The International Federation of PGA Tours has announced that the World Golf Championships – American Express Championship will be played at The Grove from 28th September to 1st October 2006.
It will be the first time that the United Kingdom has hosted one of the World Golf Championships since the series of top class global events was inaugurated in 1999. The WGC – American Express Championship has visited Spain twice, the United States once and Ireland on two occasions, most recently this past week at Mount Juliet Conrad in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny.
The Grove, the former home of the Earls of Clarendon, has been transformed into a contemporary country estate with an outstanding 18 hole golf course, a five star hotel and spa surrounded in 300 acres of private ground. Situated at Chandlers Cross, Hertfordshire close to Heathrow airport and central London, it has rapidly acquired a reputation as one of the UK’s premier new golf resorts within a year of opening.
It is another course in the impressive portfolio of American architect, Kyle Phillips, who also designed Kingsbarns links near St Andrews to great critical acclaim, and of golf course contractors M J Abbott, whose current projects include The Carrick on Loch Lomond for De Vere Resorts.
Ken Schofield, executive director of The European Tour, said, “The International Federation of PGA Tours is delighted that the 2006 WGC – American Express Championship will be hosted by one of the UK’s most outstanding new venues. The Grove has already received significant international acclaim in a very short space of time since opening for business in 2003 and we look forward to a truly world class field assembling at this splendid setting in the heart of the Hertfordshire countryside in two years time.”
Chris Andrews, commercial director of The Grove, said: “We are delighted to welcome the elite of international golf and we will ensure that their stay with us will be memorable both on and off the course so that they too can enjoy what has become known throughout the world of golf as The Grove Experience.”
The Grove www.thegrove.co.uk
Kyle Phillips www.kylephillips.com
M J Abbott & Co www.mjabbott.co.uk
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