SUMMER 2010

  SPRING 2010

288 PLAYERS FROM 37 COUNTRIES SET TO CONTEST 115TH AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
 

10 June 2010, Gullane, Scotland:

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mateur golfers from 37 countries, including Bolivia, India, China and Australia, will arrive in Scotland this week ahead of the 2010 Amateur Championship. A strong international field containing 11 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) Top 20 will contest the Championship at Muirfield and North Berwick golf clubs next week, 14-19 June. A place at the 150th Anniversary Open Championship and the 2011 Masters Tournament are on offer for the Champion.
The highest-ranked player in the field is the USA’s Jonathan Randolph at fourth in the world. He leads a strong American contingent of 25 players at Muirfield and North Berwick, all hoping to emulate fellow American Drew Weaver, the 2007 Amateur Champion at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
In eight starts in counting events this year, University of Mississippi junior Randolph, 21, has registered two wins, two seconds and three third-place finishes.
Ranked just below the American pair at sixth in the world is Korea’s Jin Jeong. Jeong, who plays most of his golf in Australia, earned his Amateur exemption courtesy of a three-shot victory at March’s Riversdale Cup: that victory just one of three triumphs the 20-year-old has enjoyed in 2010.
Another man to watch is Australian Matt Jager, winner of both the Australian Match Play and Stroke Play championships in consecutive weeks earlier this year at Lake Karrinyup Country Club near Perth. The 21-year-old, who also claimed the New Zealand Amateur in 2010, is currently ranked 48th in the world.
Two of last year’s semi-finalists, Stiggy Hodgson, who took two points out of four during last September’s Walker Cup Match, and Darren Renwick, both return in the hope of improving on their Formby performances.
At Formby last year, Hodgson, 19, knocked out 38-year-old South African Ryan Dreyer in the last 16. Dreyer, a former professional golfer who now plays professional poker, won the 2009 South African Amateur Championship, the 2010 Gauteng North Open and, on the poker table, the WAGR number 81 won the 2008 Sun City Million Dollar Poker Tournament.
Two-time Faldo Series Asia champion Rashid Khan will also take his place on the East Lothian links next week. The 19-year-old, ranked 29th in the world, has won four times in 2010, most recently at the Punjab Open in early May.
Britons to watch include England’s Tommy Fleetwood, Welshman Rhys Enoch, Alan Dunbar of Northern Ireland and Scots James Byrne and David Law. Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup player Fleetwood, currently ranked 10th in the world, lost to Dutchman Reinier Saxton in the final of the 2008 Amateur Championship at Turnberry and reached the quarter-finals at Formby last year.
88th-ranked Enoch recently tied first place at the NCAA East Regional qualifier, playing for his college, East Tennessee State University, and Dunbar, 20, won May’s Irish Amateur Open Championship at the Royal Dublin Golf Club. 
James Byrne, who was selected to represent Europe in the Bonnallack Trophy Match earlier this year along with countryman Ross Kellett, is the highest-ranked Scot at 18th in the world. 19-year-old David Law, meanwhile, is the reigning Scottish Boys and Scottish Amateur Champion.

The 115th Amateur Championship will take place at Muirfield and North Berwick golf clubs on 14-19 June. 288 players will play two rounds of stroke play, one each at Muirfield and North Berwick, before 64 players and ties progress to the match play rounds beginning on Wednesday at Muirfield.

SCOTTISH STARS HOPING FOR AMATEUR SUCCESS ON HOME SOIL

10 June 2010, Gullane, Scotland:

A strong contingent of 56 Scottish players will arrive in East Lothian next week in search of the first home Amateur Championship victory since Stuart Wilson won at St Andrews in 2004.
The highest-ranked of the 56 is Banchory’s James Byrne, who reached the 2009 Amateur Championship last 16 at Formby. Byrne, currently in his junior year at Arizona State University, occupies 18th place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, his highest position to date. He was selected to represent Europe in the Bonallack Trophy this year.
Also selected was Ross Kellett of Colville Park Golf Club in Motherwell. Kellett’s Amateur Championship record is one better than Byrne’s, the 22-year-old having reached the quarter-finals of Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2007, before losing out to fellow Scot and Challenge Tour player Callum Macaulay 4&3."I feel pretty comfortable around Muirfield,” said Kellett, who finished runner-up at both the New South Wales Amateur and Argentina Amateur last year. “I played in the Home Internationals there in 2008, and a Scottish Golf Union team plays against a members’ select team every season as well. That experience can only help during the Amateur. “My match play record is good, but the first priority is coming through qualifying. Missing my last two cuts is disappointing [the Scottish Stroke Play Championship and the St Andrews Links Trophy], but I feel I've been playing well enough, I've just not been getting any breaks. You need a bit of luck in golf at times. “Hopefully I'll be ready at the Amateur. There's a lot at stake that week, what with the chance of playing in The Open and the Masters if you win. But you have to forget all of that and stay focused on the job," he added.
More successful at the Links Trophy was Troon Welbeck golfer Michael Stewart, who finished in a tie for seventh place seven shots off the lead, but only two off second place. Philip McLean, also due to contest the Amateur Championship, was the highest-placed Scot after four rounds at the Home of Golf, finishing tied for second place.
Former Scottish Boys Champion Stewart, who has won twice on the US College circuit playing for East Tennessee State University, said: “Muirfield is up there with my favourite courses and I won a Scottish Golf Union Junior Tour event at North Berwick back in 2006, so I have quite good memories of East Lothian.”
"I missed the cut in the Scottish Stroke Play in my first event back since returning from the US but I wasn't my usual self that week. There was no flair, but my game is getting better and sharper now. It's all about peaking at the right time and the Amateur would be perfect time to do that.”Local interest will focus on Craigielaw’s Mark Hillson, who was the highest-placed Scot at the 2009 Amateur Championship, progressing to the quarter-finals before being defeated by England’s Darren Renwick.
The 115th Amateur Championship will take place at Muirfield and North Berwick golf clubs on 14-19 June. 288 players will play two rounds of stroke play, one each at Muirfield and North Berwick, before 64 players and ties progress to the match play rounds beginning on Wednesday at Muirfield. A place at the 150th Anniversary Open Championship and the 2011 Masters Tournament are on offer for the 2010 Champion.
  

