Ain Sokhna, Egypt – Kristof Ulenaers shone on the final day of the Red Sea Ain Sokhna Open, securing his first Pro Golf Tour title with a 62 (-10) in ideal conditions at the Ain Sokhna Golf Club. With a total score of 16 under par, he finished five strokes ahead of Estonia’s Ken-Marten Soo and Switzerland’s Mauro Gilardi, who both finished at -11.

Just in time for the 90th Masters Tournament in Augusta, Kristof Ulenaers of Belgium delivered a personal major-tournament performance at the 2026 Red Sea Ain Sokhna Open. On the final day of the third event of the season, the 27-year-old played with incredible flair, recording eight birdies on his back nine and equalling the course record at the Ain Sokhna Golf Club with a score of 10 under par. This performance saw him confidently secure his first title on the Pro Golf Tour. Ultimately, the competition, consisting of Estonian Ken-Marten Soo and Swiss Mauro Gilardi, had to settle for a tie for second place, five strokes behind Ulenaers.

A significant setback
For a while, it wasn’t certain that Ulenaers would travel to Egypt at all. His mother passed away two weeks before the tournament began, which is why this victory was so emotional. “She was with me today,” the winner explained after his fabulous performance. “She helped me through it. That’s why I’m both very happy and very sad.” This tragic loss also meant that Ulenaers went into the tournament without high expectations. “I think I understand what happens when I step aside and let things run their course.”

The final round spoke for itself. Ulenaers started the third day five strokes behind the leading pair, Soo and Gilardi, and looked at the leaderboard for the first and only time after nine holes. “I was three strokes behind and started playing my best golf. Everything went like clockwork. Mentally, I was very stable.” The result was one of the three best rounds of Ulenaers' life. He owed this performance to his recent work with performance coach Karl Morris on his mental state. “When I focus solely on my routine, everything else disappears and I just take it shot by shot.”

Leaderboard: All results at a glance
Order of Merit of the 2026 Season

First victory in five years
Although winning the Red Sea Ain Sokhna Open marked Ulenaer’s first triumph on the Pro Golf Tour, he was already familiar with the feeling of professional victory. In 2021, aged 22, he won on the HotelPlanner Tour. However, his carefully crafted career plan was thrown into disarray, and he struggled to cope with the heightened expectations that followed. “Since the win, I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster. A lot came my way: sponsors, managers. During those years, I found it hard to lower my expectations because I was always trying to build on that win. Everyone else expected that of me, too.” Since last year, however, Ulenaers has felt more stable and is keen to advance his career. This success in Egypt was a big step in the right direction.

In keeping with this sporting achievement, the weather was also kind throughout the week in Ain Sokhna. As Ulenaers noted, the weather was “very nice. The course was great, as were the hotel, the people and the food." Just in time for the two consecutive tournaments, the Ain Sokhna Golf Club course once again presented itself at its best, providing players with ideal conditions in which to play their best golf.

The Red Sea Ain Sokhna Open formed part of the Egypt Golf Series, which is organised by the Egyptian Golf Federation. It was the first of two Pro Golf Tour events to take place at the Ain Sokhna Golf Club. The series continues with the Red Sea Egyptian Classic, which takes place from 12–14 April.