Golf

Doha, Qatar: When Saleh Al Kaabi steps onto the fairways at Doha Golf Club today, he will be doing more than just competing in the Qatar Masters. He will be playing in front of a home crowd, on a course he knows well, and in a tournament that has long been the jewel of Qatari golf. The Qatar star, who secured his place in this year’s event by winning the 2025 Qatar Open Amateur Golf Championship, will lead the local charge alongside amateur teammates Ali Al Shahrani and Daniil Sokolov. Together, they will represent Qatar in a star-studded DP World Tour field of 144 players, including eight former champions of the prestigious event, while Race to Dubai leader Jayden Schaper and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed headline the field. Read Also Qatar Masters: Al Kaabi eyes strong show in home event Home hero Al Attiyah looks to extend Qatar International Rally dominance Al Gharafa, Al Sadd chase wins in QSL title hunt Al Kaabi has entered the week in impressive form, with strong results in recent competitions and a notable performance in Saudi Arabia, where he made the cut at an Asian Tour event. The confidence from those results has carried into Doha. “I am enjoying one of my best seasons and I am ready for the challenge,” Al Kaabi told The Peninsula on the eve of the tournament. “Playing at home has always been an honour and I am looking forward to a strong performance.” He is fully aware that the Qatar Masters will test him against some of the world’s best. “Like always, the Qatar Masters will feature prominent golfers and it is going to be a tough challenge,” he said. “My first target is to make the cut, which would be great.” The week’s weather is expected to cooperate, with forecasts predicting only a brief spell of wind this afternoon. Conditions are likely to settle into light winds and sunshine for most of the tournament, with only a small chance of rain over the weekend, a promising sign for a week of high-quality golf. “This is my home course and we are used to playing in it in different conditions. I am looking forward to a good performance,” Al Kaabi added. “I also hope the same for Ali and Daniil Sokolov.” Al Shahrani said the chance to compete in front of the home crowd adds extra meaning to the event. “It’s always an honour to play in this tournament in front of the home crowd,” he said. “Yes, I am hopeful of a good performance and looking forward to making the cut.”

Golf

Doha, Qatar: Few tournaments on the DP World Tour carry the same sense of personal history for Darren Fichardt as the Qatar Masters. From his first appearance in 2000 to this week’s start in Doha, the South African has returned year after year, building a relationship with the event that now spans almost half his life. This week marks his 23rd appearance at the Qatar Masters and his 17th consecutive start, a remarkable record of loyalty and longevity. It was here in 2003 that Fichardt lifted the iconic Mother of Pearl Trophy, securing his second DP World Tour title with a dramatic play-off victory at Doha Golf Club. “It was very important. A big surprise, but it was obviously awesome,” Fichardt recalled of that breakthrough win. The memories of that week remain vivid. Battling strong winds, Fichardt forced a play-off before birdieing the par-five 18th at the first extra hole to seal victory. While much has changed in the years since, his affection for the tournament and its surroundings has only deepened. “From my first time out here, I think it was 2000, I came out here and there is such a huge South African population, so we’d have South African braais on the Tuesday,” he told DP World Tour. “There’s a huge community and a lot of support, obviously.” The Pro-Am competitions ahead of the 29th edition of the Qatar Masters were held yesterday. Qatar Golf Association’s (QGA) team, comprising Secretary General Fahad Nasser Al Nuaimi, Mehdi Diouri, Talal Karkouri, and Eugenio Chakarra, emerged victorious with a score of 30 under par. The winners received their awards from Mike Shoueiry, the QGA's Technical Expert, and Walid Saad, a member of the organising committee. In the morning session, another QGA team, including former QGA President Tami Al Hajri, Paulo Smith and Victor Pak triumphed with a score of 34 under par in the first group of the day. Fichardt has also witnessed Doha’s transformation first-hand over more than two decades of visits. “What’s special about this place all those years ago is there was one hotel. Everything else was desert. It has developed quite a lot since then.” Now 50, Fichardt returns once again balancing commitments across multiple tours, but his motivation to compete in Qatar remains undiminished. He came close to adding a second Qatar Masters title as recently as 2021, finishing just one shot behind winner Antoine Rozner, and arrives this week still eager to test himself against a younger generation. “If I am playing any event, I am going to do my best,” he said. “Wherever I am that week is where I am going to be.” Joining him in Doha is another former champion in Eddie Pepperell, whose victory at the Qatar Masters in 2018 proved to be a springboard for success. For the Englishman, returning to a venue where he has already triumphed carries renewed significance as he looks to rebuild momentum. “A lot has happened since then, not just me but the world has been through a lot,” Pepperell said, reflecting on the passage of time since his Doha win. He believes positive signs are beginning to emerge. “Confidence is a funny thing, it can disappear as quickly as it can come back. I think the seeds have been in the ground for a while for me to play some better golf. It’s just waiting for it to occur, really.” The Qatar Masters returns this week for its 29th edition, teeing off today at DGC, with 144 players competing for the Mother of Pearl Trophy. Eight former champions are in the field, including Fichardt and Pepperell. South Africa’s Jayden Schaper leads this year’s field as the current Race to Dubai Rankings leader, with 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed of the United States his closest challenger. Doha Golf Club will also mark a historic moment this week as Irish great Padraig Harrington makes his 500th DP World Tour appearance, becoming just the 50th player to reach the milestone.