28 GOLFING GREATS DECLARE THEIR INTENTION TO PLAY FOUR-HOLE OPEN CHAMPIONS’ CHALLENGE
 

26 May 2010, St Andrews, Scotland:

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pen Champions with victories spanning over 50 years, from five-time winner Peter Thomson in 1954 right up to 2009’s Champion, Stewart Cink, have confirmed their intention to participate in The Open Champions’ Challenge. 28 of 32 Champions have accepted the invitation to play four holes of the Old Course, the first, second, 17th and 18th on Wednesday 14 July, the day before the 150th Anniversary Open Championship gets underway.
 
Crowds of over 30,000 are expected to line the fairways to watch the event, which will see Seve Ballesteros return to the golf course after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2008. The three-time Open Champion, who was the first to confirm his appearance in the Challenge, is set to return to St Andrews to a rapturous reception, 26 years after he famously triumphed on the Old Course in 1984.
 
Speaking recently, the Spaniard said: "I am happy and looking forward to playing the Champions' Challenge. I think I can do very well and say thank you to all my fans at St Andrews, where I have many great memories."
 
One year on from his phenomenal runners-up performance at Turnberry, five-time winner Tom Watson will join Ballesteros and 26 other legends of the game for what will be a nostalgic and memorable event for golf fans worldwide.
 
Tiger Woods, the current world number one and winner of the last two Opens at St Andrews, has also confirmed that he will be taking his place in the Challenge before commencing his bid to become the first man to lift the Claret Jug on the Old Course three times.
 
“We’re very pleased that there will be such a distinguished and full field for this special occasion,” said The R&A’s Chief Executive, Peter Dawson. “We have six more Open Champions taking part in this special celebration than there were a decade ago at the Millennium Open. It’s sure to be a wonderful celebration befitting the 150th anniversary of golf’s oldest Major.”
 
Sadly, 1946 Open Champion Sam Snead, who entertained the galleries so memorably with a tap-dance on the Swilcan Bridge during the Millennium Champions’ Challenge, and 1951 winner Max Faulkner, passed away in 2002 and 2005 respectively.
 
The oldest surviving Open Champion, Kel Nagle, along with Jack Nicklaus, Nick Price and Johnny Miller, is unable to take part.   
 
Seven teams of four Open Champions will compete for a prize of £50,000, which will be donated to a charity of the winning team’s choice. The best individual score per team on each hole will count. In the event of a tie, the team with the highest average age will prevail.
 
The Open Champions’ Challenge will be streamed globally on Opengolf.com via a high-quality feed. The live feed will also be available on the Opengolf iPhone application, which will be launched at the end of June.
 
The BBC will broadcast highlights of the event at prime-time on the Wednesday evening. Coverage will also be televised in the United States and Japan.
 
Tickets for Wednesday’s play can be purchased for the price of £40 online at Opengolf.com or by contacting the Ticket Office on +44 (0)1334 460010. Concessions are available for senior citizens and youths.
 
The Open Champions’ Challenge will begin at 3.40pm and is expected to conclude by 6.00pm.
 
The Champions competing, together with the years of their victories, are as follows:

SCOTLAND’S LAIRD BOOKS TICKET HOME AS EIGHT MORE SECURE OPEN APPEARANCES

25 May 2010, Plano, Texas, USA:

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cotland’s highest-ranked player, Martin Laird, has successfully qualified for the 150th Anniversary Open Championship through International Final Qualifying – America. The 27-year-old, who made his Open Championship debut on the Ailsa Course at Turnberry last year, posted an eight-under-par, 36-hole total of 132 to take one of eight places available yesterday at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas.
The Glaswegian followed an opening round of 69, one under par, with a seven-under-par 63, the joint-best round of the day, around Gleneagles’ 6856-yard Queens Course to ensure his place on the Old Course.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Laird, whose second round began with an outward 29, six under par. “My parents live 15 miles away from St Andrews so I will stay there all week. St Andrews: that’s the place I always wanted to play as a kid.”
Leading the qualifiers was Tim Petrovic, who shot rounds of 64 and 65 for an 11-under-par 129. He will now look forward to making his fourth Open appearance, having first played at Muirfield in 2002, again at St Andrews in 2005 and, most recently, in 2008 at Royal Birkdale.
Bo Van Pelt signed for back-to-back, five-under-par 65s to finish one stroke behind Petrovic on 10 under. The 35-year-old from Indiana will return to The Open for the first time since competing at Royal Liverpool in 2006, his other two appearances coming at Royal Troon in 2004 and at St Andrews in 2005.
“I drove it pretty well, which kind of set up everything and I just took advantage of those short holes,” said Van Pelt. “I took advantage of the holes you could get at, then the tough holes just made pars on.
“I’ve played in three before. It has been a couple of years. It’s probably the biggest tournament in the world, so those are the ones you want to play in. Every guy that came here today obviously wanted to get in, so it’s exciting to get there.”
DA Points, who led the field after a round-one 63, was a further stroke behind Petrovic on a nine-under-par total of 131, comfortably qualifying for his first Open Championship.
“Qualifying means a lot,” said Points. “I’ve never played in an Open and I’ve never played at St Andrews.
“Today was the best golf I’ve probably played in 2010. I drove it pretty well, I hit some decent iron shots, putted really well and managed my game well. Even when I missed the green, I chipped it real close. So it was just a good day.”
The remaining four players that clinched one of the eight Open places available were Tom Pernice Jr, Glen Day, George McNeill and Australia’s Cameron Percy.
Percy defeated Bubba Watson and Charley Hoffman on the third play-off hole with a birdie-three. All three were battling for the one remaining berth on offer.
Davis Love III’s streak of 23 consecutive starts at The Open dating back to 1987 is in danger as he missed out at qualifying. There are, however, three routes available through which Love could still qualify.
Full hole-by-hole scores can be found on opengolf.com.

Results:

R&A FUNDING OF LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR PASSES ONE MILLION POUNDS
 

24 May 2010, St Andrews, Scotland:

T he R&A’s long-term support of the Ladies European Tour (LET) has passed £1 million. To recognise the landmark, the LET will be flying an R&A - Working for Golf flag at their events throughout the remainder of the 2010 tournament season.
 
The R&A’s Chief Executive, Peter Dawson, and Director of Golf Development Duncan Weir presented Tour players, Karen Lunn, Samantha Head and Johanna Mundy, along with LET Executive Director Alexandra Armas, with the flag at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club. It will now travel to over 20 Tour venues before it arrives in Dubai for the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters in December.
 
