf Federation, described the championship as one of the most important developmental stages for junior golfers, as it offers early competitive exposure and allows federations to assess players’ technical and mental levels in real tournament conditions, stressed that participation is primarily aimed at long term development rather than short term results.

For her part, Abeer al Juhani, Vice-President of the Saudi Golf Federation Office, highlighted the championship’s role within the broader strategy of building a strong grassroots base noted that the event provides a practical benchmark for evaluating the outcomes of development programmes, while reinforcing fundamental skills, discipline and sportsmanship among young players.
On the technical side, Oman’s national teams are represented by Wafaa al Hadhrami and Omaima al Hajri in the girls’ category, while the Under 16 girls’ team includes Mirali Sampat, Yasmine al Kathiri and Heba al Nabhani, the Under 16 boys’ team features Maheeb al Kathiri and Mohammed al Junaidi, while the Under 13 boys’ team comprises Yousef al Rumhi, Taimoor al Busaidy and Ibrahim Fayez Riyadh.
The championship represents a significant milestone in the development of golf across the GCC, while also underscoring Oman’s growing presence on the regional and international sporting stage through its continued investment in youth competitions and the development of future champions.