The Muscat-based youngster has decided to take part in more number of tournaments this year and her target is to bring down her handicap score by the end of the year.

'A new year has begun and I do have a new approach to it in terms of goals and ambitions' Asma said.

'I want to lower my handicap. That's my primary target in the coming months. And to be able to achieve that goal I need to play in a lot of tournaments. So I should be participating in competitive events more frequently this year than I used to.'

Asma along with her friend and Muscat-based player Huwaida al Barwani had been in the news in Oman's sports circles over the past one year or so as the two most prominent rising talents in women's golf.

The duo had bagged the team bronze for Oman at a GCC championship in Kuwait in April 2015 and ever since then Asma has been eyeing more glory and an improvement in her game.

The young Asma who is in her teens is quite a big fan of the world's No 1 woman golfer Lydia Ko of New Zealand. The Omani player said she draws inspiration from Lydia's success at a very young age and she wants to progress in golf by emulating the New Zealand golfer.

In February 2015 Lydia had become the youngest ever professional world No 1 at the age of 17. 'To be one of the women in Oman who play golf is not enough' said Asma pointing to the steadily-improving standards and her own ambition to improve.

'I want to be like Lydia. She is the best woman golfer in the world right now. I aim to be like her.'

Asma currently trains at Ghala Golf Club under the guidance of PGA Pro Milo Breitenwischer who had been tutoring the women in the past on behalf of the Oman Golf Committee (OGC). Asma has already become quite a name in the golfing fraternity in Oman and she is a known face at Muscat's four golf clubs.

Following her bronze-winning achievement on the trip to Kuwait in April last year it turned out to be the turning point in her career. The OGC which has recently redoubled its efforts to produce women golfers through a fresh talent development programme has been backing Asma to the hilt.

Mundhir al Barwani the OGC chairman who is a strong campaigner for women's golf in Oman said 'Asma as a golfer is a huge asset for us. I wish her the best this year and in the years to come. She has already convinced us and everybody about her playing and fighting abilities. She has a hunger to learn which vindicates her ambitions as a growing golfer.'