“I think it’s very important to be supported by the governing body of golf. Obviously it’s very significant for the Tour and has helped the Tour through some difficult times financially,” said Lunn, who won the Women’s British Open at Woburn in 1993. “The continued support is fantastic for us and it helps to grow the game and promote women’s golf throughout Europe.”
 
Fellow Tour player Johanna Mundy added: “It’s been a huge support.  Any support to ladies golf is great and it’s wonderful that The R&A have looked at the LET as something they want to get behind.  We really want to be able to bring ladies and juniors into the game, so to have their support is very good.”
 
2009 Ricoh Women’s British Open Champion and former R&A Foundation Scholar, Catriona Matthew, also spoke about The R&A’s support while at Royal Birkdale ahead of her title defence there in July. 
 
Matthew said: “It’s important for The R&A to support the LET. The Tour struggled a little for a few years and they stepped in and have helped. It’s important for ladies golf to have a good, strong Ladies European Tour to give the European amateurs something to aim for.”
 
As part of the continued cooperation between The R&A and the LET, 19-year-old Kelsey MacDonald from Stirling University, the women’s champion at this year’s R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament, which took place over St Andrews’ Castle and Eden courses, will receive a starting place in the Ladies Scottish Open at Archerfield Links in August.
 
“I was lucky,” Matthew explained. “I went to Stirling University and I think I had one of the first R&A Scholarships which was obviously a great help to me. It let me go away to more amateur events and let me test my game against the best amateurs in the world.”
 
Since 1994, The R&A has provided funding for the Tour on an annual basis, with the contribution increasing year on year. Alexandra Armas was keen to acknowledge the significance of the grants to the Tour and its players.
 
“The amount of support we have received over the years is extraordinary, so we are obviously delighted. I think it’s been very important for us not only just in terms of financial stability but in allowing us to grow. To have the backing of The R&A as such a strong institution has given us some credibility, and it has helped cement the position of the women’s game in the world of golf. It’s been very important to us.”
 
“The LET is doing a good job in these difficult economic times, and Alexandra and her team deserve great credit for putting together such a strong 2010 schedule,” said Peter Dawson. “The R&A has long considered it important to support the Ladies European Tour, and women’s golf in general. I think it is telling that we have reached such a significant milestone.”
 
By way of further assistance, The R&A will provide referees at many of this year’s 26 scheduled events, which are being held across 21 countries worldwide. Two of the Tour’s Rules Officials were in St Andrews recently to take part in The R&A’s annual Referees School, attended by over 70 delegates from 32 countries, completing their Rules Examination before heading off on Tour.
 
The 2010 Ladies European Tour got underway on 25 February with the Pegasus New Zealand Women’s Open in Christchurch. The next stop will be Gray Bear Golf Course in Slovakia for the Allianz Ladies Slovak Open on 27 – 30 May.

KHAN’S WENTWORTH WIN EARNS OPEN PLACE AS ST ANDREWS FIELD GROWS
 

24 May 2010, St Andrews, Scotland

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ngland’s Simon Khan ensured that he will be taking to the Old Course this July with victory at the BMW PGA Championship. In addition to this year's Open, the win also earns him exemptions into both the 2011 and 2012 championships. Khan is one of a number of players who secured their place at the 150th Anniversary Open Championship yesterday, including Korea’s KJ Choi, Robert Karlsson of Sweden and American JB Holmes.
 
Khan came from seven shots behind the leaders on Sunday to take the European Tour’s flagship event by one stroke after a final round of 66. The 37-year-old, who has made four previous Open Championship appearances, will now look forward to contesting his fifth at St Andrews, a decade on from making his debut there at the Millennium Open in 2000.
 
Choi and Karlsson earn their exemptions by virtue of their places in the Official World Golf Ranking top 50 at the end of week 21, which concluded yesterday. Also booking his ticket to the Home of Golf through this category was Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, a tied-28th finish at Wentworth enough for him to end the week ranked 49 in the world. Others making sure of their place courtesy of their top-50 ranking included Italy’s Edoardo Molinari, Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, and Americans Ben Crane and Matt Kuchar.
 
An exemption deadline was also applied in the United States this weekend, granting entry to three players in the top 20 of the current FedEx Cup standings not already exempt. Exempted through this category were Bill Haas, Jason Bohn and 2008 US Ryder Cup player JB Holmes, who will be playing in his fourth Open Championship.
 
A similar deadline was enforced in Europe with Wales’ Rhys Davies and Fredrik Andersson Hed of Sweden confirming their Open appearances as the only two players in the current top 20 of the Race to Dubai money list not already exempt. Both will be playing in their second Opens: Andersson Hed last contested golf’s oldest Major at Muirfield in 2002, while Davies made his debut last year at Turnberry, having qualified at International Final Qualifying – Europe.
 
A further eight players will earn their Open Championship berths today at International Final Qualifying – America, which is being held at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano, Texas.
 
There are currently 108 players exempt and entered into the 150th Anniversary Open Championship. The starting field will be 156.
  

ASIAN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP ADDS JAPAN AIRLINES, SAMSUNG AS EVENT SPONSORS

Two additional proud partners join IBM, KFC, Rolex and Zurich in support of amateur golf event
 

TOKYO – 19 May 2010

J apan Airlines (JAL) and Samsung Electronics have agreed to sponsor the Asian Amateur Championship, event officials have announced. The agreement with Samsung was confirmed at a signing ceremony earlier today in Tokyo. The support of Samsung and JAL will now be added to that of IBM, KFC, Rolex and Zurich, all of which backed the inaugural championship in 2009.
 
The 2010 Asian Amateur Championship is scheduled to take place on the West Course at Kasumigaseki Country Club on 7 – 10 October. It is the second edition in an ongoing initiative to grow the game by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the Masters Tournament and The R&A.
 
“Our valuable partnership with JAL and Samsung will provide the event greater strength as we make every effort to inspire this game’s growth throughout Asia,” said Kwang-soo Hur, President of the APGC. “Our vision is to nurture the future golfing heroes in this region, and this dream will someday be realised thanks, in part, to all of our valuable partners.”
 
The Asian Amateur Championship provides the winner an invitation to play in the following year’s Masters Tournament, while both the winner and the runner-up earn a spot in International Final Qualifying (IFQ) for The Open Championship.
 
Korean Chang-won Han was the victor of the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship. He then competed in the 2010 Masters. Although he missed the cut, he made an impressive debut at Augusta by posting a 79-76—155 two-day total. Fellow countryman Eric Chun, the 2009 Asian Amateur Championship runner-up, took full advantage of the invitation to The Open Championship’s IFQ. He qualified in Malaysia and will compete at St Andrews in July.
 
