Bahrain is taking the first step in getting itself back on the golfing map with the staging next month of the pro-celebrity match at the Royal Golf Club course.
The Montgomerie course will play host to some of the world’s top golfers and most famous sporting celebrities in a unique tournament format.
IMG Worldwide and the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) are organising the weekend of competitive golf and special events, taking place from April 13th to 14th, 2012.
Some of the game’s leading players including Paul Casey, who captured last year’s inaugural Volvo Champions event, Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn are among the pros already confirmed to face-off over 18 holes.
Each will play in teams of two alongside tennis superstar Tim Henman, NFL and San Francisco 49ers great Joe Montana plus football legends Gianluca Vialli and Ruud Gullit.
The pro-celebrity tournament will take place a week prior to the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, and is one of a growing number of international sporting events returning to the Kingdom.
Civil unrest prompted the cancellation of the 2011 Volvo Champions event and also the Formula One Grand Prix.
Other activities scheduled during this two day celebration will include Henman hosting a community tennis coaching clinic at the Bahrain Tennis Club wile Vialli and Gullit will do the same at the Bahrain National Stadium.
There also will be a ‘Sportsman’s Question Time’ with Montana.
Casey, an 11 time winner on the European Tour, said: “I am delighted to be returning to Bahrain for this showcase event at the magnificent Montgomerie Course. The weekend of events and the unique pro-celeb tournament will undoubtedly provide terrific entertainment for visitors from Bahrain and across the region.”
Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al-Khalifa, Chief Executive of the EDB said: “We are delighted to be attracting such a high calibre of international golf and sports stars to Bahrain for the tournament.
Hosting and supporting key international events, such as the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix, the first F1 event in the Middle East, the Bahrain International Boat Show, and the Bahrain Air Show, are an important focus for the EDB as we seek to showcase the Kingdom’s attractive business environment for companies looking to access the Gulf’s trillion dollar market.”
Guy Kinnings, Global Co-Managing Director of IMG, the global sports, fashion and media company who are staging the event commented: “The Kingdom is home to many excellent sporting facilities and, with the opening of the Royal Golf Club in 2009, is becoming a popular golfing destination. We are looking forward to welcoming the professionals and celebrities to Bahrain and think this will be a very popular event. We are pleased to be working with the EDB in ensuring it is a success.”
