UAE golfer Anca Mateiu is set to compete in the upcoming Tommy Fleetwood International Pathway Series Presented by DP World at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
World No. 10 Tommy Fleetwood has commended the support from DP World and the DP World Golf Performance Centre ahead of the 54-hole event, which is presented by DP World and backed by the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA). The tournament will run from October 15th to 17th, 2024, at the Earth Course in Jumeirah Golf Estates. A total of 72 junior golfers, comprising 61 boys and 11 girls, will participate in this open competition, marking the inaugural Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) Junior Order of Merit event of the season.
Fleetwood, who is based in Dubai and won a silver medal at the 2025 Paris Olympic Games, expressed his enthusiasm for the tournament, which is the first of three AJGA events in the UAE that will offer World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points, supported by The R&A. "It’s a great honor to host the UAE’s first AJGA events," Fleetwood said.
Fleetwood also highlighted the growth of the Tommy Fleetwood Academy over the past eighteen months, thanks to DP World and the DP World Golf Performance Centre. "Their support for these three events in the UAE now connects junior golfers with elite amateurs, providing opportunities at every level," he added.
The first tee time on October 15th is scheduled for 8.30 am, with pairings in three-balls and the final tee time at 12.20 pm. The AJGA series is renowned worldwide as a pathway for elite amateur golfers to advance and compete at the highest levels. With international membership spanning 60 countries and representing nearly 10% of the overall membership, the International Pathway Series aims to make college golf scholarship opportunities more accessible to all junior golfers, reducing financial barriers.
The tournaments are open to junior golfers aged 12 to 18 with a valid handicap. Entries were oversubscribed, necessitating a handicap ballot to finalize the field. Notable boys in the competition include Oscar Craig, Victor Kofod-Olsen, Raghav Gulati, Rayan Ahmed, Thomas Nesbitt, and Paul Rezko. Among the top girls are Ananyaa Sood, Anca Mateiu, and Faye Alblooshi, all of whom are strong contenders for the title.
Anca Mateiu, who earned the individual Gold Medal and was part of the UAE Under-16 Girls' Team that won Gold at the Pan Arab Ladies and Youth Golf Championships in Tunisia last month, said, "I’ve had a busy summer playing golf abroad. This week’s event at JGE is the first domestic UAE golf tournament on the calendar and the first on the 2024-25 EGF Junior Order of Merit. I’m excited to compete against the best Under 18 junior golfers."
Overseas entries have come from France, Germany, Qatar, the Russian Golf Federation, and the US. The next two Tommy Fleetwood International Pathway Series events, presented by DP World and supported by the AJGA, will be held on November 22nd-24th, 2024, at Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah, and January 10th-12th, 2025, at Yas Links Abu Dhabi.
