Celtic Manor Resort unveils €2.5 million Twenty Ten Bridge

Architecture & design, Championship & event No Responses »
Feb 112010

Crossing to new practice ground completes €18 million Ryder Cup investment

A new bridge that will transfer players and spectators to and from the practice ground during this year’s Ryder Cup matches has been officially opened.

The £2 million, 120-metre twin-suspension bridge completes a £16 million investment by The Celtic Manor Resort – having built a new course, clubhouse and surrounding infrastructure in time to host one of sport’s biggest events, the 2010 Ryder Cup.

Primarily a footbridge for spectators, the bridge will also be able to carry golf buggies transporting players and officials, as well as emergency vehicles, when The Ryder Cup is staged at Celtic Manor between 27th September and 3rd October.
First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones AM, cut the ribbon on the cable stayed bridge over the River Usk in the company of Sir Terry Matthews, Chairman of The Celtic Manor Resort, and Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director.
“We are proud to open this wonderful new bridge as the final major piece of construction for this year’s Ryder Cup,” said Sir Terry Matthews, Chairman of The Celtic Manor Resort.

“We have invested a lot of time and resources in creating The Twenty Ten Course – the first golf course in history to be purpose built for staging The Ryder Cup – and the surrounding infrastructure, which includes this fantastic bridge across the River Usk.

“This bridge is an important part of our commitment to provide the best possible playing conditions when the top golfers from Europe and America grace the event, as well as enhancing the spectator experience throughout the three days of play.”

Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales, said: “The Ryder Cup is a huge event for Wales and I congratulate Sir Terry Matthews and the team at The Celtic Manor Resort on completing the final piece of the infrastructure required on-site to host such a high-profile event. I can’t wait for the 38th Ryder Cup matches to get underway, as it will be a superb showcase for Wales.”

As well as the Ryder Cup practice ground, the bridge also links to a huge TV compound, which will house the world’s sports broadcasters on the Caerleon side of the river. On the golf course side, a vast tented village of spectator attractions will occupy the existing Twenty Ten practice ground between the river and the first tee.

Richard Hills, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “The installation of the bridge is a vital component of The 2010 Ryder Cup, facilitating ease of access to both sides of the River Usk. The Celtic Manor Resort as host venue has continually demonstrated superb commitment and we congratulate them for making this happen in such good time.”

Posted by admin at 8:27 am

EXXONMOBIL SCORES TWO-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH COMMERCIALBANK QATAR MASTERS

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Jan 192010

ExxonMobil Qatar has underlined its ongoing commitment to the Commercialbank Qatar Masters, presented by Dolphin Energy, by signing a two-year sponsorship agreement with the Doha-staged European Tour event.

The deal is the first multi-year agreement signed between ExxonMobil and the US$2.5 million golf tournament but follows a number of single year agreements since the tournament was first staged in 1998. This year’s event will be hosted by the Qatar Golf Association (QGA), the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and Commercialbank Qatar at Doha Golf Club from January 28-31.

ExxonMobil Qatar President and General Manager Alex Dodds had the following comments: “ExxonMobil has been firmly behind the event since it began twelve years ago and we are delighted to have seen it grow to become one of the premier overseas tournaments on the European Tour schedule.

“At ExxonMobil, we have consistently shown our commitment to the State of Qatar not only through our title sponsorship of the Qatar Open through the Qatar Tennis Federation, but also our long-time backing of the Commercialbank Qatar Masters. 

“Thanks to the QGA, QOC and Commercialbank, this is a golf tournament that ranks alongside the very best in the sport and again confirms the nation as a home of world-class sporting properties – a key ingredient in the Qatar National Vision 2030.”

The agreement, which will make ExxonMobil the official sponsor of all scoring services, was signed by Alex Dodds and Commercialbank Group CEO Andrew Stevens in the presence of QGA President Hassan Al Nuami, General Manager, Dolphin Energy Qatar Adel Ahmed Albuainain and Tournament Manager Chris Myers during a signing ceremony at the Commercialbank Pavilion at Doha Golf Club.