The 120-player Asian Amateur Championship field will again be comprised of the top male amateurs representing the 33 member countries of the APGC. Play will consist of 72 holes of stroke play with a cut coming after 36 holes.
 
For more information on the Asian Amateur Championship, please visit www.asianamateurchampionship.com.

DOOSAN BECOMES A PATRON OF THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
 

13 May 2010, St Andrews, Scotland:

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he R&A has announced that Doosan, the infrastructure support business (ISB) group based in Korea, will become a Patron of The Open Championship.  Doosan joins Lexus, MMC, Nikon, Rolex and RBS in their support of The Open. They are the first Korean company to become a Patron of golf’s oldest Major.
 
Doosan is a worldwide group of companies which specialise in ISB including nuclear and thermal power-plants and desalination, construction, mechanical equipment and marine diesel engines.
 
“We are very pleased to welcome Doosan as a Patron. They represent a new sector of support for The Open and have a long history of excellence in business and a commitment to quality,” said The R&A’s Director of Championships, David Hill.
 
“As the focus of The Open has become increasingly international, The R&A has looked to establish relationships around the world, particularly in Asia-Pacific.  In Doosan we have found a strong partner for The Open Championship.”
 
“Joining The Open as a Patron is an excellent opportunity for Doosan to raise its profile throughout the world, and we believe the outcome will definitely surpass our expectations,” explained Iain Miller, the CEO of Doosan Power Systems, Doosan’s subsidiary power-plant business in Europe and America. 
 
“The Open Championship has a very special place in golf and at a time when Korean golf is more and more prominent in the world this is a very natural partnership.”
 
Doosan were established in Seoul, Korea, in 1896, the year that Harry Vardon won his first Open Championship. The group of companies now employs over 36,000 people in 35 countries.

Forum on Equipment Rulemaking

11th May 2010:

O n March 8, the USGA announced its intentions to conduct a forum on the process for equipment rulemaking. We are now pleased to announce that this forum will be jointly convened by The R&A and the USGA, to ensure that the jurisdictions covered by both governing bodies are fully represented in the discussions. All stakeholders in the game will be invited to participate, including manufacturers, media, golf organisations and other interested parties. The main purpose of this forum is to facilitate a free and open exchange of views on the equipment rulemaking process and to assist the USGA and The R&A in their role as worldwide equipment rulemakers under the Rules of Golf.  
 
The forum will be held on Nov. 30, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 
 
Appropriate protocols will be established to allow an efficient and fair opportunity for those wishing to participate to make their views known. Further details about the forum, including procedures, topics, location and time, will be communicated in the near future. 
 
Please send any comments or questions to:
Dick Rugge
Senior Technical Director
USGA
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
 
David Rickman
Director of Rules and Equipment Standards
The R&A
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

THE R&A ANNOUNCES SUPPORT OF THE GREG NORMAN FOUNDATION
 

10 May 2010, St Andrews, Scotland:

T he R&A has announced its support of the Greg Norman Foundation. It becomes the fifth initiative headed by an Open Champion, on the fifth continent, to be financially assisted by The R&A.
 
The Foundation, headed by the two-time Open Champion, endeavours to make professional golf tuition available and affordable for the children of Queensland. Since 1988, it has seen tour winners like Adam Scott and Karrie Webb come through its ranks. It has been awarded an initial grant of £10,000 for 2010.
 
“As a two-time Open Champion, I am delighted that The R&A have given funding to the Greg Norman Golf Foundation to assist with its programmes for boys and girls throughout Queensland, Australia,” said Norman.
 
“The Foundation conducts four to six week golf programmes in schools, runs junior tournaments over six, nine and 18 holes, conducts sports expos, runs golf clinics, visits indigenous communities and assists disabled players.
 
“Thousands of young boys and girls are introduced to the wonderful game of golf each year. I am very appreciative of the assistance given by The R&A, which will allow the Foundation to continue the good work being carried out on a daily basis,” he added.
 
In addition to the Greg Norman Foundation, Arnold Palmer’s Palmer Cup Match, the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation and the Paul Lawrie Junior Foundation have all been awarded significant sums to assist with their work in the USA, South Africa and Scotland, respectively. The R&A has also supported Sir Nick Faldo’s Faldo Series programme since its inception in the late 1990s.
 
The Faldo Series identifies and nurtures the next generation of golfing talent through over 30 tournaments in the UK, Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia that attract over 5,000 young golfers each year. The programme has already produced several successful Tour players including Rory McIlroy, Melissa Reid, Nick Dougherty and Marc Warren.
 
Arnold Palmer’s international collegiate match between students representing Europe and the USA, the Palmer Cup, receives financial assistance from The R&A and, in return, the leading male golfer at The R&A’s Foundation Scholars Tournament earns a place on the European team.
 
The Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation, which The R&A has supported since 2009, was founded with the goal of identifying talented young South Africans from families of limited resources and providing them with educational and golfing opportunities. Charl Schwartzel, currently 2nd in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai, is a graduate.
 
Closer to the Home of Golf, 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie plays an active role in junior golf development in his native north east Scotland through the work of his Foundation, which has benefited almost 11,000 young men and women since 2001. The R&A has provided the Foundation with annual grants since 2005.
 
“Our golf development activity is funded by revenues generated by The Open Championship, so it is fitting that we support the work of our Past Champions who are eager to give back to the game,” explained Director of Golf Development Duncan Weir. “We’re delighted to be able to provide funding for these programmes which, through the enthusiasm and profile of players like Arnold Palmer, Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, Ernie Els and Paul Lawrie, are making real differences to children’s lives.”
 
Using funds generated by The Open Championship, The R&A promotes golf development, Rules education and best practice for sustainable golf course management throughout the world. Emphasis is placed on both the encouragement of junior golf and the development of the game in emerging golfing nations. More than £6,000,000 was distributed in 2009.

THE R&A LAUNCHES VIRTUAL OPEN AHEAD OF 150TH ANNIVERSARY CHAMPIONSHIP
 

15 April 2010, St Andrews, Scotland:

T he R&A today announced the creation of the Virtual Open Championship. The online game, which is played on a high definition, photorealistic representation of the Old Course at St Andrews, has been produced in partnership with World Golf Tour (WGT) and is free to enter. It will run online in conjunction with the 150th Anniversary Open Championship, offering fans all over the world another exciting way to experience golf’s oldest Major, as well as providing the opportunity to introduce the game of golf to new audiences.
 
