Adri Arnaus is counting on his love for desert golf to give him an edge when he competes in the UAE Challenge this week at Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club.
Arnaus, who is a UAE resident having moved to Dubai in 2020, arrives in Ajman determined to leave his mark on the Road to Mallorca Rankings and fast-track his return to the DP World Tour.
The Spaniard spent five seasons competing on golf’s Global Tour, securing a memorable victory on home soil at the 2022 Catalunya Championship, before narrowly missing out on retaining his playing rights for 2025.
Arnaus lives a short drive from Al Zorah, and despite only having played the course on one occasion before, is ready to make his mark in front of home support.
"I got a good first look at both courses, which is all I felt like I needed,” he said.
“I did my homework and went to check them out. I feel very comfortable playing around here - not only in these next few events, but also in the past, playing the tournaments on the DP World Tour. I’ve always felt that desert courses suit my eye. They are courses that excite me and allow me to be creative from the tee.
"That makes me feel good, so I’m really looking forward to these couple of events because of that. Hopefully, I will have some home support as well, with my wife and friends coming to cheer me on. It’s going to be pretty cool."
The 30-year-old has proven his mettle in the UAE before with a memorable victory at the HotelPlanner Tour’s 2018 Ras Al Khaimah Grand Final. A birdie on the final hole earned him a one-stroke win over Victor Perez, securing his promotion to the DP World Tour.
Arnaus is determined to replicate that success on home soil.
“That week in Ras Al Khaimah has a special place in my memory. I can remember very good things from that event,” he added.
“Of course, being the same Tour, the same country, and I would say similar courses, I will feed off that victory heading into this double-header.
“Not only from the end result, but the way I handled myself that week - being very focused and very present. That’s definitely the way I would like to present myself over the next few weeks.”
Arnaus has teed it up six times on the HotelPlanner Tour this year, and currently sits 46th in the season-long Road to Mallorca Rankings. Only the top 20 players will secure the ultimate prize - a DP World Tour card for the 2026 season - when the Rolex Grand Final supported by The R&A, concludes in November.
The Spaniard knows just how valuable the back-to-back events in the UAE could be in his pursuit of a return to the top tier.
“These next two weeks are two good opportunities for me to keep evolving and to keep getting better,” he added.
“These last few months have been quite positive. I have been able to draw on a lot of good stuff in order to keep learning and building up to what can be my best version.
“I feel that every day I’m closer to that, so I’m just looking forward to giving myself another good chance at being there on Sunday, fighting for the tournament at two courses I quite like.
“I’m focused on just being me and enjoying myself out there. I think it’s going to be a good couple of weeks to do that.”
