Business & Finance Club - Dubai: Shaikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), will officially open the 30th edition of the Arab Golf Championships that get under way at the Citrus Course at Hammamet, Tunisia, today.

Shaikh Fahim, also the chairman of the Arab Golf Federation (AGF), will later chair a board meeting of the AGF to be held during the championships.

A number of subjects, including promotion of golf in the region, junior development and exchange tours among member states are on the agenda. The UAE, runners-up to Bahrain in the last edition in Ras Al Khaimah last year, are considered serious title contenders this time round.

Ahmad Al Musharrakh, who recently qualified to the Egyption Open, a European Challenge Tour event, is joined by elder brother Abdullah, Saeed Malek and Khalid Yousuf. Juniors consisting of Hassan Al Musharrakh, Faisal Al Marzouqi and Sohail Al Marzouqi will aim to regain the youth title they won in 2007.

"Everyone will have to chip in with a good score if we aim to do well in Tunisia," said Khalid Mubarak, manager and captain of the UAE team.

For the first time a women's team will also travel with Eida Al Muhairbi and Rabab Al Haj are set to make history.

"The championship will be a great learning curve for us and hence we have no added pressure," said Eida, who took to the sport in 1998.

"We need to keep playing more and more tournaments if we aim to produce good results," she said. "The championship could well mark the beginning of a new chapter," she added.