Qualifying rounds will take place from 1 June on www.opengolf.com, www.wgt.com and www.espnarcade.com, before the leading 156 competitors contest two championship rounds in the week immediately following The Open. One official winner will receive an all expenses paid trip for two to St Andrews.
 
“The R&A is dedicated to developing the game of golf, and The Open Championship plays a huge part in our efforts,” said Adam Lynch, Head of Digital Media for The R&A. “This partnership with World Golf Tour enables us to reach more fans than ever before and give them a taste of competitive golf at the home of the game. We are delighted to offer this as we approach the 150th Anniversary of The Open Championship.”
 
In creating the game, more than 100,000 HD images were captured, geo-referenced and placed into a patented physics simulator, allowing World Golf Tour to replicate the course to an accuracy of within one and a half inches.
 
“We look forward to welcoming The Open Championship back to the Home of Golf as it celebrates its 150th Anniversary,” said Izzy Cameron, brand development manager at St Andrews Links Trust, the organisation which manages and maintains the Old Course, along with the other six courses at St Andrews Links. “We are pleased to be working with The R&A and WGT on creating the Virtual Open Championship and believe this will help even more people become familiar with the Old Course and its iconic golfing landscape.”
 
“To be partnered with The Open Championship and the St Andrews Links Trust, is testament to the incredible product we’ve developed and the vast fan base we’ve established,” said YuChiang Cheng, CEO of World Golf Tour, who are recognised as the creator, platform-provider and co-host of the Virtual Open Championship. “We’re humbled and truly honoured to be working with these prestigious organisations to grow the game of golf.”
 
A closest-to-the-hole version of the game will be available on www.opengolf.com, www.wgt.com and www.espnarcade.com on 15 April, allowing players to practise for the Virtual Open Championship.

WINTER 2010

LARGEST IFQ – ASIA FIELD IN MALAYSIA IN SEARCH OF FOUR PLACES AT ST ANDREWS

8 March 2010, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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n Wednesday 10 March, 72 players from 18 nations will tee-off at Saujana Golf and Country Club, near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at International Final Qualifying – Asia. The 36-hole, two-day qualifying event will offer four places in the 150th Anniversary Open Championship at St Andrews, this July.

Saujana hosted the first IFQ – Asia in 2004, and did so again in 2005 with the qualifiers earning places at St Andrews. Appropriately, therefore, in 2010 the event returns to the 6992-yard, par-72 Palm Course at Saujana after an absence of five years, with places on the Old Course at stake again. Saujana has hosted seven Malaysian Opens, as well as the 2002 World Amateur Team Championships.

Competing for a place in at St Andrews is South Korean Noh Seung-yul, who won the Malaysian Open last Sunday, edging out compatriot KJ Choi by one shot. The 18-year-old, currently lying second in the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, is joined at IFQ by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who finished in third place at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, two strokes behind.
 
The highest-ranked player in the field is Hiroyuki Fujita, the current world number 80. The 40-year-old, who last played in The Open Championship at St Andrews in 2005, leads a strong Japanese contingent containing six of the nation’s top 20 players.
 
The two amateurs in the field are South Koreans Han Chang-won and Eric Chun. The pair earned their places at IFQ by virtue of their performance at the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship, held on Mission Hills’ World Cup Course in China last November. As the first Asian Amateur Champion, taking the title by five strokes, Han also secured an invitation to the Masters Tournament in April, this year.
 
Returning to IFQ – Asia in 2010, after successfully qualifying for Turnberry at Sentosa in 2009, are India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and Terry Pilkadaris of Australia. Bhullar, 21, made his Major Championship debut on the Ayrshire coast after finishing two strokes clear of the field at IFQ. Pilkadaris will be attempting to reach his third Open Championship, building on a strong record that has seen him progress through qualifying in 2007 at IFQ – Africa, as well in 2009 in Asia.
 
All four of 2008’s successful IFQ – Asia competitors – Danny Chia of Malaysia, Australia’s Adam Blyth, Singaporean Lam Chih Bing and Angelo Que of the Philippines – are also in the starting field.
 
Play is due to commence at 07:30 local time on both Wednesday and Thursday from two tees. Live scores and stories will be published on Opengolf.com throughout the days of competition.
The full IFQ – Asia entry list and draw can be found online at www.opengolf.com.

ROYAL LIVERPOOL TO HOST THE 2014 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
 

16 February 2010, Hoylake, England:

T he R&A has announced that Royal Liverpool Golf Club will host The Open Championship in 2014. It will be the 12th time the Hoylake links has hosted golf’s oldest Major.
The venue has witnessed a string of unique Open Champions: in 1907, Arnaud Massy became the only Frenchman to have won the title; Fred Daly became the first Irishman to do so, in 1947; and Argentine golfer Roberto De Vicenzo became the first South American to win a Major when he lifted the Claret Jug in 1967. When The Open returned to Hoylake in 2006 after a 39-year absence, Tiger Woods became the first back-to-back Open Champion since Tom Watson in 1983 in front of 230,000 people, a record attendance for the Championship in England.
Two of the three amateurs to have won The Open were Royal Liverpool members: Hoylake-born John Ball Jr, the first Englishman to win The Open, lifted the Claret Jug at Prestwick in 1890; and Harold Hilton, who, on his home course in 1897, won his second title at the first Open Championship to be staged in the north west of England. The only other amateur winner is Bobby Jones, who won his third Open at Hoylake in 1930: the second of four steps to his unprecedented and unmatched Grand Slam.
In 1885, Hoylake hosted the inaugural Amateur Championship – the first of 17 to date – and, in 1921, it staged the first international match between Great Britain and the USA, a contest which would later become the Walker Cup Match.
“We are delighted that The Open is returning to Royal Liverpool after a relatively short period of time,” said David Hill, The R&A’s Director of Championships. “In 2006, Hoylake showcased links golf at its best and players, spectators and officials were united in their praise for the course, and for the venue as a whole. 
“We would like to thank the Club’s officials for their unfailing co-operation, which has enabled the Championship to come back to Royal Liverpool, a Club whose history is interwoven with both The Open and The R&A.”
Paul Cassidy, Captain of Royal Liverpool Golf Club added, “we are very proud of our Club’s rich heritage and the many memorable golfing moments staged at Hoylake since our founding in 1869 and are extremely thrilled to be again invited to host The Open Championship in 2014. We are thoroughly looking forward to working with both The R&A and Wirral Council in the planning, organisation and staging of another successful Major championship.” 
With The Open Championship estimated to boost the local economy by £70m each time it is played in the north west of England, the news has also been welcomed by Councillor Steve Foulkes, Leader of Wirral Council.
“This is fantastic news for Wirral. We look forward to getting ready to welcome new visitors to the Peninsula as well as returning golf fans who enjoyed themselves so much with us four years ago,” said Councillor Foulkes.
“The return of one of the world’s biggest sporting events to Royal Liverpool Golf Club is not only great for Wirral, but the whole of the North West. We are absolutely committed to ensuring local residents, businesses and golf fans alike benefit from this fantastic opportunity once more.” 
 
