Royal Golf Club junior members Dhari Al Borshaid and Sam Hobday are all set to play in the 2010 Callaway Junior World Championships in the USA, this month.

As Dhari Al Borshaid and Sam Hobday prepare for the 2010 Callaway Junior World Championship this month, their ability to withstand pressure and play at the highest level is apparent. The two teenagers refuse to bow down when it comes to the four-round tournament, which has featured many golfing legends, including Tiger Woods, in the past.

“I intend to enjoy myself at the championship and not take too much pressure. It promises to be a great experience and I am going there with a positive attitude. I plan to give it my best shot and enjoy the game,” says Sam, 16, a Brit living in Bahrain for the past 13 years.

His enthusiasm is matched by Bahraini Dhari. “I am very excited about securing places in the tournament along with Sam and I will do my best there and not buckle under pressure. I am really looking forward to represent my country in this prestigious event,” says the 17-year-old.

The championship, which begins on July 12 in San Diego, will feature competitors from Europe, Asia and Latin America playing in different age categories from 17 and under. Both Sam and Dhari are busy with intensive training to perfect their game. “It is one of the best courses in America and we will get a chance to play against some of the best players from around the world. This will give us an opportunity to compare ourselves with other players,” Sam says.

This St. Christopher School student has an enviable handicap of five and has been playing golf since the age of two. He has participated in many junior opens in Bahrain and abroad.

“I started playing golf ever since my father got me plastic clubs when I was two. I am passionate towards the game and it is my dream to play at the highest levels. I may take it up as my profession as I definitely don’t see myself working behind a desk,” Sam notes.

Ask him about his strengths on the green and he answers, “I can hit the ball quite a long way. I play a good shot. I believe putting is the key and one needs to have a feel for the greens.”

His friend Dhari may not look at golf as a profession but has the same passion for the game. “I want to pursue medicine as my career eventually. Golf will always be a hobby for me. I feel if your passion becomes your profession, you don’t retain the same feel for it.”

The boy who says that he can happily live on a golf course was actually a reluctant golfer initially. “I was 13 when I started playing golf. In the beginning, I used to hate the game. It was only gradually that I started enjoying it and today it is my passion.”

Dhari has participated in the Faldo series, Arab under-18 championship and GCC under-18 championship among others. He is a keen supporter of junior golf and, along with Sam, will visit many schools in Bahrain to introduce students to the game later this year. “I want to encourage younger Bahrainis to take up the game. In the last 10 years, many peple have taken it up here but there is still more to do,” he says.