Surprise. Adrián Otaegui (32 years old) stops representing Spain to carry the flag of the United Arab Emirates, a country where he has lived since he was 19 years old. This was announced by the golfer himself, as well as by the Golf Federation and the Olympic Committee of the nation that he is now defending in tournaments. “The United Arab Emirates is my home, I love its culture and the way it has been one of the most innovative countries in the last 50 years. My motivation is to represent the United Arab Emirates around the world and bring home an Olympic medal for this incredible country,” explains the San Sebastian-born player who has five DP World Tour wins, including the Andalucía Masters in 2022.
Otaegui, statements
Otaegui will also be part of a project for the development of golf in the country: “Young generations of Emirati golfers must have a role model, someone they know and who inspires them to become better golfers. I am very excited to help develop golf in the UAE and help the Emirates Golf Federation create an elite program for future champions.” The first tournament for Adrián, who already has the Emirates passport, will be the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa, which takes place from December 5 to 8, 2024.
The Rules of Golf are a set of rules and standard procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. They are jointly written and administered by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the governing body of golf throughout the world, except in the United States and Mexico, which are governed by the United States Golf Association. An expert committee, made up of members of the R&A and the USGA, oversees and refines the Rules every four years. The latest revision was effective January 1, 2016. Changes to the Rules of Golf generally fall into two main categories: those that improve understanding of the Rules and those that reduce penalties in certain cases to ensure balance. The rulebook, entitled “The Rules of Golf,” is published on a regular basis and also includes rules governing amateur status. In Italy, the Federgolf is responsible for supervising competitions by enforcing the rules issued by the R & A, checking that these rules are observed by the Clubs, Associations and their members and managing the resulting sporting justice, protecting their interests abroad.
Tennis World USA