Watch: The young golfer swinging for success in Qatar

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Watch: The young golfer swinging for success in Qatar   Daniil Sokolov is gaining international recognition as an amateur golf player.   In partnership with Media City  READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/08/25/watch-the-young-golfer-swinging-for-success-in-qatar  Spark your senses, wake your wonder. Euronews Culture seeks to show creativity in action and inspire our audience to explore the world through the five senses. Start your journey through the best of Europe's arts, gastronomy, traditions and high-end craftsmanship.

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00:01He continues down this path.

00:03I think Daniel can make it big.

00:05Physically gifted and disciplined,

00:07he's doing a lot of good work right now.

00:09He's a top-ranked, not among juniors,

00:12but in one-man ranking.

00:14He's one of the hottest in 2025

00:17among the matches.

00:18He moved more than 3,000 positions

00:21in the World Matcher Golf Ranking.

00:23His golf handicap now is a plus-six,

00:27which is equal to Rory McEnroy or Tiger Woods

00:31when they turn professionals.

00:33One of his greatest strengths

00:35is his ability to draw a clean slate.

00:38He can just step up, look at the target, and execute.

00:44Each time he plays a shot.

00:46My name is Daniel.

00:47I'm 14 years old, and I play golf.

00:57I was born in Seoul, Korea.

01:01I lived there for about a year.

01:03I moved to Japan for two years,

01:06and I came to Qatar when I was four.

01:08I started golf when I was five.

01:10I always saw golf,

01:11so I just wanted to try it out.

01:12He was in the tournament,

01:14watching professionals playing here in Qatar,

01:17and Daniel was around five years old,

01:19and he said, oh, I can do it.

01:21Nothing difficult.

01:22And then he started to attend lessons here

01:25in the whole golf club.

01:27I remember I went for a lesson my first time,

01:30and it was just really fun,

01:31so I kept coming back,

01:33and it just became a habit over time.

01:35It almost came naturally.

01:37I feel like I just had an instinct how to play,

01:40and as soon as I got better,

01:42I only got more fun.

01:43I knew that was a sport for me.

01:45I started working with Daniel almost instantly

01:53when I got here,

01:54and it's been quite a journey.

01:56He stood out from the start,

01:59and he has some exceptional qualities

02:01that he brings to this golf game.

02:04Already at a very young age,

02:06he was very developed,

02:07so very tall, hitting the ball very far.

02:10Magnus helped my game in a lot of ways.

02:13I remember when I first started out with him,

02:15I was almost lost,

02:16because I didn't have a coach.

02:17I didn't really know what I was doing.

02:19He kind of helped me.

02:21I learned how to practice,

02:22what to practice,

02:24helped me with my swing,

02:26mentally also,

02:27when I'm in tournaments playing.

02:29I use this device that measure brainwaves

02:32and flow state.

02:33It takes a lot of coaching

02:35to get a high score on this device.

02:37Daniel, without any coaching,

02:38has an ability to go straight into the flow zone

02:41before each shot he hits.

02:44I've got to trust my own game

02:46instead of worrying on, like,

02:47others' results as much.

02:49So I don't feel as much pressure now,

02:52but I remember by a long time ago,

02:54I felt a lot of pressure.

02:56I've learned to control it.

02:58I kind of just stay in my own space.

03:00On golf, there's 14 different clubs.

03:06Each of them are supposed to go

03:08a different distance.

03:10Like, when you start out your first shot,

03:12you have to use the club that goes the furthest,

03:15the driver.

03:16And then when you're close to the pin

03:19and trying to make it,

03:20you have to use the putter.

03:21You have to calculate the distance,

03:23find out which club you're going to use.

03:26I played DP World Tour here in Qatar when I was 12.

03:31It was a pro tournament playing against pros.

03:33And I remember when I saw them on the tee,

03:35they were, like, shocked.

03:36Like, what is he doing here?

03:38Why is he on the tee box?

03:39They didn't even know I was playing.

03:41So that was probably the moment I was most proud in.

03:44Daniel, for a number of years, presents himself.

03:48He goes as junior to different parts of the world.

03:51He was quite successful with a number of wins.

03:56And, of course, it draws attention

03:58from Qatar Golf Federation.

04:00As I got older, I started playing a lot more tournaments.

04:03And I got noticed and invited to join the team.

04:06I'm very proud to play for Qatar,

04:08to represent the team in tournaments.

04:11It's a very great honor.

04:14My impression of Daniel is that his dedication to golf.

04:18There was no single weekend when he skipped,

04:21not going to play.

04:23So every weekend when there is no school,

04:26he is going to play.

04:28I try to practice every day pretty much.

04:31Usually after school, I go home, eat,

04:34and I just go to practice.

04:36My school itself allows me to prioritize golf and my practice.

04:42So it's definitely not a big struggle.

04:44I can still manage my time.

04:46I enjoy going to school.

04:48It's a lot of fun also to take my mind off golf,

04:51to socialize, to learn.

04:54I'm going into high school next year.

04:57And I feel like I can balance it too pretty good.

05:00We were on the field with the 2011 Masters Champion,

05:05Charles Swarcel.

05:07Masters is the main event in golf.

05:09And when he found out that Daniel was born in 2011,

05:13the year he won the Masters,

05:15and now he plays on the same field,

05:18he was quite impressed.

05:20My goal is playing professional in golf.

05:23Probably soon enough when I feel like I found that level.

05:27If you want to compete for financial prizes,

05:32you need to change your status from a matcher to professional.

05:36To turn professional means that

05:38you can only play professional tournaments

05:40against professionals,

05:41and to accomplish that would be a huge achievement,

05:45I feel like, for me.

05:57Like you.

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