2025 Pan Arab Junior & Ladies Golf Championship Celebrates the Region’s Best

By: Mohamed El-Dakhakhny
International Correspondent and Publisher
Manager of the EGF Juniors National Team (2008–2012)

Over 100 players from 12 countries gather at two of Egypt’s premier courses for a celebration of competition, culture, and future champions.

Cairo Welcomes the Arab World’s Future Champions
Cairo—the cultural and sporting heart of the Arab world—recently played host to a landmark celebration of youth, excellence, and unity at the 2025 Pan Arab Junior & Ladies Golf Championship. Held from Wednesday, May 7, across two of Egypt’s premier venues, Madinaty Golf Club and Katameya Dunes Golf Club, the event showcased rising talents and regional pride.
Organized by the Egyptian Golf Federation (EGF), the championship brought together over 120 elite junior and ladies’ players from 12 Arab nations, transforming the week into a festival of competition, camaraderie, and cultural exchange.

A New Era for Golf in Egypt
This year’s championship was more than a sporting contest—it was a statement. Egypt is positioning itself boldly on the global golf map. As host, the country delivered not only outstanding competition but a message of future ambition.
“We can get 1.6 billion dollars from 400,000 tourists because of golf.”
— Omar Talaat Mustafa, President, Egyptian Golf Federation

Backed by strategic investment and enhanced infrastructure, Egypt is rapidly becoming a destination for international golf. As Mustafa emphasized:
“Egypt is ready to welcome world championships in golf. The country can host the largest sporting events with more than 25 internationally standard golf courses across its regions.” These stretch from the Mediterranean coast, through Cairo’s elite courses, to Sharm El Sheikh by the Red Sea.

Champions Crowned: Winners at a Glance
From tightly fought playoffs to record-breaking rounds, this year’s championship crowned new heroes and celebrated regional dominance.

Boys Under 18 (Individual):
After three rounds of high-level play, the Boys Under 18 category ended in a tie at the top:
• 🥇 Salem Alabkal (Kuwait) — 220 (+7)
• 🥇 Amine El Omari (Morocco) — 220 (+7)
• 🥉 Rashed Ali Alnakby (UAE) — 224 (+11)
Honorable mentions go to Wissam Alzitoni (Tunisia) and Hicham Rachidi (Morocco), who both demonstrated maturity and poise beyond their years.

Boys Under 13 (Individual):
• 🥇 Laith Godin (Morocco)
• 🥈 Jalal Atiyeh (Lebanon)
• 🥉 Mohamed Mahdi Faqouri (Morocco)

Girls Under 13 (Individual):
• 🥇 Fatima Zahra Al-Hali (Morocco)
• 🥈 Samah Malhalli (Morocco)
• 🥉 Maya Istanbul (Tunisia)

Boys Under 16 (Individual):
• 🥇 Daniel Skolov (Qatar)
• 🥈 Aladdin Salama (Egypt)
• 🥉 Mohamed Bouhmo (Morocco)

Girls Under 16 (Individual):
• 🥇 Noha Ghadi (Morocco)
• 🥈 Lara Bakhour (Lebanon)
• 🥉 Sofia Al-Zubaidi (Morocco)

Women (Individual):
• 🥇 Rim Amni (Morocco)
• 🥈 Hana Alin (UAE)
• 🥉 Sara Abu Bakr (UAE)

Ladies – Teams Tournament:
In a powerful showing, Team Morocco captured gold with a remarkable final-round surge, finishing under par.
• 🥇 Morocco — 425 (-1)
• 🥈 Emirates — 439 (+13)
• 🥉 Tunisia — 458 (+32)
Egypt, as host nation, delivered a solid fourth-place finish at 482 strokes.

