Free Tickets available for star-studded Dubai World Championship

After the overwhelming success of last year’s inaugural event, tickets for the 2010 Dubai World Championship, presented by DP World, are once again available free of charge to the general public.

Last year, more than 60,000 spectators attended the $7.5 million event – the most ever seen at a Middle East golf tournament – as the top 60 players on The European Tour played for the richest prize on the calendar at Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Earth course.

Free tickets for this year’s event at the Earth course, where European number one Lee Westwood will be out to defend his title from November 25-28, can be obtained by registering online at the tournament’s official website www.dubaiworldchampionship.com with applicants limited to a maximum of two free general admission season passes per order.

“The initiative of offering free entry to the grand finale of The Race to Dubai was a massive success last year and we fully expect this to be repeated in November,” said Colin Smith, Director, Dubai World Championship.

After a season that takes in 48 tournaments and 26 destinations worldwide, for The European Tour’s leading pros the Dubai World Championship is the grand finale of their season – a sporting and social festival that ultimately decides the player of the year. Already secure of their places in Dubai in November, however, are defending champion Westwood, last year’s Race to Dubai runner-up Rory McIlroy and three current Major champions in the shape of Louis Oosthuizen, Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer.

As well as free tickets for general admittance, event organisers also have a wealth of hospitality packages available for all four days of the tournament.
“This is the ultimate event on the Tour calendar,” added Smith. “One of the most popular places to be for the finale of The Race to Dubai last year was the Hospitality Pavilion adjacent to the 18th green where we offered a contemporary setting with first-class food and premium refreshments in a climate controlled environment. Details of all our hospitality options are also available on the website.”

Also available is the extremely limited Ultimate Golf Package, which provides both a unique spectating and playing privilege – daily course and clubhouse admission during the tournament with F&B vouchers for a variety of outlets and the chance to play the course in championship condition just two days after the event ends.

“Jumeirah Golf Estates set high standards for themselves in 2009,” said Nick Tarratt, Director European Tour International, Dubai Office. “After the heat of the Middle East summer and over the coming weeks, the team at Jumeirah Golf Estates will be placing particular emphasis on presenting a world-class golf course, which will be a fitting venue for the staging of the climax to our season.

Live music, a buzzing Championship Village with every type of food available, F&B outlets around the course, off-course golfing entertainment, children’s play areas and live TV and radio broadcasts – plus the greatest gathering of players in the world – make this the first ‘must see’ of the winter calendar. And with entrance absolutely free, the Earth course is geared up for the golfing event of the year.

One man who made a significant step towards a coveted place in the Dubai World Championship is European Tour rookie John Parry, winner of the Vivendi Cup in Paris at the weekend. Thanks to his maiden victory on the Tour, the 23 year-old Englishman went from worrying about keeping his playing card for 2011 to being on the fringe of making the richest tournament of the year. With his win, Parry catapulted from 116th to 66th in The Race to Dubai.

Caption: Lee Westwood celebrates after winning the inaugural Dubai World Championship last year. Tickets for the 2010 tournament are now available free of charge from the official website www.dubaiworldchampionship.com