At 15 years old, Aasiya Saleem is already competing on the international stage, representing the UAE National Team in golf and building a record that most seasoned players would envy. Her story, covered by Khaleej Times, is the kind that belongs in every school community conversation about ambition and what consistent work actually looks like.
Aasiya’s introduction to golf came through a group class near Montgomerie Golf Club in Dubai, where she grew up. Her parents did not play the game. Her eldest brother had a passing connection to it. But from the moment she picked up a club, she was hooked. What started as a few sessions a week turned into daily practice, and that daily practice turned into results.
From Junior Titles to International Stages
By the age of 12, Aasiya had already won the Ladies Club Championship at Montgomerie Golf Club, competing against significantly older players. That win was an early signal of where her trajectory was heading.
Since then, her list of achievements has grown steadily. She was part of the UAE team that won the Girls 15 and Under Division title at the Pan Arab 2023 Golf Championships in Riyadh, where she earned an individual silver medal. She won the Yas Links Junior Open in Abu Dhabi, shooting a 74 in tough wind conditions, and finished tied first at the Montgomerie Ladies Open with a three-under par round. Most recently, she placed tied 5th at the 54-hole Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Junior Championship in the Philippines, one of the more competitive junior fields in the region.
She is part of the Troon Golf Academy Junior Development Programme at Montgomerie Golf Club, which has played a central role in her development.
Representing the UAE
Aasiya holds a UAE passport and considers Dubai home, despite her Sri Lankan heritage. Her family has been based in the UAE for nearly four decades. Playing for the national team carries real weight for her.
“I was born here and I consider Dubai my home. It is where I grew up and learnt my golf. So when I represent the UAE National Team I feel a great sense of pride,” she told Khaleej Times.
She has been vocal about her gratitude toward the Emirates Golf Federation leadership for opening doors to international competition at such a young age.
What She Is Working Toward
Aasiya currently attends Nord Anglia International School Dubai. Her plan after graduation is to pursue a university education in the United States, then turn professional and begin qualifying for LPGA events. The long game, in every sense.
Her role models reflect both the technical and personal sides of what drives her. She looks up to Nelly Korda, the two-time LPGA major champion, for her swing and playing style. But her biggest influence, by her own words, is her father, Saleem Mohamed, whose work ethic she has watched closely and internalized.
“His hard work is unmatched, and watching him every day has taught me the value of dedication and perseverance in my own golf journey,” she said.
Why This Story Matters for Our Community
Aasiya is a Dubai school student doing exactly what this platform exists to highlight: putting in the work, earning results, and representing something bigger than herself. Her path from a group class near her home to a national team jersey is a clean, honest account of what consistent effort produces over time.
