Emirates sponsor Ryder Cup Captain Montgomerie
Emirates, the Official Airline and Partner of the 2010 Ryder Cup, is to become the Official Sponsor of European Team Captain Colin Montgomerie.
The announcement was made on the eve of the of the BMW International Open in Munich, marking 100 days until the start of the 2010 Ryder Cup in October on the Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor in Wales.
Montgomerie, who has played in five winning Ryder Cup Teams, is currently playing in Munich as he prepares for his role as European Captain later this year.
The Scot said: “I am delighted with my new association with Emirates and am very much looking forward to working with them and supporting their extensive global golf portfolio. Like Emirates, I am working hard to prepare for The 2010 Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales."
He added: "Not only am I playing a full schedule, but I am watching all the potential players with great interest and following all their results all around the world. I am also busy working with the Ryder Cup team, on everything from the course set-up to designing and selecting the team uniforms, bags, waterproofs, and gifts and making sure everything is just right. I am a meticulous person and I don’t want to leave anything to chance in trying to regain the Ryder Cup Trophy for Europe.”
Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman, Emirates Airline & Group, said: “We are very much looking forward to the Ryder Cup and everyone at Emirates is gearing up for this important tournament. We are excited at the opportunities available to us and our customers by sponsoring such a high-profile and elite golfer as Colin.”
Emirates announced its sponsorship of the 2010 Ryder Cup at a press conference in Dubai in February and will be bringing international golf fans to the UK through its extensive route network for the tournament which takes place 1st – 3rd October 2010.
Additionally, the airline will be an Official Partner of the European Team in 2012 when they travel to Medinah Country Club in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
The 2010 Ryder Cup is one of the most eagerly anticipated sporting events of the year, and will attract more than 200,000 golf fans to the UK and the City of Newport in Wales, as well as a global television audience of millions.
The multi-award winning carrier also extends its support for golf by allowing passengers to check in a set of golf clubs free of charge, in addition to their normal checked baggage allowance, in any class of service on all Emirates flights.
The airline currently serves 23 European destinations and will soon add Prague and Madrid to its network. The airline will be connecting passengers to the 2010 tournament, as well as the 2012 event in Illinois, with San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston and New York also on the Emirates network.
Along with The Ryder Cup and BMW International Open, Emirates will be the Official Airline at 13 other tournaments in 2010, with nine of them on The European Tour International Schedule.