Previous winners at Royal Liverpool
 
1897    -   Harold Hilton (A) (ENG)                  1936    -   Alf Padgham (ENG)
1902    -   Sandy Herd (SCO)                         1947    -   Fred Daly (NIR)
1907    -   Arnaud Massy (FRA)                      1956    -   Peter Thomson (AUS)
1913    -   J H Taylor (ENG)                            1967    -   Roberto De Vicenzo (ARG)
1924    -   Walter Hagen (USA)                       2006   -   Tiger Woods (USA)
1930    -   Bobby Jones (A) (USA)                   

THE R&A ANNOUNCES VENUES FOR 2013 CHAMPIONSHIPS AND INTERNATIONAL MATCHES
 

8 February 2010, St Andrews, Scotland:

T he R&A has announced venues for the 2013 Championship season. 
The hosting of the Boys Amateur Championship will be shared between Royal Liverpool Golf Club and Wallasey Golf Club. The Boys Home Internationals will be hosted by Forest Pines Golf Club. The 2013 Jacques Leglise Trophy will be held at Royal St David’s Golf Club. And the Seniors Open Amateur Championship will be contested at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club.
Royal Liverpool will be the main venue for the 2013 Boys Amateur. The Club has a rich championship history, having hosted The Open 11 times and the Amateur on 17 occasions. Hoylake has also staged four Boys Amateurs, the last in 2003 when former Walker Cup player and European Tour professional Rhys Davies took the title.
Founded in 1891 by members from Royal Liverpool, Wallasey is famous for being the home club of Dr Frank Stableford, the man who devised the stableford scoring system. It was a Local Final Qualifying venue when The Open was staged at Hoylake in 2006, and it played host to stroke play qualifying for the Amateur in 2000. 
Forest Pines, the host of the 2013 Boys Home Internationals, is a new addition to the list of R&A championship venues. Designed by the late PGA Tour player John Morgan, the Lincolnshire course opened for play in 1996 and was quickly recognised by Golf World as the best course in England opened since 1994.
The Jacques Leglise Trophy will take place at Royal St David’s in 2013, adding to an R&A Championship history which includes the 1994 British Youths, the 1999 Boys Amateur and the 2003 Boys Home Internationals. Such is Harlech’s renown that three-time Ryder Cup Captain Bernard Gallacher said: “It is no exaggeration to say that Royal St David’s is one of the finest courses in the world.”
In 2013, the Seniors Open Amateur will be held at Royal Aberdeen for the second time, 20 years after it was last held there in 1993. Royal Aberdeen has been an R&A championship venue since 1935, when it staged the Boys Amateur Championship. The next major event to be held there will be the 43rd Walker Cup Match in September 2011.
The Boys Amateur Championship: Royal Liverpool and Wallasey, 13 – 18 August 2013
The Boys Home Internationals: Forest Pines, 6 – 8 August 2013
The Jacques Leglise Trophy: Royal St David’s, 30 & 31 August 2013
The Seniors Open Amateur Championship, Royal Aberdeen, 7 – 9 August 2013

HUGO, FICHARDT AND CUNLIFFE EARN PLACES AT 150TH ANNIVERSARY OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
 

22 January 2010, Johannesburg, South Africa:

J

ean Hugo, Darren Fichardt and Josh Cunliffe have qualified for the 2010 Open after taking the top three positions at International Final Qualifying – Africa at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club in Johannesburg, South Africa, today. The South African trio will now look forward to taking their places at the 150th Anniversary Open Championship on 15-18 July in St Andrews. 
With play having resumed on Friday after heavy rain had caused Thursday’s play to be abandoned, first-round leader Jean Hugo, 34, recovered from three consecutive bogeys at the start of his second round to post a level-par 71 and finish tied-first on six under par.
Seven-time Sunshine Tour winner Hugo will now look forward to making his third Open Championship appearance – the first two coming in 1999 at Carnoustie and in 2001 at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Joining him on six under was Darren Fichardt, who qualified for his fifth Open Championship with rounds of 67 and 69. 34-year-old Fichardt made three consecutive birdies on the seventh, eighth and ninth holes to claim the outright lead and, despite dropped shots on 10 and 11, he earned his Open chance in relative comfort, two strokes ahead of the field. 

Fichardt, two-time winner on the European Tour, will return to St Andrews 10 years after making his Major Championship debut there in the 2000 – he subsequently played in 2002, 2004 and in 2008, when he qualified through IFQ – Africa at the same venue.
The final Open Championship berth was decided by a playoff between Cunliffe, fellow South African Oliver Bekker and the Netherlands’ Joost Luiten. Cunliffe, who, like Fichardt, qualified for Royal Birkdale through IFQ – Africa in 2008, emerged with the place. He holed a 20-foot putt for eagle on the fourth extra hole, the 18th, after all three players made par, birdie, par on the first three.
The next International Final Qualifying event for The Open Championship, IFQ – Asia, will take place at Saujana Golf and Country Club near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 10 & 11 March.
The 2010 Open Championship will be held at St Andrews on 15-18 July.

Full hole-by-hole scores from IFQ – Africa are available on www.opengolf.com.

FALDO SERIES TO DEBUT IN SLOVAKIA

19th January 2010:

N ick Faldo today announced Slovakia as the latest addition to the 2010 Faldo Series schedule with the inaugural Faldo Series Slovakia Championship set to take place at Black Stork Golf Resort in Veľká Lomnica on 24 – 26 August.

Supported by The R&A and the European Tour, the 54-hole Slovakia Championship will be hosted by Black Stork as part of a three-year agreement aimed at creating opportunities for some of the country’s best young golfers, boys and girls, aged 12 to 21.

