Ahmad Skaik
Ahmad Skaik will tee it up at the RAK Classic Image Credit: Ahmed Ramzan/Gulf News

Under the DP World Tour entry conditions, the local governing body for golf, the Emirates Golf Federation, has three invitations to select for this week’s $2 million Ras Al Khaimah Classic at Al Hamra Golf Club.

Emirati No. 1 Ahmad Skaik, 32 in the amateur world rankings is paired in the first round on Thursday with Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and England’s Daniel Gavins, the winner of the Hero Challenge earlier this week. Jazz has played on the MENA Tour and won the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit and has a career high of 38 in the pro rankings.

India’s Arjun Gupta of Trump International Golf Club in Dubai, plays at alongside two Italians: Nino Bertasio and Andrea Pavan.

The third amateur invitation went to the leading EGF player in the recent 2022 Jumeirah Golf Estates Men’s Amateur Open.

This was won by Drew Foxcroft with a 36-hole winning score of two under par 142.

Unfortunately, Foxcroft could not commit to playing this week, and the spot went to runner-up Englishman Craig Vance who finished one shot back on 143.

Vance plays with Max Kieffer of Germany and Sweden’s Marcus Kinhault.