Henrik Stenson Heading Back To Defend Doha Crown
Doha (QATAR): The 2007 Commercialbank Qatar Masters will take golf in Qatar to a completely new level in terms of players, prize-money, sponsorship and hospitality tournament officials announced today (January 8) at the Doha Golf Club.
To be staged over the 7,374-yard Doha Golf Club championship course from January 25-28, the Commercialbank Qatar Masters will see the co-sanctioned PGA European Tour and Asian Tour event on the calendar for tenth time. However, according to Andrew Stevens, Group CEO of title sponsors Commercialbank of Qatar, the tenth anniversary will bear no resemblance to previous Doha tournaments.
"We are looking forward to making the tenth staging the biggest, best and – with $2.2 million in prize money – richest Qatar Masters," said Stevens at a press conference staged in one of the new bespoke hospitality units designed exclusively for the event.
"Under the guidance of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Qatari Government is striving to cement the country’s position as the sporting centre of the Middle East. The 2006 Asian Games, the recent Qatar Tennis Open and March’s Commercialbank Moto GP are just three examples of that ambition – an ambition we at Commercialbank are proud to share and one that will be firmly underlined here at Doha Golf Club in less than three weeks time."
With a prize-fund of $2.2 million that includes a winner’s cheque of $366,660, the event is certainly the richest golf event staged in Qatar and has attracted a field that will put the country in the world sporting spotlight.
Already confirmed and teeing up on January 25 will be former Masters champion and world number five Ernie Els, world number six Retief Goosen – both from South Africa – world number eleven Sergio Garcia of Spain, world number fifteen and European number two Paul Casey and world number twenty Chris DiMarco from the US.
The complement of golfing big guns also features European Ryder Cup heroes Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood, while Swede Henrik Stenson – currently ranked twelve in the world and the man who sank the winning putt in the Ryder Cup matches at the K Club – will be back in Doha to defend the title he won just 12 months earlier.
"I may be biased, but I strongly believe that with the calibre of players we have lined up, this year’s Commercialbank Qatar Masters has the strongest in-depth field of all the Tour events being staged in the region," added Tournament Manager Chris Myers.
In association with the Qatar Golf Association (QGA), the Commercialbank Qatar Masters has also brought together and impressive field of sponsors and supporters, not only from the country’s business infrastructure but also from the global market place.
"I’m delighted that global brands such as CNN International, InterContinental Hotels, BMW, MasterCard and Rolex have confirmed their support of this event," said Stevens.
"It’s a massive endorsement and enables our local partners such as Qatar Airways, United Development Company, QTEL, RasGas, ExxonMobil, Rayyan Water and Al Fardan Marine to share the global spotlight with several brand giants."
Thanks to the initiative of the Commercialbank, sponsors and corporate guests will be able to enjoy the four days’ play from the comfort of the most luxurious hospitality units in the Middle East , while on the course event and sponsor branding has been standardised to project a much more polished and professional image to the watching world.
Fans can get up close to the stars when play gets underway with the traditional ProAm on January 24. It will also be the last time fans can take photographs before the strict ‘No Cameras’ rule is enforced for the four days of the tournament and the 120 players get to grips with the Doha course. And unlike other Tour events in the region, entrance to the event is completely free of charge to the public.
"There will be plenty of activities and refreshment outlets at the venue making the tournament a great place for the entire family," said Qatar Golf Association President Hassan Al Nuami. "It promises to be a week when we will truly underline how Qatar has grown to become one of the world’s most exciting golfing destinations."
Contact:
Alan Ewens
Commercialbank Qatar Masters Media Manager
PO Box 52465
Dubai, UAE
Tel: +97150 4514188
Fax: +9714 3512887
E-mail: alan2804@emirates.net.ae
www.qatar-masters.com
