Ahmed Al Musharrekh believes adopting a back-to-basics approach has shored up his confidence ahead of next week’s Royal D’Anfa Open, the opening event on this year’s MENA Golf Tour schedule.

“I feel like I'm playing a lot better and there has been a marked improvement in my game which is a good thing,” said the top-ranked Emirati golfer, whose goal for the season is to put himself in contention in every tournament he plays.

“Every time I tee it up my goal is to win the tournament. I’m not there to do anything but that. If it happens, then great. If not, on to the next one,” said Al Musharrekh who is travelling to Morocco for the first time for a MENA Golf Tour event. “I may have made the cut only once as a professional, but all that could change this time around. I have learned a lot from past experience. I made some swing changes, but it took a while for them to settle in.

“I am swinging as well as I used to when I decided to turn professional (in 2008). Going back to basics, I think, has given me a fresh outlook on life as a golfer.”

Al Musharrekh lauded the MENA Golf Tour for providing a springboard for the region’s players to graduate to the next level.

“More and more players from the Arab world are turning professional which augurs well for the overall development of the game. Even in the UAE we have some very good golfers with a competitive passion for the game and I do hope they will think about making a career out of doing something they love,” he said.

About the Sheikh Maktoum Golf Foundation Award, which rewards the leading Arab nationals on the MENA Golf Tour, Al Musharrekh said: “This will make things interesting and provide some extra motivation for the region’s players to give off their best.

“More importantly, the institution of the award shows much the MENA Golf Tour cares for its members and how serious they are about spreading the game across the region and creating a competitive environment for Arab players to showcase their skills,”

The 2014 edition of the tour tees off with back-to-back events in Morocco from March 17 before taking a summer break. It resumes with the eight-week ‘Gulf Swing’ which includes four stops in the UAE and one each in Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia before returning to the UAE for the season-ending Tour championship in November at Al Ain Equestrian Shooting and Golf Club.

With each event boasting a prize fund of $50,000 and the Tour Championship carrying $75,000 in prize money besides rolling out a special fund for the Arab talent, the tour is being held under the auspices of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation with support from Omega.