Sir Nick Faldo has announced that the inaugural Faldo Series Nepal Championship will take place on 18-19 October at Gokarna Forest Resort in Kathmandu. Young golfers from across the Himalayan region are set to benefit from the six-time Major winner’s global golf development programme.
“We have enjoyed a close relationship with golfers from the Himalayan region ever since Ziwang Gurung travelled from Bhutan to play in a Faldo Series tournament in 2008,” said Faldo. “Incredibly, for a golfer who only has access to nine holes and had never been outside his country before, let alone in an airplane, he qualified for the Grand Final at Mission Hills in China. I hope by bringing the Faldo Series to Nepal we can create more opportunity for players like Ziwang to achieve their dreams.”
“I thank the Himalayan Youth Golf Association, the Nepal Golf Association and Gokarna Forest Resort for sharing my vision and for bringing the Series toNepal,” added the former world number one. “I look forward to spending time with the winners at the Grand Final in China next March.”
“The Faldo Series will be a huge boost to golf development in the Himalayan region,” commented Tashi Ghale, General Secretary of the Nepal Golf Association. “We thank Sir Nick for his support and look forward to welcoming players from places like Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Northern India who will benefit significantly from this unique opportunity.”
Golfers aged 12 to 21 will play over two rounds in the Nepal Championship at Gokarna Forest Resort near the capital city of Kathmandu. There will also be pre-qualifying events for Nepalese golfers in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Dharan.
With the field for the Nepal Championship divided into four age-groups – two for boys and two for girls – the age-group winners will join Faldo for the seventh Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China next March.
Established in 1996, 38 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 28 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year. Past winners include Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.
The 2012/2013 Faldo Series Asia schedule features a record 18 tournaments in 15 countries, including four in mainland China and others in The Philippines, Chinese Taipei, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand.
The Faldo Series Asia is supported by major partners ISPS, Mission Hills and The R&A, official golf wear partner UFL and official suppliers TaylorMade and Tricor. It is endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation.
Golfers born in 1991 or later wishing to enter the Faldo Series Nepal Championship on 18-19 October should email the Nepal Golf Association at info@nga.com.np or the tournament office at gokarnagolf@gmail.com.
The tournament at Gokarna Forest Resort in Kathmandu is also open to golfers from Bangladesh, Bhutan and North India.
For more information on the Faldo Series visit www.nickfaldo.com. You can also follow the Faldo Series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/faldoseries and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/faldoseries.
ISPS www.ispsgolf.com
Mission Hills www.missionhillschina.com
The R&A www.randa.org
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