October 15, 2007

Pearl Valley to Host SAA Open for Three Years

By www.europeantour.com

Cabrera will join defending South African Airways Open champion Ernie Els, former champion Retief Goosen and former World Number One Greg Norman on the fairways at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Pearl Valley course.

Pearl Valley Golf Estates will become the home of the championship for the next three years. The three year deal is aimed at ensuring greater investment in the medium and long-term success of the SAA Open.

The deal, and the presence of five of the world’s leading golfers and the iconic Norman, offer powerful examples of the growing status the South African Airways Open enjoys on the international golf schedule.

Cabrera returns to the championship having claimed his first Major in the US Open title at Oakmont this year, while Els and Goosen bring a total of five Majors between them – and Norman brings a record of 88 tournament wins including two Majors.

The world-class field also includes Presidents Cup campaigners and former South African Airways Open champions Trevor Immelman and Tim Clark.

In the last five years, Els (2006 champion), Goosen (December 2005 champion), Immelman (2003 and 2004 champion) and Clark (2002 and January 2005 champion) have dominated the championship, with the winner emerging from South Africa’s leading campaigners on the global stage.

This year’s field for the Sunshine Tour and European Tour co-sanctioned tournament also does justice to the new era into which the second oldest national Open in golf is moving.

“The South African Airways Open has had far reaching benefits for the game of golf in South Africa over the last few years,” said Dr Khaya Ngqula, Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways.

“We are honoured to be part of the tournament, which has gone from strength to strength. It has provided the country with worldwide recognition for its contribution towards one of the most popular sports in the world.

“Part of a tournament’s success is the course that hosts it. Pearl Valley Golf Estates is a world-class partner for a world-class event. Its location in the heart of the winelands also allows us to achieve our other objective, which is to use the championship to promote South Africa and international tourism. With this next edition of the championship, we have aligned South Africa’s famous golfing pedigree with its equally famous tourist attractions.”

“SAA will also be making available soon, on its website, very attractive travel packages to golfing fans who may wish to watch the South African Airways Open in Paarl. These packages would also include a return flight to Cape Town and car rental,” said Ngqula.

Traditionally, the championship has travelled around the country every year.But as Neale Kunhardt, President of the South African Golf Association explained, the championship has found its own Augusta National in Pearl Valley.

"The decision to make Pearl Valley the home of the South African Airways Open for the next three years will be a major boost for our premier event. It will enable the organisers to concentrate their efforts on both short and medium term objectives, knowing that any enhancements made this year will benefit the event for the next two years as well.

“Pearl Valley has become a great test of golf in a very short time and the anticipated challenge will certainly excite both players and spectators over the next three years."

Pearl Valley is widely regarded as one of the finest tests in the game.A testament to this is the fact that it should be selected to host one of the country’s “Majors” only four years after opening.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of Dubai World, the parent company of LeisureCorp which owns Pearl Valley Golf Estates, said: "A Tour event brings an incredibly positive impact to a golf course - and the South African Airways Open is one of the most prestigious of those events. We are pleased and proud to be associated with it and I am looking forward to seeing Pearl Valley's global profile grow as a result."

David Spencer, Chief Executive of LeisureCorp said: “Pearl Valley is a course which deserves to be seen on the world stage – and this prestigious event will help us do that. The South African Airways Open will be seen around the world, allowing golf fans everywhere to see the majestic beauty of this fantastic course.

“We have ambitious investment plans for Pearl Valley, to ensure it is not just one of Africa’s best courses but one of the top global golfing destinations. Being able to attract such high-profile events is an important part of our strategy, and you can be sure we will do everything to make this a South African Airways Open to remember,” said Spencer.

The South African Airways Open remains one of the flagship tournaments of South African golf and a valuable addition to The European Tour’s International Schedule.

The championship was first played in 1893, making it second only to The Open in age. It even pre-dates the modern Olympics, which were first contested in 1896.

“The Sunshine Tour salutes all the parties involved for their initiative to further enhance the event in bringing the world’s second oldest Open Championship to Pearl Valley, designed by Jack Nicklaus, one of the greatest living golf legends,” said Sunshine Tour Commissioner, Johan Immelman.

“The South African Airways Open is symbolic of great tradition. It boasts a long and illustrious history and we look forward to another wonderful edition of our flagship tournament unfolding in December.”

The championship has also occupied an important place on the international golf calendar, and only six foreigners have managed to lift the trophy in the modern era, the last being Swede Mathias Grönberg in 2000.

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “The European Tour has enjoyed the opportunity to visit South Africa for more than a decade now and our members will enjoy the chance to return to the beautiful Western Cape to compete at the superb Jack Nicklaus-designed signature course at Pearl Valley.”

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