DOHA  – The 45th Arab Men’s and 17th Arab Women’s Golf Championships wrapped up today at Doha Golf Club after four days of competition, bringing together 72 golfers from 14 countries in a highly competitive contest across the individual and team events.

Morocco emerged as the leading nation on the final day, with Rida Al Helli completing a dominant performance to capture individual gold. Having topped the standings since the opening day, Al Helli finished with 278 strokes, 10 under par. Qatar’s Saleh Al Kaabi took silver with 284 strokes, four under par, while the UAE’s Sam Moloney secured bronze with 285 strokes, three under par.

The UAE’s Jonathan Selfrage placed fourth at one under par, followed by Morocco’s Hugo Trometer in fifth with an even-par score of 288 strokes.

Qatar’s Daniel Sokolov secured sixth place at four over par, while Bahrain’s Khalifa Al Marisi and Morocco’s Mohammed Bouhamou shared seventh place with 11 over par. The UAE’s Mohammed Skik and Tunisia’s Bahaa Boualkmine completed the top ten in ninth and tenth place respectively.

Morocco also claimed top honours in the team competition, taking gold with a combined score of 863 strokes, one under par. The UAE finished second with 869 strokes, five over par, to earn silver, while Qatar secured the bronze medal with 885 strokes, 21 over par. Bahrain and Tunisia finished fourth and fifth respectively.

The medal presentation was attended by Hamad Abdullah Al Mana, President of the Qatar Golf Association and Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee; Mustafa Al Zain, First Vice President of the Arab Golf Federation; Adel Al Fayyad, Second Vice President of the Arab Golf Federation; and Ali Redha, Secretary-General of the Arab Golf Federation.

Fahad Nasser Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of the Qatar Golf Association, welcomed the successful conclusion of the championships, highlighting the achievements of the Qatari golfers. He particularly praised the team’s bronze-medal performance and Saleh Al Kaabi’s silver-medal finish in the individual event.

Commenting after the medal ceremony, Al Nuaimi said Qatar’s third-place finish in the team competition was a commendable achievement in light of the strong field and high technical standards displayed by the participating Arab teams, which brought together some of the region’s most accomplished and experienced golfers.

He pointed out that the four-day championships featured a high standard of play and intense competition among both male and female golfers. However, changing weather conditions, particularly during the final two days, had an impact on the performances and results of some participants.

Al Nuaimi also expressed his appreciation for the positive remarks and commendations received by the Organising Committee from participating delegations and guests. He said this recognition reflected the collective efforts behind delivering a distinguished championship that upholds Qatar’s reputation and demonstrates its extensive experience in hosting major international and continental sporting events.

Meanwhile, Adel Al Fayyad, Second Vice President of the Arab Golf Federation, praised the championships for their success on both the sporting and organisational fronts. He highlighted the high standard of competition throughout the four days and commended the Qatar Golf Association and the Organising Committee for their efforts in ensuring the event was delivered to the highest standards.

Al Fayyad also noted that the Arab Golf Federation had convened its Executive Committee and General Assembly meetings on the sidelines of the championships. The meetings addressed a range of issues aimed at advancing golf and improving the competitive standards of players across the Arab region.

Among the key decisions was the adoption of a new classification system for age groups in future championships, with juniors, youth and girls grouped into one category, while seniors and men would form another, allowing greater flexibility in the competition structure.

He further announced the signing of a twinning agreement between the Arab Golf Federation and the African Golf Confederation, aimed at strengthening ties, expanding cooperation and facilitating the exchange of expertise. The meetings also reviewed the federation’s general budget and discussed future programmes and initiatives to support the continued development of golf.