Champion Sterne climbs to third in The Race to Dubai rankings

22 December 2008: Local hero Richard Sterne lifted the South African Open Championship in front of record crowds at Pearl Valley Golf Estates as the first of Leisurecorp’s incredible hat-tick of golf tournaments was praised as a stunning success by the world-class field.

sterne

Sterne said:

“This tournament is so prestigious, and the names on this trophy, it’s unbelievable. It’s a dream! Hopefully this year I can win a few other big ones and compete in some really big events like the Dubai World Championship. There’s a long way to go, but it’s a big opportunity for everybody and I think you’ll see a few Americans coming over and trying to play in The Race to Dubai . It’s a great thing for us and I’m very thankful for that.”

A bumper crowd of 42,000 spectators watched the drama unfold at the Leisurecorp-owned Pearl Valley Golf Estates set in the stunning Cape Winelands , smashing last year’s attendance by nearly double.

Leisurecorp’s organisation of the tournament has come in for high praise from the players all week following significant enhancements made to the golf course, player facilities, and spectator experience.

Sterne commented:

“It’s just the way that its run, it was so professional. They did a great job. It’s just the small things that make such a big difference. The players’ lounge is great. It was a pleasure to be here. The course is great. It’s the best condition I’ve seen a golf course in a very long time.”

Runner-up Maybin, who climbs to eleventh in The Race to Dubai , added:

“I enjoyed it. I love this part of the world, the Cape Town area. The food is good, and one hell of a golf course too.”

Local hero Ernie Els finished equal third after staking his claim for a fifth South African Open Championship with a brilliant final round 64 to set the clubhouse target at 13 under par early in the afternoon. Despite not lifting the prestigious trophy, the ‘Big Easy’ was delighted with his form after a lengthy lay-off and also with the enhancements that Leisurecorp has made to this year’s tournament.

“I have had a great week,” Els said. In Leisurecorp we have a great host here now and a great golf course. The people here are wonderful. The support I get here is unbelievable and I have to thank the people for that,” he added.

Leisurecorp’s incredible hat-trick of tournaments will span across three continents and also includes the world’s oldest tournament, The Open Championship held at the historic and Leisurecorp-owned Turnberry in Scotland , and the Dubai World Championship, the richest tournament in golf held at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Leisurecorp’s flagship development in Dubai .

David Spencer, CEO-Golf, Leisurecorp, the owner of Pearl Valley Golf Estates, said:

“What a Championship! Record crowds, the best ever field and a homegrown hero triumphing to keep the trophy in South Africa for another year.

“Our intention this year was to raise the bar for golf tournaments in South Africa by enhancing the experience for spectators and players alike, and judging by the comments made by our new champion and the trilogy of South African legends on display, Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman and Retief Goosen, not to mention many more in the world-class field, it’s clear that we have received a big thumbs up!

“We have some incredible tournaments to organise and host next year, so it’s good to get off to a flyer here in South Africa . And next year’s Championship at Pearl Valley Golf Estates will be even better!”

Attendance after day 3 surpasses total for 2007 Championship

20 December 2008: Leisurecorp ambassador Lee Westwood tops the leaderboard going into the final day of the South African Open Championship as attendance records continued to be smashed at Pearl Valley Golf Estates.

Westwood, who owns a villa at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Leisurecorp’s flagship development in Dubai, thrilled the 10,000-strong crowd as he carded a third round 68 to move into a two-shot lead. More than 25,000 spectators have now poured through the gates of the Leisurecorp-owned venue after just three days – already surpassing the total attendance for the 2007 Championship.

Westwood, who has made two previous appearances at the tournament, is chasing his last opportunity for victory this year and is also aiming to claim the 158,500 Euros winners cheque that would see him jump up The Race to Dubai rankings. The 35-year-old has been one of the world’s most consistent golfers in the past 12 months, with an incredible 13 top-10 finishes, including a third-place finish at US Open, but despite moving up to tenth on the World Rankings is still without a win.

The Englishman is hoping to put all his near-misses from 2008 behind him by claiming victory on the enhanced Jack Nicklaus-designed course of which he is a huge admirer.

Westwood said:

“I’m just enjoying it, and I look forward to going out and playing every day the way I’m hitting the ball and it’s a golf course that I enjoy playing. I’ve always played well on Nicklaus courses. The breeze seemed to pick up a little bit, and it’s not an easy breeze to play in. It’s a very well‑designed strategic golf course, and you come into crosswind a lot with the traps, and if you pick the right club, you have to commit to the shot away from the flag. “I’ve not won all year and it would be nice to win this year, and also starting this Race to Dubai , it would be nice to get some momentum in that. It would also be good just to finish off the year solidly. I’ve played good all year, and I’m continuing to do it this week.”

Local hero Retief Goosen gave the crowd plenty to cheer about as he charged up the leaderboard with a 66 to go eight-under par and put himself in contention on the last day. The South African then became the latest superstar to praise the effect that Leisurcorp has had on the world’s second oldest open Championship.