Qatar Sport

Lusail: Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah will be bidding for a record-breaking 19th victory from 26 starts when this weekend’s Qatar International Rally gets underway from the Lusail Sports Complex today. The in-form Qatari began his challenge for an unprecedented 21st FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) title with victory in Oman two weeks ago and has now switched his attention to securing a staggering 93rd career MERC rally win on the three-day event being hosted by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF). Al Attiyah and co-driver Candido Carrera top a 23-car field with strength in depth and will be looking to start their weekend’s campaign with a strategic performance on the new Qualifying Stage today. This will determine the starting order for tomorrow’s opening special stage. The outcome of the Qualifying Stage will be the deciding factor to which of the Rally2 crews opens the road, acts as a road sweeper and faces the slight disadvantage of clearing loose sand and gravel off the racing line. In the past, the leader of the championship has opened the road regardless and Al Attiyah may well be able to take advantage of the new addition to the regulations to strengthen his challenge in an Autotek Škoda Fabia RS. Abdullah Al Rawahi is back from serious injury and pushed Al Attiyah hard in his native Oman last month. Punctures ultimately dropped him to second place and out of victory contention, but the Omani is better prepared for this rally and is hopeful that he has a good set-up on his Škoda Fabia RS to apply the pressure on Al Attiyah from the outset. The former regional champion teams up with Jordanian co-driver Ata Al Hmoud. Local driver Abdulaziz Al Kuwari was not present at the opening round but stayed in match fitness with a strong performance at last weekend’s Saudi Baja. He teams up with his brother Nasser in a Škoda Fabia RS and will be striving for the podium on a rally he won in 2012. Rashid Al Muhannadi will be aiming for better fortune this weekend on his home rally. Engine issues sidelined Mohammed Al Marri in Oman but the QMMF-backed driver has switched to a Citroën C3 this weekend and will make his debut in the Rally2 class with Frenchman Pierre Delorme reading his pace notes. Veteran Nasser Khalifa Al Atya began his 2026 campaign with a podium finish in Oman, as he tries to retain the FIA Master Driver trophy he won last season. The Qatari again teams up with Lebanese co-driver Ziad Chebab in a Motortune-run Ford Fiesta. Shaker Jweihan was the class of the MERC2 field at round one with his fellow Jordanian co-driver Mustafa Juma and the youngster is determined to maintain the momentum in Qatar. The QMMF-backed Qatari Rashid Al Muhannadi and Gary McElhinney are the defending FIA MERC4 champions, but their title defence ground to a halt with engine issues in Oman. He faces strong competition from a quartet of Qatari drivers in similar Peugeot 208 Rally4s and the Indian duo of Payyaakkal Panikkaveettil and Musa Sherif in a Ford Fiesta. The QMMF has offered support to Ahmed Al Kuwari, Nouef Al Sowaidi, Khalifa Saleh Al Attiyah and Ahmad Shaheen Al Muhannadi to boost the flagship two-wheel drive category. They have teamed up with their respective co-drivers, Baptiste Cerrato, Aisvydas Paliukenas, Laos Savvas and Taha Al Zadjali. The Lebanese pairing of Shadi El Fakih and Joseph Kmeid wheel out their Rally5 Renault Clio at the rear of the field behind four SSVs that are also eligible for the regional rally championship. Mohammed Al Atteya and Mirko Carrara drive a pair of Can-Ams and Christiano Gabbarrini and Mario Marotta wheel out two Yamaha YXZ 1000Rs built by Quaddy Racing. Today’s competitive timetable opens with a 75-minute practice session through a new 5.56km special for Rally2 cars at Al Khor from 10.00hrs. This will also act as the new qualifying stage for Rally2 crews, starting at 11.45hrs. The result of that will determine the starting order for leg one. The slowest driver in the qualifying stage will run as the first Rally2 entrant on the road tomorrow. Non-Rally2 machines will be permitted a maximum of two passes apiece during a shakedown on the Al Khor stage from 12.30hrs until 14.15hrs. The ceremonial start will then take centre stage adjacent to the service park in the grounds of the Lusail Sports Complex. 2026 Qatar International Rally entries (SELECTED) Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (QAT)/Candido Carrera (ESP) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 Abdullah Al Rawahi (OMA)/Ata Al Hmoud (JOR) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 Nasser Khalifa Al Atya (QAT)/Ziad Chehab (LBN) Ford Fiesta Mk II Rally 2 Abdulaziz Al Kuwari (QAT)/Nasser Al Kuwari (QAT) Škoda Fabia RS Rally 2 Mohammed Al Marri (QAT)/Pierre Delorme (FRA) Citroën C3 Rally 2 Shaker Jweihan (JOR)/Mustafa Juma (JOR) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Mohamed Mansoor Parol (IND)/Lenin Joseph (IND) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Charbel Chebly (LBN)/Carlos Hanna (LBN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Rashid Al Muhannadi (QAT)/Gary McEnhinney (IRL) Peugeot 208 Rally 4 Ahmed Al Kuwari (QAT)/Baptiste Cerrato (QAT) Peugeot 208 Rally 4 Nouef Al Sowaidi (QAT)/Aisvydas Paliukenas (LTU) Peugeot 208 Rally 4 Khalifa Saleh Al Attiyah (QAT)/Laos Savvas (CYP) Peugeot 208 Rally 4 Ahmad Shaheen Al Muhannadi (QAT)/Taha Al Zadjali (OMA) Peugeot 208 Rally 4 Mohammed Al Atteya (QAT)/Aleksei Kuzmich (UAE) Can-Am Maverick