“The Qatar Golf Association and ExxonMobil have an excellent relationship stretching back to the first professional tournament staged here back in 1998,” said Al Nuami, after thanking ExxonMobil for their support. 

Al-Nuami added: “This tournament benefits from working hand-in-hand with sponsors who are not only supporters of sport but also of the State of Qatar. ExxonMobil is one of those sponsors who work hand-in-hand with us to maintain the event’s status as one of the most popular and professional events on the players’ calendar and we thank them once again for showing their commitment to our future.”

The 2010 Commercialbank Qatar Masters, presented by Dolphin Energy, has attracted a formidable 126-player field including world top 20 stars Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Paul Casey, Kenny Perry and Sergio Garcia as well as former Major winners Retief Goosen, Shaun Micheel and Todd Hamilton.

“We have a powerful line-up of players and an equally-strong collection of sponsors,” added Andrew Stevens, “Our thanks go to ExxonMobil for their support in what we have achieved and their belief in the event’s future.”

Posted by admin at 2:18 pm

ICY SWEDE STENSON TO FIRE UP ABU DHABI CHALLENGE

Championship & event, Tour & pro golf No Responses »
Jan 122010

Sweden’s highest ranked golfer, United Arab Emirates’ resident and current world number eight, Henrik Stenson, is the latest superstar to throw his hat in the ring for January’s 5th annual Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, as he looks to become the first European Tour player to win all three Middle East-based, ‘Gulf Swing’ tournaments.

A veteran of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, running 21-24th January at Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s Par-72 National Course, Stenson – who has wins at the Dubai Desert Classic and the Qatar Masters – knows an elusive UAE capital victory would be an important catalyst to getting his 2010 season underway.

And Stenson is hoping ‘home’ advantage will give him the edge over an increasingly powerful field including European number one and winner of the 2009 Race to Dubai, Lee Westwood; two-time Abu Dhabi champion and world number seven, Paul Casey and Northern Irish young-gun and world number nine, Rory McIlory.

“I am familiar with The National Course; it is a great place to play and I enjoy the wide fairways, which suit my game. I have put in some good Abu Dhabi performances over the years and aim to keep doing so. It would be great to be the first golfer to complete the Middle East treble, although I am just focusing on getting out there, doing my best and hopefully I’ll come away with a great result,” said Stenson, who had nine top 10 finishes in 2009.

Over the last couple of seasons, Stenson has really come to the fore of international golf with a host of impressive performances, including notching up seven European Tour victories throughout his professional career. The big hitting and affable Swede has risen through the ranks to become his country’s top professional, a position he has held for almost a decade.

The 33-year-old is only one of a handful of players to have competed in every edition of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship since its inception in 2006, and has narrowly missed out on lifting the Falcon trophy twice, after finishing second in both 2006 and 2008, to American Chris DiMarco and Germany’s wunderkind, Martin Kaymer, respectively.

And having missed the cut in 2009, Stenson is keen to give the 126-man Abu Dhabi field – which also includes Spanish sensation and world number 11, Sergio Garcia; Australian world number 14, Geoff Ogilvy; and Colombian star and world number 23, Camilo Villegas – a run for its money in January.

“It was hard going in Abu Dhabi last January, and I think I was a little bit jaded coming into the new season. However, I’ve been working hard during this winter break and want to come out firing on all cylinders. I’m going to get one or two events under my belt before coming to Abu Dhabi so I should be in good shape to make a strong challenge,” added Stenson, who turned professional in 1998.

With seven of the world’s top 25 golfers already signed up for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2010, and with more expected in the coming weeks, tournament organiser Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), is confident its upcoming event will be the most hotly contested to date.

“Five years on, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship has matured to become a major addition to the European Tour calendar and continues to attract some of the sport’s biggest names. Everything about this event is geared to create an unrivalled golfing experience, from the players and intimate viewing opportunities to the off-course entertainment and interactive activities, all of which allow fans to connect with a truly world-class golfing destination in the making,” said Faisal Al Sheikh, Head – Major Event’s Division, ADTA.

