European Tour Chief Executive George O’Grady inspects Jumeirah Golf Estates
European Tour Chief Executive George O’Grady took time out from addressing the recent KPMG Golf Business Forum in Dubai to make a full golf course inspection of Jumeirah Golf Estates, venue for the 2011 Dubai World Championship presented by DP World.
Although his visit came more than six months ahead of the third staging of the event, O’Grady was impressed with the condition of the hosting Earth Course and the preparations for climax to the 2011 Race to Dubai to be held from Thursday 8th – Sunday 11th December.
O’Grady was joined by European Tour colleagues Nick Tarratt, Director of European Tour International – Dubai Office, and Colin Smith, Director International Business Development Middle East & Asia, along with David MacLaren, Director of Property and Venue Development. During the visit, The European Tour party met up with Neal Graham, Director of Golf, and Mark Tupling, Agronomy Manager, Jumeirah Golf Estates for an 18-hole tour of the playing facilities.
“Although the 2011 event is still some six months away, we have been preparing for it ever since Robert Karlsson holed the winning putt in last year’s tournament back in November,” said Tarratt.
“Having the Chief Executive in Dubai for the KPMG Golf Business Forum gave us the opportunity to meet with our colleagues at Jumeirah Golf Estates and assess the progress being made well ahead of the final tournament of the season. We were all delighted with the way the course is being set up for 2011 and are confident of yet another successful event.”
The Dubai World Championship will be the final event on the 2011 Race to Dubai, which began in December 2010 with the Alfred Dunhill Championship held in South Africa. Once again prize money for the Dubai World Championship is $7.5 million with a Race to Dubai Bonus Pool of an additional $7.5 million to be shared amongst the top 15 of The Race to Dubai following the end of the tournament.
Meanwhile, organisers of the Dubai World Championship and Jumeirah Golf Estates have come together to offer a unique opportunity to play the Earth course from the DWC Championship Tees and follow in the footsteps of 2009 Dubai World Championship and Race to Dubai champion and current World Number One Lee Westwood, 2010 Dubai World Champion Robert Karlsson and 2010 Race to Dubai champion and current World Number Two Martin Kaymer.
The club has organised a Dubai World Championship Ultimate Golf Challenge – sponsored by BMW – to be held on Saturday 7th May 2011 over the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The event is open to all male golfers with a handicap of 14 or less with the Gross Champion receiving an invitation to play in the curtain raiser Dubai World Championship Pro-am to be played on Tuesday 6th December.
The Entry Fee for Emirates Golf Federation members (EGF) is Dh 545, non-EGF Members Dh 595, Juniors Dh 250 and JGE Members Dh 175. Golfers looking to enter should contact JGE Reception (04 3759999) with entries set to close at 12 noon on Thursday 5th May 2011 after which the draw will be published. The Entry Fee includes the tournament fee, golf cart, prize presentation buffet and prizes.
Picture shows: Colin Smith, Mark Tupling, George O’Grady, Neal Graham and David MacLaren during the course inspection at Jumeirah Golf Estates.
