Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship

The prestigious Abu Dhabi Junior Golf Championship in association with The Telegraph is underway at the award-winning championship course at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, host course of the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. The twelve boys and nine girls competing for the coveted title have been selected from qualifying tournaments throughout the UK and feature some of the country’s brightest young stars. They will all be hoping to add their name to an illustrious list of previous winners that includes Ryder Cup stars Andrew Coltart and Justin Rose, Walker Cup players Oliver Fisher and Stiggy Hodgson and Solheim Cuppers Melissa Reid and Mhairi McKay.

2011 British Boys Champion Harrison Greenberry from Exeter Golf & Country Club in Devon heads a stellar boys’ field that features several England Internationals, such as Oliver Carr from Heswall Golf Club in Cheshire, Jack Singh Brar from Bramshaw Golf Club in Hampshire and Paul Kinnear of Formby Golf Club. The hotly-contested competition also features UAE resident Daniel Hendry, winner of the Abu Dhabi Junior Open earlier in the year. The Scottish-born Hendry plays off a +2 handicap and will be looking to build on his seventh place finish in last years event

The girl’s championship features defending champion Hayley Davis, who has flown over from America where she is currently undertaking a golf scholarship at Baylor University in Texas. She will face stiff competition from the likes of Welsh International Amy Boulden, who qualified for the Women’s British Open last year at the age of just 16, and England’s Lauren Taylor who became the youngest-ever winner of the Women’s British Amateur Championship at Royal Portruch in June.

 "This great event reinforces our global golfing credentials and furthers an offering which is now challenging some of the world's best. From important grass-roots programmes to bar-raising championships, we are creating an inspirational golfing destination that attracts the world's best players and fosters the next generation of stars," said Faisal Al Sheikh, Events Manager for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, the Championship's Title Sponsor.

On Monday the competitors came out on top in an exhibition match at the stunning Saadiyat Beach Golf Club against a junior team from the UAE before enjoying a clinic from this year’s tournament ambassador, Andrew Coltart. During their stay they will also enjoy a tour of some of Abu Dhabi’s tourism hotspots, including a desert safari and a trip to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque before returning to the UK at the end of the week. Following the first two rounds of play +2 handicap Jimmy Mullen leads by two following impressive opening rounds of 69 (-3) and 70. In the girls competition, Hayley Davis bounced back from an opening round 74 with a course record 64 to lead Lauren Taylor by four shots.