All four days of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship 2010 will be covered live on high definition TV, reaching a cumulative global audience of over 400 million.

The 2010 Championship formally begins on Wednesday, January 20th with the Al-Masaood Pro-Am and Awards Gala when sponsors and their guests will play and socialise with some of the world’s best professionals.

Posted by admin at 10:57 am

Piranha and Egan Team Up For World Record Attempt

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Dec 192009

Piranha Golf and Egan Golf, as event partners, are pleased to announce their attempt to break a Guinness World Record during the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show held in Orlando, Florida from January 27th – 30th.

With approval and support from Reed Exhibitions, the event organizer for the Show, Egan Golf and Piranha Golf’s aim is to break the current world record for the most golf balls hit in a continuous 12 hour period during the Outdoor Demo Day which will be held on January 27th at The Orange County Golf Course. The objective, underpinned by the World Record Attempt, is to generate donations for the Folds of Honor Foundation. All donation monies raised will flow directly to the Folds of Honor Foundation and both Egan Golf and Piranha Golf are donating equipment, costs, time and services free of charge.

The event will challenge product and human endurance in a golfing context and help raise awareness of the challenges for many surviving American families who have lost, or had incapacitated, loved ones serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. As non-American organizations, Egan Golf (Ireland) and Piranha Golf (Australia and England) see this as an opportunity to meaningfully demonstrate their commitment as allies and to support the Folds of Honor Foundation which provides educational opportunities to children who may not otherwise have access to them. As business organizations, Egan Golf and Piranha Golf strongly believe in the “pay it forward” theory.

With a motivated team ready for the challenge, and several months of planning already invested in the event, they are absolutely confident that they can break the existing world record of 7,350 balls.

Aiding the effort will be Egan Golf’s innovative “Golf Center” training system, which includes a touch activated ball delivery system that will present a new golf ball on the tee every 1.5 seconds (its use has been sanctioned by Guinness World Record’s administrative authority) and Piranha Golf’s premium golf clubs that have been specifically hand-crafted for the event with a view to demonstrating their durability, playability and lower shock and vibration qualities (the clubs conform to standard equipment guidelines).

“Piranha Golf and Egan Golf, who both embarked on their U.S. business activities during 2009, are excited to be undertaking their first charity event together,” said Steve Collins, President of Piranha Golf USA. “Being a combination of mad Aussies, Irishmen and an Englishman has made it a lot of fun and we hope to raise significant donations for the Folds of Honor Foundation during our Guinness World Record attempt at the Show. Our respective countries are the strongest of U.S. allies and we are proud to do something that will meaningfully assist families who have had a loved one killed or incapacitated in Iraq or Afghanistan”.

“Egan Golf is very excited to partner with Piranha Golf in this Guinness World Record Attempt,” said Jonathan Mangan, Managing Director of Egan Golf. “Our Company has been built on innovation and this event is a natural extension of that philosophy. We wanted to emphatically announce our intentions to support American charity and are delighted to support the wonderful Folds of Honor Foundation”.

A World Record Attempt at the world’s biggest golf event is unique, innovative and exciting and they believe it will inspire and engage the golfing community across America. It will also provide an ideal platform for Event Sponsors to advertise their products and gain media exposure to both the golf trade and consumers worldwide. The goal is to generate significant donations for the Folds of Honor Foundation.
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Posted by admin at 10:39 pm

Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Seve Ballesteros Back the National Golf Club Challenge

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Dec 012009

Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Seve Ballesteros join Gary Player in giving their support to the National Golf Club Challenge.

The Challenge, recently featured on the European Tour website, will bring hundreds of golf clubs, and thousands of golfers together on the same weekend as part of a nationwide charity golf event – with the aim of raising a million pounds for the superb Help for Heroes charity.

With golf clubs entering on a daily basis, the National Golf Club Challenge is on course to become the largest amateur charity golf event to take place in the UK. The Challenge will be held on the 24th and 25th July 2010 and is free to enter.

Messages of support for the Challenge have come from golf professionals, celebrities and now from four of the greatest golfers the game has ever seen: Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Seve Ballesteros.