Black Stork course

Faldo commented:  “To be taking the Faldo Series to Slovakia is very exciting.  It has always been my intention to support emerging golf markets with our unique combination of top-level competition and golf-specific education and I believe there is great potential for golf development in this region.  I would like to thank Black Stork Golf resort for sharing our vision and I look forward to spending time with the winners at the Grand Final.”

Sylvia Hrušková

There will be a number of golf-specific seminars running alongside the tournament, with long-time supporter of the Faldo Series and Faldo’s coach, Keith Wood, on hand to work with the players and coaches.  There will also be a number of grass-roots activities aimed at creating access to the game for a new generation of young golfers.

BARNES, PORTER AND SENIOR SECURE PLACES AT ST ANDREWS
 

15 January 2010, Melbourne, Australia:

K

urt Barnes, Ewan Porter and Peter Senior have qualified for the 2010 Open Championship after taking the top three positions at International Final Qualifying – Australasia at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, today. The Australian trio will now look forward to taking their places at the 150th Anniversary Open Championship on 15-18 July in St Andrews.
 
Barnes seized his opportunity with a second-round eight-under-par 64 to finish at the top of the leaderboard on ten under, two shots ahead of overnight leader Ewan Porter (68). Senior (70) took the third qualifying place on five under par.

50-year-old Senior will make his 18th appearance at The Open Championship a decade after his last appearance at St Andrews 2000. At six under with just a hole to play, he bogeyed the 18th and endured a nervous wait to find out whether he had earned one of the three available berths.  

“It feels fantastic. I thought I had blown it coming down the last couple of holes but the score hung on and I am really excited about going there,” said Senior. “St Andrews is such a special place, the atmosphere is just fantastic and I am really going to enjoy this one.”

It will be Senior’s fifth St Andrews Open having previously played in 2000, 1995, 1990 and 1984. His best result at the Home of Golf was a 14th place in ‘84, whilst his best finish at The Open, fourth, came at Royal St Georges in 1993.

In contrast to Senior, the 2010 Open Championship will be Kurt Barnes’ first appearance at a Major. The New South Welshman shot a superb eight-under-par 64 in today’s final round to finish two clear of the field.

Left to right Peter Senior, Kurt Barnes and Ewan Porter

Starting the day two strokes off the lead in fourth, he completed the front nine in 31 strokes with birdies coming at the second, third, fourth, seventh and ninth. He then built on that start with another four coming home to finish the 36-hole event on ten under par.

“Today was pretty solid: only the one bogey, but I am really happy,” said Barnes, winner of the Sofitel Zhongshan IGC Open in Nanjing last year.

“I reckon today is one of the best ball striking displays ever: I hit it well, I pitched it well and I also putted well, so my all round game was really good. It’s one of the best rounds of golf I have ever played.

“Just thinking about going to St Andrews is awesome. I have only played there once at the Dunhill Championship so I am really excited,” he added.

Two rounds of 68 saw Ewan Porter qualify for the third time in three starts at IFQ – Australasia. Two other successful campaigns came at his home club of The Lakes in 2007 and 2008.

“I’m just over the moon,” said the 2008 Moonah Classic champion. “I said to my caddy Grant on the last hole that this feels better than the previous two attempts – just the fact that it’s St Andrews this time.”

“I guess I have been through so many tough times over the last couple of years but the belief and the hard work I have been doing is bearing fruit right now and I hope that this is just the kick-start to a big 2010 for me.”

The next International Final Qualifying event for The Open Championship, IFQ – Africa, will take place at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club on 20 & 21 January.

The 2010 Open Championship will be held at St Andrews on 15-18 July.

Full hole-by-hole scores from IFQ – Australasia are available on www.opengolf.com.

IFQ
International Final Qualifying (IFQ) events for The Open Championship were introduced in 2004 and are held on five continents to give more players from around the world the chance to gain direct entry into golf's oldest championship.
IFQ for the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews will be held as follows:

IFQ - Australasia: Kingston Heath, Melbourne, Australia, 14 & 15 January

IFQ - Africa: Royal Johannesburg & Kensington, South Africa, 20 & 21 January

IFQ - Asia: Saujana, Malaysia, 10 & 11 March

IFQ - America: Gleneagles, Plano, Texas, USA, 24 May

IFQ - Europe: Sunningdale, Berkshire, England, 7 June

For further details please visit www.opengolf.com

FORMAT OF BOYS AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE CHANGED
 

21 December 2009, St Andrews, Scotland:

T he format of the Boys Amateur Championship will be changed from 2010 to bring it into line with the Amateur Championship. Competitors will now contest 36 holes of stroke play qualifying over two courses with the top 64 and ties progressing to the match play rounds.
Consequently, additional qualifying venues will be used to host two days of stroke play competition. The new venues will be as follows:
In 2010, Irvine Golf Club will share stroke play qualifying with Kilmarnock (Barassie). The course at Bogside, designed by five-time Open Champion, James Braid, has staged Open Championship Local Final Qualifying whenever The Open has been held at Royal Troon and in 1994 when The Open was held at Turnberry. It also co-hosted the Amateur Championship in 2003 when six-time Walker Cup player, Gary Wolstenholme, took the title at Royal Troon. 
In 2011, Enmore Park Golf Club will host stroke play qualifying with Burnham & Berrow Golf Club. The Club was re-sited in 1972 with Fred Hawtree commissioned to design the course. 2011 will be the first time that Enmore Park has hosted an R&A event. 
In 2012, Coxmoor Golf Club will share stroke play qualifying with Notts Golf Club. Coxmoor hosted Regional Qualifying for The Open Championship in 1992 and 1993 and again from 1996 to 2001. Founded in 1913, the Nottinghamshire heathland course hosted the prestigious Dunlop Golf Tournament in 1961 at which five-time Open Champion, Peter Thomson, and four-time recipient of the Claret Jug, Bobby Locke, competed.
The 2010 Boys Amateur Championship will be held from Tuesday 10 to Sunday 15 August. For more information, visit www.randa.org.

