Professional golf is returning to Close House this summer, when the English leg of the Asian Tour’s new International Series is staged at the popular north-east England venue.
The $2 million tournament will be played from August 17-20 and represents the fifth stop on The International Series, a new programme of elevated events which features boosted prize money and the chance for the leading players to earn promotion to the LIV Golf League.
The International Series England made its debut last summer when it was held at Slaley Hall in June. It was a landmark event for the International Series and Asian Tour as it marked the first time the Tour had staged an event in the UK.
Close House also staged four editions of the British Masters from 2017-2020.
Close House Managing Director Jonathan Lupton said: “Welcoming The International Series back to Northumberland for a second consecutive year is an exciting development. Having had the pleasure to visit the International Series Oman in February, it was fantastic to see the growth of the series over the last year and we’re looking forward to working closely with the Asian Tour to create a memorable event in England.”
The Scott Macpherson-designed Lee Westwood Colt Course will be used for the tournament. The par-71 layout measures just under 7,000 yards and incorporates historical features throughout, including ha-ha walls and ancient woodland. It is one of two courses at Close House, with the other being the Lee Westwood Filly course.
“I am sure that the players will relish the challenge of the Lee Westwood Colt Course along with enjoying a very warm welcome from the members and guests,” said Close House owner, Sir Graham Wylie. “The people of the North-East are extremely passionate about sport and to host another world class event in the region is a huge honour.”
The International Series was launched last year through a historic investment by LIV Golf that created a premier level of events to develop the next generation of stars and offer pathways to top competition in the LIV Golf League. The ground-breaking initiative sits with the Asian Tour schedule and saw seven International Series events staged last season across seven countries in three continents.
“The Asian Tour is excited to be returning to Newcastle for the International Series England. We enjoyed a very successful event there last June, which marked the Tour’s first trip to the UK,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour. “To be able to stage the tournament this year at Close House, a fantastic venue that has such strong ties with Lee Westwood – a nine-time winner on the Asian Tour – adds an exciting new dimension to the tournament and provides another great opportunity for our membership. We thank Close House for making this possible and look forward to another trip to the North of England, which, as we learned in 2022, is an incredible region for golf.”
The next tournament on the International Series schedule takes place at Black Mountain Golf Club in Thailand from March 9-12.