Nicklaus, globally recognized as the greatest golfer of the last century, fashioned a competitive career that spanned six decades. Named Sports Illustrated’s Individual Male Athlete of the 20th Century and awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom (the highest honor bestowed on a civilian), Nicklaus’ legend has been built with 118 professional tournament victories worldwide, a record 18 professional major championship titles and two US Amateur Championships. He is the only player in history to have won each of the game’s majors at least three times (six US Masters, five PGA Championships, four US Opens, three British Open Championships), and is the only player to have completed the career “Grand Slam” on both the regular and senior tours.

Jack, now widely recognised as an acclaimed course designer, a global ambassador and spokesperson for the game, and a philanthropist who, among many causes, assists troops at home and abroad, said, “For all of us who love the game of golf and for those of us who have been given so much because of this great game, it’s time to pay it back. And in doing so, we pay it forward. The efforts we have seen in the United States and now in the UK through Help for Heroes and the National Golf Club Challenge are truly a meaningful and impactful way for the golf world to recognize, thank, honour and aid our wounded and weary troops. I have always held a special place in my heart for the golf courses and clubs of the UK for the ways they embrace our game and respect its rich history and traditions. So it is only fitting that the birthplace of golf gives these efforts new life.”

Palmer amassed 92 national and international championships throughout his professional career. Besides his magnificent performance record, his magnetic personality and unfailing sense of kindness and thoughtfulness to everybody with whom he comes in contact have endeared him to millions throughout the world.

After learning about the Challenge, Palmer said “What an excellent way for the golf world, through the Help for Heroes programme, to honour and aid the needy wounded troops of the UK with such a far-ranging and potentially-lucrative fund-raiser as the National Golf Club Challenge next summer at The Belfry.”

Player is renowned as much for his dedication to the principles of excellence as he is for his golfing accomplishments. As the only modern golfer to win The Open Championship in three different decades, Player has achieved the kind of worldwide acclaim reserved for only a handful of sporting greats.

“Every day many of us take for granted the sacrifices made by those who fight for our freedoms,” Gary commented. “We take for granted the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon playing a round of golf, while a soldier is off firing a round of ammunition. It is our obligation to support those wounded heroes who have dedicated their lives to protecting ours. The National Golf Club Challenge is a meaningful opportunity for the golfing community to demonstrate their own commitment and support for these brave individuals.”

Ballesteros continues to be an inspiration in his personal life as much as he was during his professional career. In the Ryder Cup his presence from 1979 and, particularly from 1983, was the element of inspiration that changed the course of this competition.

After hearing about the Challenge, Seve commented, “I feel the National Golf Club Challenge is a fantastic way to get the golfing world to support a very worthy cause. I have dedicated my life to golf and think it’s great to see my sport at the centre of a huge fundraising event for UK soldiers. Good luck and play well!”

Stacey Jeffries, the National Golf Club Challenge Event Director commented, “We are very humbled to have the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Seve Ballesteros join Gary Player in supporting the National Golf Club Challenge.”

“We are passionate about making the National Golf Club Challenge a resounding success for all involved,” Stacey continued. “To have four of the greatest golfers who have ever lived support our initiative to help our injured troops in their time of need, is a major boost to the Challenge and what it strives to achieve.”

The format for the National Golf Club Challenge is very simple; the Challenge will coincide with each participating golf club’s monthly stableford event, with each club turning the day into their own charity golf event, raising much needed funds for Help for Heroes.

The competing clubs will submit their aggregate scores from their best scoring 10 players. This will determine the top 6 golf clubs against standard scratch, who will then be invited to compete in the National Final.

The Grand Final, sponsored by YourGolfTravel.com, will be the conclusion of the 2010 National Golf Club Challenge. The two day event – hosted by The Belfry, one of the world’s leading golf resorts, and four times host to the Ryder Cup – will be a superb grand final, featuring a practice day, golf clinic, overnight accommodation, the final competition and a gala dinner, including guest speakers and the prize presentations.

