Ritchie and Van Veen set the pace at UAE Challenge with opening 64s

“That’s what dreams are made of,” smiled South Africa’s JC Ritchie after firing a blistering eight-under-par 64 to share the lead with Dutchman Vince van Veen in the opening round of the HotelPlanner Tour’s UAE Challenge.

Ritchie, a four-time winner on Tour, rolled in nine birdies—including a clutch putt on his final hole—to cap off a near-flawless round. Earlier, Van Veen capitalized on the pristine morning conditions at Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club, carding his own 64 to grab an early share of the lead.

The duo hold a slender one-shot advantage over England’s George Bloor and France’s Romaine Wattel, both sitting at seven-under-par. A crowded chasing pack at six-under includes Scotland’s Euan Walker and David Law, India’s Saptak Talwar, and Peru’s Julian Perico.

Also lurking close behind are England’s Chris Paisley and France’s Oihan Guillamoundeguy – part of a nine-way tie at five-under-par.

Among the homegrown talent, UAE-based Spaniard Adri Arnaus led the charge with a four-under 68, surging with three birdies in his final three holes. Joshua Grenville-Wood finished two strokes behind, while top Emirati amateur Ahmad Skaik impressed with a gritty back nine of 33 to finish at one-over. Hot on his heels was 18-year-old Rayan Ahmed, just a shot further back.

Reflecting on his round, Ritchie said: “I’ve been playing really well lately, and the game’s been in a great place. I’ve just needed to stay out of my own head and let the golf happen. Today, I did that.”

Ritchie’s only blemish came at the seventh, but a textbook finish on the ninth—his last—left him smiling.

“I hit a smooth nine-iron to about 12 feet and drained it. That was the cherry on top.”

Van Veen, starting on the 10th, caught fire early, notching three birdies in his first five holes and four straight from the 18th to the 3rd.

“I’d seen my putting coach Jamie before the event, and I’m rolling it great. I holed a nice one on three from about 15–18 feet, and after that, the confidence just carried me.”

The UAE Challenge kicks off a two-week Tour swing through the Emirates, followed by next week’s Abu Dhabi Challenge at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club (April 17–20). These events are a cornerstone of the Emirates Golf Federation’s long-term strategy with the DP World Tour, aiming to elevate the region as a breeding ground for elite-level golf and support emerging local players.

Ritchie, reflecting on the broader impact, added: “It’s amazing to see the game growing here. These events opened doors for players like me in South Africa a few years ago, and now they’re opening those same doors for young talent in the UAE.”

The UAE Challenge is powered by support from Arena, Al Laith, and eGolf Megastore, with additional sponsors like the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and Department of Culture and Tourism joining for the second event.

Golf fans can catch the action live and free throughout both tournaments. The second round of the UAE Challenge begins at 6:30am on Friday, with Ritchie teeing off at 7:20am and Van Veen at 12:20pm.

The HotelPlanner Tour is a professional golf tour that forms part of the European Challenge Tour, which is essentially the second-tier men’s professional golf tour in Europe—just below the DP World Tour