The 2026/27 World School Games Event Series is up and running — and the Gulf made its mark from the very first week.
The World Schools Golf Championship served as the inaugural event of the newly-launched WSG World Series, raising the stakes considerably as 85 golfers representing 23 schools, 17 nationalities, and four continents descended on the Home of Golf for three days of elite competition across Ladybank, Fairmont St Andrews Kittocks, and Fairmont St Andrews Torrance.
Among the standout performers across the week were the three Middle East delegations — Dubai English Speaking College (DESSC), Brighton College Dubai, and American International School Riyadh (AIS Riyadh) — who proved that Gulf-based golf talent can compete with the best in the world on classic Scottish links.
The Opening Ceremony
The week began in Dundee at the Apex Hotel with a high-energy Opening Ceremony hosted by Adam Binnie, bringing student-athletes, coaches, and international delegations together for the first time before competition got underway.
Three Days of Elite Scottish Golf
Round 1 took place at Ladybank Golf Club, one of Scotland’s premier inland heathland tracks. The full field teed off in a 9:00 AM shotgun start, with Middle East golfers adjusting quickly to the Scottish conditions and putting in steady opening rounds to place DESSC and Brighton College Dubai squarely in contention.
Round 2 moved to the dramatic Kittocks Course at Fairmont St Andrews — played along the cliff edges overlooking St Andrews Bay. The competition intensified significantly, with viewers back in the Gulf tuning in via the WSG Live Tournament Portal featuring shot-tracer technology, on-course commentary, and feature-hole coverage.
Round 3 on The Torrance Course brought the championship to its conclusion. Players teed off from both the 1st and 10th tees, navigating deep revetted bunkers and fast-running greens in conditions that tested nerve and precision in equal measure. Gulf contenders produced crucial late birdies to secure top individual and team finishes across Stroke Play and Stableford categories.
The Middle East Delegations
DESSC arrived with an impressive nine-player squad — Alexander Grieve, Freddie Dalton, Michael Swart, Abdulla Darwish, Morgan Barr, Robbie Mungin, Freddie Barbara, Zachary Nye, and Shantanu Narayan — delivering consistent scoring across both Stroke Play and Stableford categories to anchor a powerful overall team performance.
Brighton College Dubai demonstrated exceptional course management throughout the three days. Senior standouts Oscar Bell and Riccardo Bianchi led the charge, supported by Junior stars William Clark, Harrison Daniels, Jack O’Brien, and George Wylie as the school climbed the overall team and Stableford standings across the week.
AIS Riyadh represented Saudi Arabia on the global stage with remarkable grit across all three rounds. Khalid Almodaimeegh, Gregoire Dhaeyer, Laura Chambers, Dominique Fanderl, Harald Fanderl, and Sullivan Honig delivered solid scorecards that reflected the strength of golf development coming out of the Kingdom.
The WSG World Series Begins
Beyond individual trophies, every shot at St Andrews contributed toward the inaugural WSG World Series standings — a brand new year-long championship table that runs across all WSG events throughout 2026/27.
For the first time in WSG history, cumulative team performances at the Golf Championship directly earn points toward the year-long rankings. DESSC, Brighton College Dubai, and AIS Riyadh now head into October’s World Schools Football Cup in Barcelona with early points already on the board — a significant advantage in what promises to be a fiercely contested first season of the WSG World Series.
Full Results
The complete breakdown of winners across Junior, Senior, Teachers, and Team divisions is available in the Official WSG Golf 2026 Roll of Honour at wsgevents.com.
Pre-Register for WSG Golf 2027
With a historic week in Fife now complete, organisers have confirmed that the World Schools Golf Championship will return to Scotland in 2027. Schools wishing to walk the legendary fairways of St Andrews next year can pre-register their interest now to receive priority entry details and tournament information.
A special thank you to official partners TWEDEX — Official Travel and Logistics Partner — and J20 Sports — Official Apparel Partner — for supporting another world-class event on the ground in Scotland.
Follow Gulf Youth Sport at gulfyouthsport.com and @gulfyouthsport for full coverage of the WSG World Series throughout the 2026/27 season.