Posted by admin at 11:07 am Tagged with: , , ,

Hank Haney Visits Mission Hills for Omega Mission Hills World Cup

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Nov 302009

Mission Hills Golf Club, the world’s largest golf facility and epicenter of China’s golf boom, welcomed world-renowned golf instructor Hank Haney as its VIP guest during the Omega Mission Hills World Cup.

Haney has been an instructor to more than 200 touring professionals over his 30-year career, including the world’s current number one player. He visited to gather information about the club that is the catalyst for China’s explosion onto the worldwide golf scene, and to become more familiar with the country’s rapidly maturing golf infrastructure and industry.

“I’m honored to have been at Mission Hills during the World Cup,” says Haney, ranked No. 2 in Golf Digest’s 2009 list of “America’s Top 50 Teachers.” “Learning about its central role in shaping China’s modern golf history was fantastic. Golf in China is primed to erupt; there was a palpable excitement rippling through the tournament galleries unlike any I’ve ever experienced.”

“Hank is one of golf’s most revered teachers and we were thrilled to have him as our guest,” says Tenniel Chu, Executive Director, Mission Hills Golf Club. “We share a common vision of Asia’s budding promise and are enthusiastic about the prospects of partnering to further our mutual goals.”

Haney’s four-day itinerary at Mission Hills included inspections of the club’s various teaching facilities as well as clinics for the public, juniors and the media.

“This was Hank’s first major public appearance in this part of the world,” Chu continues. “While he was here, we sought his valuable counsel on our instructional efforts, acquainted the public with one of the greatest golf teachers of our time, and explored the potential for future collaboration.”

Since 1994, Mission Hills has been bringing the world’s leading golf instructors and touring professionals to a new generation of Chinese players. The club is home to several academies and full-time junior golf development programs.

In addition to its instructional infrastructure, Mission Hills is the only club in the world to sponsor a complete series of tournaments to test gifted players at every level of competition. In 2006, Mission Hills became home of the Faldo Series Asia, and 2008 saw Jack Nicklaus partner with the club to create the Mission Hills Jack Nicklaus Junior Championship. Earlier this year, The Masters and The R&A chose Mission Hills to become the inaugural host of the Asian Amateur Championship. The club also recently established the Mission Hills Golf Series Junior Tour to give aspiring young golfers the chance to develop their skills in a regular, bi-weekly tournament setting.

The size of five Central Parks, 12-course Mission Hills has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the largest golf club in the world. Located 30 minutes north of Hong Kong, it also features a five-star hotel, four clubhouses, three spas, 51 tennis courts and numerous restaurants serving cuisine from all corners of the globe.

“Mission Hills is an astounding place,” says Haney. “I can see why it’s considered China’s premier club. Its dedication to cultivating golf throughout the Pacific Rim, breathtaking size and countless luxury amenities unquestionably make it golf’s nucleus in the Far East.”

About the Omega Mission Hills World Cup

The 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup continues a new and exciting era in the history of the event. John Jay Hopkins, a noted Canadian industrialist, founded the tournament in 1953 as a way to promote goodwill among nations through golf. Initially named the Canada Cup, it became the World Cup in 1967.

In 2007, Mission Hills secured an unprecedented agreement to host 12 editions of the tournament. With $5.5 million in prize money, the Omega Mission Hills World Cup boasts one of the highest purses for a golf tournament in Asia, and is the continent’s first golf event to be sanctioned by all international PGA Tours.

It is a four-day team event featuring a four-ball (better-ball) format on days one and three, and a foursomes (alternate shot) format on days two and four.

In its past two years as host, Mission Hills’ Olazabal Course has been universally lauded by participants and media alike. Its namesake, the two-time Masters champion, collaborated with Schmidt-Curley Design (www.schmidt-curley.com) to create a well-bunkered and dramatically contoured layout. Memorable holes abound, like the par-5 15th, featuring 24 bunkers, and the long par-4 18th finishing in the shadows of the massive Dongguan Clubhouse.

For more information, please visit http://worldcup.pgatour.com/.

