Top golfers from Europe and America will combine for the first time against an international team of golfers from the Rest of the World in the inaugural Goodwill Trophy to be played at Mission Hills Golf Club in Guangdong Province near Hong Kong on 13-14 November.
Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie will be playing-captain of an eight-man team comprising players from the European and American 2006 Ryder Cup teams. The international side will be led by South African Retief Goosen.
Celtic Manor in Wales will host the Goodwill Trophy in autumn 2007, bringing team matchplay of the highest standard to the luxury golf resort three years before it is due to host the Ryder Cup in 2010.
That Tiger Woods and company will be playing on the newly completed Ryder Cup course at Celtic Manor in a little over twelve months from now is a source of huge satisfaction to Celtic Manor’s founder, Sir Terry Matthews, whose investment in the project is estimated at £150 million to date. Sir Terry, said to be Wales’s richest man, has never made any secret of his belief that the success of this enormous venture is a major driver behind the regeneration of Newport, his place of birth, and of the surrounding area.
Last summer saw the signing of a reciprocal partnership agreement between The Celtic Manor Resort and Mission Hills China, confirmed in the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest golf complex.
This year’s first playing of the Goodwill Trophy will be accompanied by the Goodwill Forum, a collaboration which through golf will enhance trade, tourism and cultural exchange between the United Kingdom and China.
Dr David Chu, chairman of Mission Hills Group, and Sir Terry Matthews, chairman of The Celtic Manor Resort, will bring together global business leaders, politicians and leading thinkers to focus upon the most pressing issues confronting the world economy.
Dr Chu said, “This announcement is the most significant development to result from the partnership agreement that we have signed with The Celtic Manor Resort. A clear comparison can be drawn between the rapid expansion of the Chinese economy and the growth of the game of golf across the country. We anticipate that by developing the concept of The Goodwill Trophy and Business Forum, we can help the United Kingdom and China to grow closer economic, cultural and sporting ties.”
Sir Terry said, “When we signed our partnership agreement with Mission Hills, I knew we were putting ourselves in a position to develop innovative concepts that could really showcase our shared interests in international business and the game of golf. The Goodwill Trophy and Business Forum demonstrates our mutual belief that golf provides an excellent vehicle to increase international prosperity.”
Mission Hills Golf Club www.missionhillsgroup.com
Celtic Manor Resort www.celtic-manor.com
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