MARANA, Ariz. – Feb. 7, 2011 – The golf world’s attention will be focused on The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain next week when the 64 top-ranked players in the game return for the annual Accenture Match Play Championship.
The award-winning Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain again will be the stage for the drama that developments when the most elite field in golf goes one-on-one.
Defending champion Ian Poulter of England returns to face the leading players in the Official World Golf Ranking, which is to include the four Major Champions of 2010 – Phil Mickelson (Masters), Graeme McDowell (U.S. Open), Louis Oosthuizen (British Open), Martin Kaymer (PGA) – as well as Tiger Woods and 2010 Match Play runner-up Paul Casey.
“We anticipate another spectacular week of golf, for the players and spectators alike,” said Allan Federer, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. “The flair of international competition, combined with the single-elimination format, creates the most unique atmosphere in the game.”
The Saguaro and Tortolita nines, part of the 27-hole golf facility at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, make up the tournament layout for the Match Play, the Saguaro serving as the first nine and the Tortolita as the finishing nine. Each plays to par 36, with the pros playing tees that measure 3,884 yards for the Saguaro and 3,955 yards for the Tortolita.
As the centerpiece of the resort, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain combines solid strategy, variety and fair shot values that harmonize with the high desert elevation of 2,300 to 3,000 feet. Nicklaus meticulously created large greens with significant undulation, as well as wide fairways with carries over desert washes that define each course. The bunkering varies from classic, pot-style obstacles to expansive areas that stretch close to 80 yards along the edges of the fairways. The greens are Bentgrass, while the tees, fairways and rough are Bermuda (with perennial rye overseed), ideal for the desert climate.
The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain also features a 50,000-square-foot clubhouse with all of the services expected from a luxury private club including tennis courts, fitness center, steward-serviced private locker rooms, and a double-ended practice facility. The clubhouse includes indoor and outdoor dining venues with spectacular views, including Cayton’s, a casual but refined restaurant named for legendary Dove Mountain homesteader and cowboy poet Eugene “Cush” Cayton, serving ‘American Comfort Cuisine with a Southwestern flair’.
The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain, which opened in Jan. 17, 2009, has been repeatedly honored as one of the leading golf courses in the United States. Awards include:
• GOLF magazine “Best New Public Courses
• Golfweek magazine “Best New Courses”
• Golfweek magazine “Best Resort Golf Courses”
• LINKS magazine “Best For Resort Lifestyle”
• Golf. Inc. magazine “First Place, Clubhouse Competition, Private Clubs
In addition, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain became only the second golf course in the Tucson region to be designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International.
While the golf courses eventually will be accessible only by resident members and resort guests of The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, it currently is available to the public. Reservations are accepted 30 days in advance through the golf shop, (520) 572-3500. For more information on The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, please go to ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain or at facebook.com/ritzcarltondovemountain.
About The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
Nestled in the high Sonoran Desert is an invigorating playground where the adventurous can explore the lush desert along the Tortolitas Mountains and majestic Saguaro forest. The property features a 253-room hotel, Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, destination spa and luxury homes at The Residences on 850-acres. The property also features adventure programming, world-class hiking, and is host to the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championships each Spring in its striking canyon setting. This is a place where adventure and a gracious spirit of hospitality come to life. For reservation information, please call (800) 241-3333 or visit www.ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain.com.
About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 73 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe with future openings including Dubai International Financial Centre, United Arab Emirates; Toronto; and Hong Kong. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes outstanding customer service. For more information, or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com.
Contact:
Karen Moraghan
Hunter Public Relations
Direct: (908) 963-6013
kmoraghan@hunter-pr.com