About Mission Hills Golf Club

Stretching across the lush, rolling hills of Shenzhen and Dongguan in southern China, Mission Hills is China’s highest rated golf club, and the largest golf club in the world according to the Guinness World Records. The property is home to 12 resort and championship courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, Pete Dye, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Annika Sorenstam, Ernie Els, Jose Maria Olazabal, Vijay Singh, David Leadbetter, David Duval, Jumbo Ozaki and Zhang Lian Wei.

Mission Hills is a full-service, luxury resort, featuring four clubhouses, three spas, a five-star hotel, three golf academies (including one from world-renowned instructor Cindy Reid), 51 tennis courts and numerous fine dining establishments serving cuisine from around the world. It has hosted more than 50 international tournaments, including the 1995 World Cup of Golf and the 2001 Tiger Woods China Challenge. In 2007, Mission Hills began its role as long-term host of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup. The club will also host multiple editions of the Asian Amateur Championship.

Mission Hills’ recent awards and accolades include:

IAGTO Golf Resort of the Year (Rest of World category)
Best Golf Resort in China — Asian Golf Monthly (2006-2008)
Pete Dye Course named the “Best New Course in Asia” — Asian Golf Monthly
Olazabal Course ranked the No. 2 course in China — Asian Golf Monthly
Dr. David Chu, Chairman of Mission Hills Group, named one of the “Most Powerful People in Golf” — Golf Inc. (2007-2009)
Dr. Kenneth Chu, Vice Chairman of Mission Hills Group, named one of golf’s “Most Admired Operators” — Golf Inc.
World Cup Course named one of the 10 “most significant and influential courses” of last 20 years — LINKS Magazine
Olazabal Course ranked the No. 1 resort course in Asia — Golfing Magazine

Posted by admin at 11:42 am Tagged with: ,

PGA Catalunya Resort site for European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage

Championship & event, Courses & clubs No Responses »
Nov 272009

PGA Catalunya Resort, home of the 2009 Spanish Open, welcomes back PGA European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage, November 28-December 3, for the second successive year.The finale of the three-stage event, which sees 156 players battle for playing privileges on the European Tour in 2010 (the top 30 plus ties qualify), will be contested over six rounds on both the Tour and Stadium courses at the acclaimed 36-hole resort near Girona, north of Barcelona.

The Stadium Course was ranked the number three golf course in Europe by Golf Monthly magazine in spring 2009 and has consistently appeared in the top 10 of Golf World’s European Top 100 Courses for the past decade, while the Tour Course is ranked among the Peugeot Golf Guide’s Top 1,000 Courses in Europe.Both courses will provide a fitting venue for the nerve-jangling, season closing contest to win cards for the lucrative Race to Dubai with young hopefuls, including Germany’s Stephan Gross Jr, winner of the 2008 European Amateur Championship, and England’s Sam Hutsby, the 2009 Amateur Championship finalist, joining European Tour champions Emanuele Canonica, Ryder Cup player Joakim Haegmann of Sweden and veteran Spaniard Santiago Luna.European Tour Qualifying School Director Mike Stewart said: “We are delighted to return to PGA Catalunya Resort for a second year, following the success of last year’s event. We should applaud the club and its greenkeeping staff for the outstanding condition of both the Stadium and Tour courses, which is the result of the intensive maintenance regime implemented during the past 12 months. The Qualifying School Final is naturally a stressful week for the players, but at least they know the courses they are playing on will be in the best possible shape as they strive to reach The European Tour.”Designed by Neil Coles and Angel Gallardo, PGA Catalunya Resort has a rich pedigree as a European Tour venue. Originally built by the Tour to host a Ryder Cup, it opened in 1999, hosting the Sarazen World Open won by Thomas Bjorn in the same year, and then the Spanish Open in 2000.In May 2009, the Stadium Course once again hosted the Spanish Open, featuring John Daly, Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and the charismatic Frenchman Thomas Levet, the eventual winner.Billy O’Sullivan, CEO of PGA Catalunya Resort, said: “It is an honour to be selected to host European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage for the second successive year and we look forward to welcoming all the players. Both courses are in outstanding condition and will provide a great test of golf.“It has been a very exciting year for PGA Catalunya Resort, hosting a momentous Spanish Open in May and then seeing the launch of the first phase of our exclusive residences. Combined with the hotel and the convenient proximity of Girona-Costa Brava Airport, a major hub for Ryanair, PGA Catalunya is now the ultimate golf resort, and within a two-hour flight time of most European cities.”
PGA Catalunya Resort, home of the 2009 Spanish Open, welcomes back PGA European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage, November 28-December 3, for the second successive year.