Goosen said:

“It’s a great tournament this year. Everything has been upgraded. The course is in great shape, everything about it. The crowd is much better and everything around the clubhouse that they have done for the players as well.”

Irishman Gareth Maybin, who started day three in a tie for sixth, moved into a share of second place with a 69 and was quick to praise the electric atmosphere in the revamped spectator areas:

“On the 18th green, they have put the whole gallery around you, and it’s brilliant,” he said.

About Leisurecorp:

Leisurecorp was established by Dubai World in July 2006, to identify, acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of investments in the sports and leisure sectors in Dubai and across the world. Its portfolio includes Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai’s premier residential golf community; Pearl Valley Golf Estates, South Africa’s leading residential golf community, which will host the South African Open for the next two years; a major shareholding in Island Global Yachting, the premier owner, developer and manager of luxury marinas; a stake in Troon Golf, the world’s leading luxury-brand golf management, development and marketing company; a shareholding in GPS Industries, the provider of Wi-Fi enabled global positioning systems (GPS) for golf and residential communities; and a stake in Snowmass Colorado, a 2.8 million square foot re-development of one of North America’s premier ski resorts.

In November 2007, Leisurecorp announced a wide-ranging partnership with The European Tour which will create The Dubai World Championship, the world’s richest golf tournament with a US$10,000,000 prize fund. To be held annually at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the tournament will be open to the players numbered 1- 60 on The Race to Dubai – formerly The European Tour Order of Merit – with players being given the opportunity to compete for an additional US$10,000,000 bonus fund. From 2009, Jumeirah Golf Estates will also become home to The European Tour’s International Headquarters.

In October 2008, Leisurecorp acquired Turnberry in Scotland , the host venue for the 2009 Open Championship, from Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide.

19 December 2008: The world-class field in action at the South African Open Championship, the fifth tournament in The Race to Dubai , heaped praise on hosts Leisurecorp as the tournament reached the halfway stage.

Leisurecorp, partners with The European Tour in creating The Race To Dubai, and hosts of the grand finale event and richest golf tournament in the world – the Dubai World Championship in November 2009, is staging the South African Open for the second consecutive year at its Pearl Valley Golf Estates set in the stunning Cape Winelands .

Bouyed by free entry, glorious sunshine and the appearance of South Africa’s ‘big five’ Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman, Tim Clark, Retief Goosen, and Rory Sabbatini, approximately 9,000 specators poured through the gates on day two to take the total attendance to 16,000 – a 63 per cent increase on the same stage last year.

Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera has a two shot lead at the top of the leaderboard after carding a seven under par 65. South Africa’s Thomas Aiken shot a brilliant bogey-free 64 to equal the tournament record for Pearl Valley Golf Estates set by Paraguayan Fabrizio Zanotti on day one, and then echoed the sentiments of many of the players in the field by praising the high-class organisation of the tournament:

“It’s fantastic. Leisurecorp has done a fantastic job with the SA Open. It really is something special this year. It’s got its name back. It’s the second oldest golf tournament in the world, and then they have gone everything all‑out. It’s nice to see the crowds. It’s fantastic to see all of the people coming out to watch.”

As part of major enhancements to the 2008 South African Open, Leisurecorp has returned the second oldest Open championship in the world to its original name and made significant improvements to the course, player facilities, and spectator experience.

Earlier in the week, US Masters champion Immelman described the conditon of the course at Pearl Valley Golf Estates as among the best he had ever played:

“The course is in incredible condition, it really is. It’s just immaculate which, you know, I’ve come to expect. That’s kind of the way I expected the course to be to a high standard, and they have always turned out a fantastic course, for the members day-in day-out. I really feel like these fairways are some of the best, if not the best, that I’ve ever played on.”

About Leisurecorp

Leisurecorp was established by Dubai World in July 2006, to identify, acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of investments in the sports and leisure sectors in Dubai and across the world. Its portfolio includes Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai’s premier residential golf community; Pearl Valley Golf Estates, South Africa’s leading residential golf community, which will host the South African Open for the next two years; a major shareholding in Island Global Yachting, the premier owner, developer and manager of luxury marinas; a stake in Troon Golf, the world’s leading luxury-brand golf management, development and marketing company; a shareholding in GPS Industries, the provider of Wi-Fi enabled global positioning systems (GPS) for golf and residential communities; and a stake in Snowmass Colorado, a 2.8 million square foot re-development of one of North America’s premier ski resorts.

In November 2007, Leisurecorp announced a wide-ranging partnership with The European Tour which will create The Dubai World Championship, the world’s richest golf tournament with a US$10,000,000 prize fund. To be held annually at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the tournament will be open to the players numbered 1- 60 on The Race to Dubai – formerly The European Tour Order of Merit – with players being given the opportunity to compete for an additional US$10,000,000 bonus fund. From 2009, Jumeirah Golf Estates will also become home to The European Tour’s International Headquarters.

In October 2008, Leisurecorp acquired Turnberry in Scotland , the host venue for the 2009 Open Championship, from Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide.

