RIYADH: A group of promising young Arab golfers has gathered in Riyadh this week for the launch of a new regional initiative aimed at preparing future champions for the international stage.

The Arab Golf Federation has begun its Elite Sports Scholarship Camp, a flagship program designed to identify and nurture top golfing talent from across the Arab world.

Held at Riyadh Golf Club, the four-day training camp marks the first phase of a broader scholarship initiative that will see selected players offered full-time development opportunities at the renowned IMG Academy in the US.

The camp, which includes 16 male and female golfers under the age of 18, has brought together rising stars from across the region, based on their performances in regional and international events.

The program is structured into two intensive phases. The first is focused on technical, physical and psychological assessments, and the second on simulated competitive rounds designed to test performance under pressure.

At the end of the camp, the top-performing players will be awarded full scholarships, beginning in August.

The package includes elite golf training, academic education, and access to sports science facilities, including strength and conditioning and mental performance coaching.

The initiative forms a key part of the federation’s long-term strategy to elevate Arab golf and create a pipeline of talent capable of competing at the highest levels by 2035.

Yasir bin Othman Al-Rumayyan, president of the Arab Golf Federation, said: “While we continue to lay a strong and sustainable foundation locally, we are also committed to partnering with the best international institutions to provide world-class training and professional development for our promising young players.

“This initiative reflects our dedication to investing in youth talent based on global best practices, empowering them to compete on the international stage.

“In the coming years, as we achieve our ambitious goals, we will be able to rely entirely on our local capabilities and deliver a comprehensive Arab system for developing future champions.”

Noah Alireza, secretary-general of the federation, described the camp as a pivotal moment for the sport in the region.

“This camp represents a turning point in our journey to establish a clear competitive pathway for Arab golfers,” he said.

“By combining world-class training, international exposure, and meticulous evaluation, we are laying a strong foundation for young Arab talents to rise to the top levels of the sport.

“The Elite Sports Scholarship Camp is a genuine launchpad toward realizing the Arab Golf Federation’s vision of producing a new generation of Arab champions capable of competing globally.

“Through comprehensive assessment programs and strategic partnerships with leading institutions, the federation is laying the groundwork for a promising future for golf in the Arab world, built on planning, professionalism, and investment in youth potential.”

CROMWELL, Connecticut: Tommy Fleetwood was so locked in on good golf he didn’t realize until after his 7-under 63 that he didn’t miss a fairway in the Travelers Championship. And he certainly wasn’t aware of the stunning blowups behind him by Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas.

All three started a steamy, hot Saturday tied for the lead, but not for long.

Scheffler celebrated his 29th birthday by starting a round with a triple bogey for the first time in his PGA Tour career. All it took was missing the fairway into thick rough, airmailing the green from a front bunker, two chips and two putts.

He never quite recovered, posted a 72 for only his fifth score over par in 55 rounds this year, and was nine shots behind.

Thomas was still in the mix until a wild hook off the tee at the par-5 13th, letting the driver loose that landed near the marshal spotting the shot. After reloaded from going out-of-bounds, it took three chips left of the green and two putts for a quadruple-9. He shot 73 and was 10 shots out of the lead.

Fleetwood avoided those blunders to build a three-shot lead. At stake is a chance to add a PGA Tour title to a resume that includes seven European titles, three Ryder Cup appearances and a regular fixture among the top 25 for the last two years.

“I’m on top of a lot of stat lines for people that haven’t won on the PGA Tour, so to always be a No. 1 at something is always nice,” he said with a laugh.

“Yeah, of course I would love to win on the PGA Tour. I think it’s like an element of your career that everybody wants, and I of course want it. I haven’t, this year especially, I don’t feel like I’ve given myself ... I’ve given myself a back-end chance a couple of times this year, but I’ve not been in contention. So this is like my first real chance, so I’m really excited about that and looking forward to it.”

The immediate challengers at steamy TPC River Highlands are New England’s favorite son and Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley (63) and Russell Henley, who had a 61 one day after calling a penalty on himself when there initially was some question it was a penalty.

Henley thought it moved a golf ball dimple away.

“When it happened it kind of shocked me a little bit,” Henley said of his chip on left of the eighth green in the second round. “I still hit the shot, and as the ball was rolling on the green I was thinking, ‘Something just happened there.’ So I knew. I knew that the ball moved. I just felt it was the right thing to do.”

Missing are Scheffler and Thomas, both tied for the 36-hole lead with Fleetwood. On a day without wind — just stifling heat — in which the scoring average was 68, Scheffler and Thomas combined to play 5-over par.

Fleetwood only missed three greens and his toughest save a 6-footer after missing the ninth green to the left with a wedge. He holed a 65-foot putt on the fifth hole and converted plenty of other chances, while running his bogey-free streak to 32 holes going into Sunday.

He also made eagle on the 13th hole for the second day, giving him three eagles for the week. They don’t hand out crystal for that at the Travelers, only red umbrellas. But it allowed Fleetwood to get some separation for Henley and Bradley going into Sunday.

Fleetwood, a 34-year-old from England, was at 16-under 194. He has finished among the top 20 in eight of his 14 starts this season. He just feels he hasn’t given himself any chances.

Jason Day ran off three straight birdies on the back nine to salvage a 67 and was five shots back. No one else was closer than eight shots of Fleetwood.

Scheffler hasn’t finished out of the top 10 since March and remarkably he ended the day with a birdie for a tie eighth. The start was a shocker.

He drove left into the 5-inch rough and hit wedge into a front bunker with a decent lie. But he caught all ball and sent it over the green, leaving him a tough pitch up the slope and over a mound toward the hole. The first pitch came up short and rolled back down into the rough.

He hit a flop to 15 feet and two-putted for triple bogey, his first on the tour since the BMW Championship last August.

Bradley, whose name has not vanished from Ryder Cup consideration as a player, won the Travelers two years ago and cleared a major hurdle trying to perform before New England fans, now chanting, “U-S-A! U-S-A!” at him at every turn.

He likes his position of chasing. He still knows he needs to play well.

“Oh, man, you’re going to have to shoot something at least in the mid 60s, probably where I am, probably lower,” Bradley said. “But it’s doable out here. When you play a course where you’ve got to make birdies it brings a different challenge. You can’t have a stretch of 1-over par for seven holes or you lose a million shots.

“So in some aspects it’s difficult just like a hard course would be.”