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Rayan Ahmed will make history next week when he becomes the first player from the United Arab Emirates to compete in The 131st Amateur Championship, one of the most prestigious events in world amateur golf.
Royal Liverpool Golf Club – David Cannon / Getty Images
The championship will be held from 15–20 June at Royal Liverpool Golf Club and West Lancashire Golf Club in England, with a world-class field of 288 players from 41 countries competing for one of amateur golf’s most coveted titles.
Founded in 1885, The Amateur Championship has served as a launching pad for some of golf’s most celebrated names, including Bobby Jones, José María Olazábal, Sergio Garcia and Matteo Manassero. This year marks the 19th time Royal Liverpool has hosted the championship, more than any other venue in its history.
Rayan Ahmed – Ras Al Khaimah Amateur Open – Tommy Dickson
Ahmed’s inclusion marks a significant milestone for UAE golf, with the country’s top-ranked male amateur becoming the first Emirati to earn a place in the championship’s 141-year history. This year’s field will also feature Hungary’s first representative, highlighting the growing international reach of the event.
Ahmed will test himself against some of the world’s leading amateur golfers, including England’s Luke Poulter, ranked ninth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), alongside fellow Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup players Stuart Grehan of Ireland, Scotland’s Connor Graham and Niall Shiels Donegan.
Rayan Ahmed – Emirates Golf Federation
The historic appearance comes just weeks after Ahmed achieved another landmark milestone, becoming the first UAE National to secure a full NCAA Division I golf scholarship. He will join the University of California, Irvine in the Fall of 2026, continuing his development within one of the United States’ leading collegiate golf programs.
Rayan Ahmed – Emirates Golf Federation Order of Merit 2025/2026 season winner with Emirates Golf Federation Director General Akram Skaik
Ahmed arrives in England in outstanding form. Earlier this year, he claimed a dominant nine-shot victory in the Men’s Division of the Ras Al Khaimah Mixed Open, finishing at eight-under-par 208 and recording a personal-best round of 64. He was also medalist at the GJG UAE U23 Championship, runner-up at the Montgomerie Men’s Open, and recently topped the Emirates Golf Federation’s 2025/26 Order of Merit standings.
Widely regarded as one of the UAE’s brightest golfing prospects, Ahmed has steadily built an impressive amateur résumé. In 2024, he captured both the U18 GCC Golf Championship and GCC Youth Olympics titles, earned medalist honours at U.S. Amateur Final Qualifying, and went on to compete in both the U.S. Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur Championships. He has also represented the UAE at the World Amateur Team Championship, recorded a sixth-place finish at the Pan Arab Men’s Championship, and made the cut at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in consecutive years.
The champion of The Amateur Championship will earn exemptions into The Open, the U.S. Open and a DP World Tour event, while also traditionally receiving an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament, provided amateur status is retained.
Ahmed’s participation reflects the continued growth of golf in the UAE and the success of the player development pathways established to help Emirati golfers compete on the global stage.
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