Kingsbarns Golf Links will host its first Major Championship as it was announced today as the venue for the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2017.
Host to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship since 2001, the 2010 Open Final Qualifying and the 2013 Ricoh Women’s British Open Final Qualifying, Kingsbarns has been widely acclaimed by players and media alike since opening 14 years ago and has fitted seamlessly into the famous golfing landscape of St Andrews.
Kingsbarns joins a stellar list of courses on the Championship rota and is universally thought to be one of the World’s best modern courses, ranked Number One in GolfWeek’s Top 100 modern courses within the UK and ranked 18th on Golf Digest’s Top 100 Best Courses Outside the United States.
Art Dunkley, Director of Kingsbarns Golf Links said, “People have said many flattering things about our course and facilities since we opened in 2000 but being selected to host our first Major Championship is the greatest accolade of all.”
Shona Malcolm, the LGU’s CEO commented, “We believe Kingsbarns will be a wonderful addition to the Women’s Open rota. Their excitement at hosting their first Major will make the 2017 edition very special and we look forward to a long relationship with them.”
Simon Sasaki, Corporate Executive Vice President, Ricoh Company Ltd. said, “We have been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since 2007 and one of the many attractions of this historic tournament is bringing the players, fans and our clients to the many wonderful venues that the LGU and IMG have secured to watch world-class golf. We think adding Kingsbarns Golf Links to the roster with its world-class course and facilities is an exciting and refreshing addition which will further enhance this great tournament.”
Paul Bush, from EventScotland added, “Bringing Major Championships to Scotland, the Home of Golf, outlines our ambition to host the biggest events in world golf and the addition of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2017 at Kingsbarns further strengthens our envied portfolio of golf tournaments in 2014 and beyond. This is also a great compliment to Kingsbarns Golf Links and shows just how established the venue has become on the global golf map.”
Turnberry’s famous Ailsa course is the venue for the 2015 Ricoh Women’s British Open, welcoming the Ricoh Women’s British Open for only the second time in the Championship’s history and Woburn will be the venue in 2016 hosting it’s 10th Ricoh Women’s British Open.
The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the LGU in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company, since 1984. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.
Ricoh is a global technology company specialising in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services has been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since 2007.
For further information please visit www.ricohwomensbritishopen.com.
About the Ladies’ Golf Union (“LGU”)
Founded in 1893, the LGU is the encompassing body for ladies’ amateur golf in Great Britain & Ireland. The LGU Executive Council includes representatives of ladies’ golf’s national governing bodies in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Operational activities are undertaken by a wholly owned subsidiary, LGU Championships Limited (“LGUCL”), which in particular owns and runs the Ricoh Women’s British Open, founded by the LGU in 1976 and one of the five Major Tournaments for Professional Women golfers. LGUCL also has responsibility for running British Amateur Championships and Home International events, and preparing the Great Britain & Ireland teams for representative matches, such as the Curtis Cup and the Vagliano Trophy.
Further information about the LGU is available on www.lgu.org.
About Ricoh
Ricoh is a global technology company specialising in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group, operates in more than 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2014, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,237 billion yen (approx.21.7 billion USD).
The majority of the company’s revenue comes from products, solutions and services that improve the interaction between people and information. Ricoh also produces award-winning digital cameras and specialised industrial products. It is known for the quality of its technology, the exceptional standard of its customer service and sustainability initiatives.
Under its corporate tagline, imagine. change. Ricoh helps companies transform the way they work and harness the collective imagination of their employees.
For further information, please visit
www.ricoh.com/about/
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion and media operating in more than 30 countries around the world. IMG’s businesses include Events & Media, College, Golf, Tennis, Performance and IMG Academy, Fashion, Models, Clients, Consulting, Licensing, Joint Ventures, and creative management agency Art + Commerce. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, the world’s leading entertainment and media agency. Together, the companies offer an unparalleled client roster; world-class partnerships with sponsors, brands and broadcasters; and marquee assets across entertainment, events and fashion.
About EventScotland
EventScotland is the lead agency on delivering Scotland’s investment in golf and other sporting and cultural events as well as helping to promote Scotland, the Home of Golf. Since its inception in 2003, EventScotland has supported more than 60 top-class golf events in Scotland and has an ambition to host at least one Major Championship every year – an ambition currently secured through until 2017. EventScotland is also the lead agency in delivering Scotland commitments as part of the bid to host The 2014 Ryder Cup and is part of VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland.
Contact:
Michele Mair or Tom Benbow, IMG Golf
Email: michele.mair@img.com tom.benbow@imgworld.com