Girls Under 16 – Teams Tournament:
The future of Arab women’s golf was center stage in the Girls Under 16 division, and Morocco once again proved dominant.
• 🥇 Morocco — 437 (+11)
• 🥈 Tunisia — 491 (+50)
• 🥉 Jordan — 568 (+142)

Team Results:
• Boys Under 13: 1st: Morocco – 2nd: Egypt – 3rd: Tunisia
• Girls Under 16: 1st: Morocco – 2nd: Tunisia – 3rd: Saudi Arabia
• Boys Under 16: 1st: Morocco – 2nd: Egypt – 3rd: Jordan
• Boys Under 18: 1st: Morocco – 2nd: UAE – 3rd: Tunisia
• Women (Teams): 1st: Morocco – 2nd: UAE – 3rd: Tunisia

Egyptian Golf Federation: Driving Growth, Building Legacy
Founded with a mission to grow golf across Egypt, the Egyptian Golf Federation (EGF) has seen transformative progress under the leadership of Omar Talaat Mustafa. In the past decade, the EGF has championed international standards, inclusion, and competitive excellence—especially for juniors and women.
Today, Egypt boasts over 20 fully operational golf resorts, with more under development. With desert landscapes, lush fairways, and seaside greens, Egypt offers a variety unlike any other Arab golf destination. Winter months, in particular, provide ideal conditions for play—with sunshine, cool breezes, and scenic beauty attracting amateurs and pros alike.
“Golf in Egypt isn’t just about sport. It’s tourism, it’s investment, and it’s about international connection.”
— Omar Talaat Mustafa

This dual focus on sport and economic opportunity makes golf one of the most promising growth areas in Egypt’s broader sports strategy.

Looking Ahead: A Pan-Arab Golf Future
The championship also marked the official launch of the Pan Arab Youth Golf Development Program, a joint effort between the EGF and the Arab Golf Federation. This long-term initiative aims to harness and nurture regional talent through:
• Monthly regional training camps
• International competition exposure
• Mentorship from professional golfers
• A unified ranking and development structure
“We have the talent,” said Eng. Mohamed Anwar, EGF Vice President.
“What we need is the pathway—and this event is a huge step toward that.”
The goal: to see Arab golfers competing—and winning—on the global stage within the next decade.

Legacy Beyond the Leaderboard
The true success of the 2025 Pan Arab Championship wasn’t written solely in scorecards. It lived in the shared moments—families cheering, teammates embracing, and nations applauding each other’s excellence. Major General Abdullah Al-Hashemi, Executive Committee member of the Arab Golf Federation, reflected on the broader impact of the championship:
“Today, we celebrate another milestone in Arab sports—one that unites the sons and daughters of our region under the values of fair play and brotherhood. We extend our sincere thanks to the Egyptian Golf Federation for their exceptional organization. The talent we’ve seen on display assures us that the future of Arab golf is bright.”
From the polished greens of Katameya to the challenging fairways of Madinaty, every shot reflected commitment, discipline, and a shared Arab cross-cultural unity.

A Word of Congratulations
The Egyptian Golf Federation, alongside its organizing partners, extends heartfelt congratulations to all players, coaches, and national federations. Every participant—medalist or not—helped make the tournament unforgettable.
Special thanks go to the sponsors and media partners who elevated the championship’s profile, particularly Sport and Fitness Magazine, a leading voice in Arab sports excellence for over 20 years.
“Congratulations to all the winners and participants for an incredible display of talent, sportsmanship, and competitive spirit!”

Egypt Golf Rising
As Egypt continues to invest in world-class tournaments, the 2025 Pan Arab Junior & Ladies Golf Championship stands as a milestone of promise and proof. It showed what’s possible when vision, infrastructure, and passion converge.
More than a competition, this event became a symbol of unity, of rising stars, and of a region poised for golfing greatness, together.

Tournament Rules & Structure
The 2025 Championship was conducted under the official Rules of Golf (R&A and USGA), with regional adaptations by the EGF.
Key Regulations:
• Age Eligibility: Juniors must be under 18 as of Jan. 1, 2025.
• Amateur Status: All players must retain amateur standing.
• Team Format: 4 players per team; best 3 daily scores count.
• Tiebreaks: Resolved by sudden-death playoffs on designated holes.