UAE golfer makes history joining the University of California's Irvine Men’s Golf Team

Last updated: May 06, 2026 | 17:50

Rayan Ahmed has become the first Emirati golfer ever to earn a scholarship offer from a college in the United States

Dubai: In a sport defined by fine margins and long-term development, milestones matter. For 19-year-old UAE golfer Rayan Ahmed, the next step in a rapidly ascending career is not just another personal achievement, it is a national first.

Ahmed has committed to the University of California, Irvine Men’s Golf Team for the 2026–27 NCAA Division 1 season, becoming the first Emirati golfer to compete at Division I level in the United States.

In doing so, he also becomes the first Arab golfer to reach this stage of collegiate golf, a landmark moment for UAE sport and a defining chapter in a journey that began on the Dubai courses.

A fourth-generation golfer, Ahmed grew up in a family where the sport was a major part of his life.

His great-grandfather played, his…