Buckinghamshire Golf Club, home to the Ladies European Tour’s headquarters, will become the venue for its flagship tournament when the first ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters takes place, from 16-18 August.
Announcing the £300,000 tournament at a press conference on Monday, the Ladies European Tour’s executive director Alexandra Armas said that the event would attract some of the world’s best golfers to the south ofEngland.
“The Ladies European Tour is delighted to be launching this exciting new event at our headquarters in theUK. Located just 20 minutes from centralLondon, the tournament will bring women’s golf right onto the doorstep of the capital just after The Olympic Games and before the Paralympic Games.
“With a first class venue and substantial prize money, it will attract a world-class line up of competitors and we encourage all sports fans to come and enjoy watchingEurope’s finest women golfers put on a magnificent show.”
Buckinghamshire Golf Club, with its magnificent 18-hole parkland course designed by John Jacobs O.B.E. and majestic Grade II Listed clubhouse, is conveniently located just outsideLondonand has hosted a number of top amateur and professional tournaments.
John O’Leary, Golf Director, said: “On behalf of everyone at Buckinghamshire Golf Club, we thank Dr Handa and ISPS for bringing the Ladies British Masters here to us. We look forward to welcoming the players, media, guests and spectators to a world class Ladies European Tour golf event in August 2012.”
ISPS Chairman Dr Haruhisa Handa said: “ISPS is thrilled to become title sponsor of this exciting new event. The Buckinghamshire Golf Club is a fantastic venue and we are looking forward to working with them on hosting the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters over their championship course.
“The event occupies a prime summer slot in the 2012 sporting calendar, immediately after the 2012 Olympic Games, and a week before the 2012 Paralympic Games, the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters offers an ideal opportunity for ISPS to further promote our mission for golf to become a Paralympic sport.”
On behalf of the Event Promoter, WSM Communications, Chief Executive Andrew White said: “The ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters represents a great opportunity for ISPS to further raise the profile of blind and disabled golf. ISPS does such valuable work in taking golf to this audience and in actively raising participation in blind and disabled golf across the world.”
Britain’s all-time great, Laura Davies, who lives in nearbySurrey, said: “I am very happy to be playing in this new tournament and over such a beautiful course as the Buckinghamshire. I am delighted to continue my support for ISPS as an ambassador and am honoured to support their cause and Paralympic mission. It will be a challenging tournament with a strong field and I’m very pleased to play an event so close to home.”
Following on from one of the Ladies European Tour’s most successful golf seasons ever, when Europe’s Solheim Cup team earned a dramatic victory over the United States in Ireland, Davies and several other European Solheim Cup players will appear in the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters, showcasing the exciting talents of some of the greatest players in the game today.
Buckinghamshire Golf Club www.buckinghamshire-golfclub.co.uk
Ladies European Tour www.ladieseuropeantour.com
ISPS www.ispsgolf.com