Pelley, who is in the UAE for this weekend’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, was speaking on the back of an Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC) and HSBC joint initiative to launch the first emirate-wide grassroots programme which is introducing more than 2,000 local school children to the game.

The ‘Champions of Tomorrow’ programme aims to educate, engage and inspire Emirati and local youngsters in a bid to unearth future UAE talent.

And Pelley said: “I would love to see an Emirati playing regularly on the European Tour.

“The Abu Dhabi Sports Council has been very proactive in its support of growing the game. I think showcasing an event like this and seeing superstars doing what mere mortals can’t is a great way to inspire the youth and we’d like nothing better than to see that.”

Pelley, known for ground-breaking ideas such as allowing professional golfers to wear shorts during practice days and pro-ams, says he has been impressed by Abu Dhabi and the championship during his first visit to the UAE capital.

The 52-year-old Canadian said: “The Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship is very important to us. We’re a global tour and this is a global destination.

“It’s very important for us to be able to take our players to world-class venues, world cities, world-class countries and Abu Dhabi is a perfect fit.

“The weather is terrific, the golf facility is outstanding and the players are always excited to come here.”