The inaugural Dubai World Championship has received a significant endorsement from His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai after he granted his official Patronage for what is set to become one of the Middle East’s premier sporting events.
The Dubai World Championship is the grand finale to The Race to Dubai – a season-long competition which encompasses 52 golf tournaments around the world. The leading 60 players in The Race to Dubai will qualify for the Dubai World Championship ensuring that only the world’s best players will compete at Jumeirah Golf Estates from 19th – 22nd November.
The patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum means the Dubai World Championship will join an elite list of sporting events such as the Dubai World Cup and Dubai Tennis Championships which received patronage in their beginnings before growing to become leading events in world sport.
Abdul Wahid Al Ulama, Leisurecorp vice chairman, said, “The significance of The Race to Dubai and the Dubai World Championship cannot be underestimated and has already placed the Emirate of Dubai at the forefront of the global sports world as an innovator and leader in the historic sport of golf.
“We are truly honoured to have received patronage from His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and with his support and guidance, we are certain that the Dubai World Championship will become one of the Middle East’s most important sporting events.”
George O’Grady, chief executive of The European Tour, said, “The European Tour is honoured that His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has granted his official patronage for the Dubai World Championship. This gives us great confidence as we continue with The Race to Dubai and look forward to a successful inaugural Dubai World Championship on the superb Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.”
Leisurecorp is the world’s most powerful emerging golf company. In November 2007, Leisurecorp announced a long-term partnership with The European Tour, heralding a new era for world golf.
This partnership includes the creation of The Race to Dubai – a $10 million season-long competition which replaces ‘The European Tour Order of Merit’ and culminates in the world’s richest golf tournament, the $10 million Dubai World Championship. Held annually at Leisurecorp’s Jumeirah Golf Estates, the Dubai World Championship will be open to players ranked 1- 60 in The Race to Dubai.
Jumeirah Golf Estates will also become home to The European Tour’s International Headquarters and The European Tour Performance Institute, a custom-built training facility exclusively for the use of European Tour members.
Established by Dubai World in July 2006, Leisurecorp specialises in the development of premium golf and lifestyle destinations. In addition to Jumeirah Golf Estates, the world’s largest golf community, Leisurecorp’s portfolio includes Turnberry, Scotland’s premier golf resort and host of The Open Championship 2009, and Pearl Valley Golf Estates, South Africa’s leading residential golf community and home of the South African Open Championship.
Leisurecorp is a minority owner of ‘Troon Golf, the world’s leading luxury golf management, development and marketing company, and investor in GPS Industries, which provides GPS-enabled technologies for the golf industry. The company also has ventures in the marina and ski resort sectors.