NIGEL EDWARDS APPOINTED AS GB&I WALKER CUP CAPTAIN

Nigel Edwards

17 December 2009, St Andrews, Scotland:

N

igel Edwards has been appointed as the Captain of the Great Britain and Ireland team that will face the United States of America at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in the 2011 Walker Cup Match. Edwards will also captain the GB&I team as they take on the Continent of Europe in the St Andrews Trophy Match at Castelconturbia Golf Club, Italy, next year.
A long-time member of Whitchurch Golf Club, he has played in four successive Walker Cup Matches between 2001 and 2007, winning four matches, losing five and tying three. 
“I am delighted to have been invited to be the next Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Captain. It is a great honour for me, my family and for Welsh Golf, and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead,” said Edwards. 
“The goal is to win back the Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen and I will lead the team with great pride and enthusiasm. I will put all of my Walker Cup experience to good use in ensuring that the team selected prepares well and performs to the very best of its ability. 
“The Walker Cup is a great sporting spectacle that conjures up moments and experiences that will live with players for their entire careers and I am really excited about continuing my involvement with the match.”
Edwards was instrumental in GB&I’s 2003 victory at Ganton Golf Club, holing a 30-yard putt from off the green at the 17th to ensure overall victory and finishing as that match’s leading points-scorer. In 2005 and 2007, the 41-year-old was part of GB&I teams that suffered defeat to the USA by a single point.
“Nigel is absolutely the right person to regain the Walker Cup in 2011 and we are delighted that he has accepted the invitation,” said Chairman of Selectors, Tony Disley. “Not only will his extensive recent experience and outstanding record in team golf ensure the respect and admiration of his players, but his enthusiasm and determination to succeed will prove an invaluable asset at Royal Aberdeen.”
In addition to his Walker Cup successes, Edwards has been part of three victorious GB&I teams in the St Andrews Trophy and part of two winning European teams in the Bonallack Trophy against Asia/Pacific. He also won the Home Internationals and the European Nations Cup with Wales in 2002. 
Edwards is the Director of Player Development and Coaching at the Golf Union of Wales, taking responsibility for directing player development and managing the provision of coaching for elite players and national teams. He is still ranked just outside the top 100 amateur players in the world (103rd) according to the World Amateur Golf Ranking, and he has been in possession of nine amateur course records including those of Royal Lytham & St Annes and the New and Jubilee courses at St Andrews.

 AUTUMN 2009

UK’S TOP COURSES TO HOST FALDO SERIES IN 2010

10 December 2009:

T he Faldo Series today announced its schedule of UK Championships for the forthcoming season with nine tournaments being played on some of the most famous courses across England, Scotland and Wales.

The Faldo Series will visit several world-renowned venues in 2010, including US Open qualifying venue Walton Heath in Surrey, former Ryder Cup venue Moortown in Yorkshire and European Challenge Tour hosts The Vale of Glamorgan in south Wales.

Open Championship qualifying venues also feature on the schedule of Faldo Series UK Championships, including Royal Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, Nottinghamshire’s Hollinwell, Trentham in Staffordshire and West Lancashire.

Frilford Heath in Oxfordshire and The Roxburghe in Kelso, two of the most picturesque and highly-rated courses in England and Scotland respectively, complete the stellar line-up of Faldo Series hosts in 2010.

Supported by The R&A, the European Tour and the PGA, more than 1,000 leading young golfers are expected to apply for the UK Faldo Series which also operates in over 20 countries across Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia.  Participants will hope to follow in the footsteps of former Faldo Series winners and European Tour stars Nick Dougherty, Rory McIlroy and 2008 Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year Melissa Reid.

Competitors in the UK will only be one win away from a place in the Faldo Series Grand Final, an R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking event hosted by six-time Major winner Nick Faldo and recently won by England’s Jonathan Bell in Brazil.  For the five age-group champions, an invite to the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at Mission Hills Golf Club in China will be on offer, plus the opportunity to play in a flagship European Tour or Ladies European Tour event for the overall boy and girl champion.

Faldo commented: “I’m very excited about the UK schedule for 2010 and am extremely grateful to the host venues for their support.  I am proud of the part we have played over the past 14 years in helping to identify and nurture some of the UK’s most talented young golfers.  I wish all the competitors the best of luck and look forward to meeting the winners at the Faldo Series Grand Final.”

Faldo Series UK Championships are open to boys and girls aged 12 to 21 with handicaps of 12 or below.  Full details on how to apply can be found at www.nickfaldo.com.

The full Faldo Series schedule, also featuring tournaments in continental Europe and South America, will be announced early in the New Year.

NEW GOLF AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT IN IRAN 

Nasser Farzaneh, MD of Anglo Hispano Spain

Interview with Nasser Farzaneh, November 2009

N asser Farzaneh, Managing Director of the Spanish Iranian Company “Anglo Hispano Spain” revealed today in an interview with The Travelling Golfer’s Guide that his company is well into its plans to create a golf and sports development in Iran. “We have been sitting on them for a couple of years”, he admitted “But it wasn’t the time to launch such a revolutionary project, especially as it is centred around Golf. This will be the first golf course development in Iran, but we are sure it certainly won’t be the last”.

“Over the past two years we have been in touch with a major consortium in Iran to back the project, but with international politics as they were we bided our time. We feel that the moment has now arrived”.

“We have called it Cyrus Park after the famous Iranian King Cyrus the Great, who around 2500 years ago laid down a human rights charter which was more just and comprehensive than either the declaration laid down after the French civil war in the eighteenth century or the United Nations charter issued in the nineteenth century”.

“Having seen how popular this type of development has become in Spain I am sure a similar club-style set-up would be well received by Iranians”, he said, adding: “Golf has never caught on in Iran, but I feel that is because, not only has it a reputation as a decadent Western sport, but also no-one has bothered to present it properly as a sport for all ages which dates back to well over six hundred years. Golf brings out the best in everyone who plays the game as it is based on trust and truth”. He continued: “To develop the game in Iran we intend to establish a residential golf academy to teach both men and women from 7 to 70 years old. We are aware there are already some golfers within Iran because of the good work being done by the Iranian Golf Federation with whom we will work to promote this wonderful outdoor sport.”  

Artist's impression development

Farzaneh added: “Even to those who are not sports-minded the delightful surroundings of a well designed and maintained golf course present wonderful views and a serene ambiance in which to live. The property that is planned for the first course will range from town houses, apartments to individual villas. We will also develop 100-bedroom golf hotel overlooking the course to attract the golf tourist market, which thrives very well in Europe, Southeast Asia and North and South America. I am sure this development will be the first of many that we hope to create.”

For full article, please refer to our "New Golf Projects" section:

http://travellinggolfers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=172&Itemid=280

The Golfer's Farewell

1 - Forthcoming Events