The finale of the three-stage event, which sees 156 players battle for playing privileges on the European Tour in 2010 (the top 30 plus ties qualify), will be contested over six rounds on both the Tour and Stadium courses at the acclaimed 36-hole resort near Girona, north of Barcelona.

The Stadium Course was ranked the number three golf course in Europe by Golf Monthly magazine in spring 2009 and has consistently appeared in the top 10 of Golf World’s European Top 100 Courses for the past decade, while the Tour Course is ranked among the Peugeot Golf Guide’s Top 1,000 Courses in Europe.

Both courses will provide a fitting venue for the nerve-jangling, season closing contest to win cards for the lucrative Race to Dubai with young hopefuls, including Germany’s Stephan Gross Jr, winner of the 2008 European Amateur Championship, and England’s Sam Hutsby, the 2009 Amateur Championship finalist, joining European Tour champions Emanuele Canonica, Ryder Cup player Joakim Haegmann of Sweden and veteran Spaniard Santiago Luna.

European Tour Qualifying School Director Mike Stewart said: “We are delighted to return to PGA Catalunya Resort for a second year, following the success of last year’s event. We should applaud the club and its greenkeeping staff for the outstanding condition of both the Stadium and Tour courses, which is the result of the intensive maintenance regime implemented during the past 12 months. The Qualifying School Final is naturally a stressful week for the players, but at least they know the courses they are playing on will be in the best possible shape as they strive to reach The European Tour.”

Designed by Neil Coles and Angel Gallardo, PGA Catalunya Resort has a rich pedigree as a European Tour venue. Originally built by the Tour to host a Ryder Cup, it opened in 1999, hosting the Sarazen World Open won by Thomas Bjorn in the same year, and then the Spanish Open in 2000.

In May 2009, the Stadium Course once again hosted the Spanish Open, featuring John Daly, Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie and the charismatic Frenchman Thomas Levet, the eventual winner.

Billy O’Sullivan, CEO of PGA Catalunya Resort, said: “It is an honour to be selected to host European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage for the second successive year and we look forward to welcoming all the players. Both courses are in outstanding condition and will provide a great test of golf.

“It has been a very exciting year for PGA Catalunya Resort, hosting a momentous Spanish Open in May and then seeing the launch of the first phase of our exclusive residences. Combined with the hotel and the convenient proximity of Girona-Costa Brava Airport, a major hub for Ryanair, PGA Catalunya is now the ultimate golf resort, and within a two-hour flight time of most European cities.”

Posted by admin at 11:46 am Tagged with:

SINGAPORE’S LAM AIMS FOR THE STARS AT JOHNNIE WALKER CLASSIC

Championship & event, Tour & pro golf No Responses »
Feb 172009

johnnie-walker-classicPerth, February 17: Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing hopes a maiden appearance at the Johnnie Walker Classic, which tees off Thursday this week will help reignite his stuttering start to the new season.
 
The 32-year-old, winner of the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia in December, is itching to get his game into gear at the £1.25 million event at The Vines Resort and Country Club after missing the cut in his first two events on the Asian Tour.
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Posted by admin at 11:19 am

NEW DATES FOR THE LONDON GOLF SHOW

Championship & event No Responses »
Feb 052009

The Golf Show Group has announced new dates for the London Golf Show 2009 with the golfing spectacular now set to return to Docklands’ ExCeL Centre for its fifth outing on May 1-3.

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Posted by admin at 9:52 am
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