The South African Open Championship is a key tournament in The Race to Dubai with €1 million prize fund

17 December 2008: Leisurecorp, a Dubai World company focusing on investments in the sport and leisure industry and partner to The European Tour, will commence its trilogy of international golf tournaments when the 99th South African Open Championship takes place at its very own Pearl Valley Golf Estates from 18-21 December.

Leisurecorp’s incredible hat-trick of tournaments will span across three continents and includes Africa’s oldest tournament, The South African Open; the world’s oldest tournament, The Open Championship held at the historic and Leisurecorp-owned Turnberry in Scotland ; and the Dubai World Championship, the richest tournament in golf held at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Leisurecorp’s flagship development in Dubai .

The 2009 season is also the first year of The Race to Dubai , a new US$10 million season-long competition which has replaced the longstanding European Order of Merit and is part of Leisurecorp’s partnership with The European Tour.

Abdul Wahid Al Ulama, Vice-Chairman, Leisurecorp, said:

“The inaugural Race to Dubai is arguably one of the most exciting seasons in The European Tour’s history. For Leisurecorp, this will see three of our golf courses rise to the occasion with The South African Open at Pearl Valley Golf Estates, The Open Championship at Turnberry, and the Dubai World Championship – one of the most important sporting events to ever be held in the Middle East . We are certain that each of these tournaments will prove our passion and commitment to the golf world.

“It’s not an understatement to say that The Race to Dubai has taken the golf world by storm. The season-long competition will visit a staggering 52 countries in 27 destinations is keeping Dubai at the forefront of the sporting world throughout the entire year, while taking the game to fresh audiences around the world. I believe it is emblematic and reflective of what Dubai stands for.”

Players in The Race to Dubai are ranked during the season according to their earnings from all events. At the end of the 2009 season, only the top 60 players will qualify to compete in the Dubai World Championship, the thrilling season-ending event at Jumeirah Golf Estates from 19 – 22 November 2009, where they will battle it out for the prestigious trophy and a share of an additional US$10 million prize fund.

The South African Open Championship is a key tournament in this season-long journey with the €1 million prize fund giving players the opportunity to move up the rankings and get one step closer to making the cut for the Dubai World Championship. This year’s tournament boasts the strongest field in South African Open history, with three Major champions, four current Ryder Cup players, and six of South Africa ’s top players set to tee it up at Pearl Valley Golf Estates.

The field is headlined by a trilogy of the greatest South African golfers – Masters champion Trevor Immelman, triple Major champion Ernie Els, and double US Open champion Retief Goosen. A total of 35 countries are represented in an international field which also includes defending champion James Kingston, European Tour Order of Merit winner Justin Rose, Dubai-based Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy.

David Spencer, CEO-Golf, Leisurecorp, the owner of Pearl Valley Golf Estates, said:

“We have assembled one of the greatest fields ever seen at a tournament in the southern hemisphere and intend to make this year’s South African Open the greatest golfing tournament the country has ever hosted. The beautiful setting of Pearl Valley Golf Estates combined with free entry, a bumper crowd, and such an incredible field means that this year’s tournament will be the best the country has ever hosted.”

With Leisurecorp’s recent acquisition of the iconic Turnberry in Scotland , Leisurecorp will cement this hat-trick of prestigious international golf events when it hosts the Open Championship on the Ailsa Course at Turnberry in Scotland in July 2009.

Alan Rogers, Group Chief Executive Officer for Leisurecorp, said:

“When the eyes of the world fall upon Turnberry next summer, we are determined that the venue will stand tall with pride, taking its rightful place as one of the top golf courses in the world. When the first ball is hit at perhaps the most prestigious golf tournament in history everyone at Leisurecorp – and the entire city of Dubai – should feel great pride and perhaps get a few goosebumps at the realisation that the greatest sporting event in the history of golf is being played on not only a piece of historic Scotland, but also a small piece of Dubai!”

About Leisurecorp

Leisurecorp was established by Dubai World in July 2006, to identify, acquire, develop and manage a portfolio of investments in the sports and leisure sectors in Dubai and across the world. Its portfolio includes Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai’s premier residential golf community; Pearl Valley Golf Estates, South Africa’s leading residential golf community, which will host the South African Open for the next two years; a major shareholding in Island Global Yachting, the premier owner, developer and manager of luxury marinas; a stake in Troon Golf, the world’s leading luxury-brand golf management, development and marketing company; a shareholding in GPS Industries, the provider of Wi-Fi enabled global positioning systems (GPS) for golf and residential communities; and a stake in Snowmass Colorado, a 2.8 million square foot re-development of one of North America’s premier ski resorts.

In November 2007, Leisurecorp announced a wide-ranging partnership with The European Tour which will create The Dubai World Championship, the world’s richest golf tournament with a US$10,000,000 prize fund. To be held annually at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the tournament will be open to the players numbered 1- 60 on The Race to Dubai – formerly The European Tour Order of Merit – with players being given the opportunity to compete for an additional US$10,000,000 bonus fund. From 2009, Jumeirah Golf Estates will also become home to The European Tour’s International Headquarters.

In October 2008, Leisurecorp acquired Turnberry in Scotland , the host venue for the 2009 Open Championship, from Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide.