It rumours around the Tour are correct, and more often than not they are, then the Volvo Golf Champions will be held next in South Africa.
The newly created European Tour event was staged earlier this year in Bahrain and heralded the start of a four tournament run in the Middle East.
Paul Casey could be defending his Volvo Champions crown in South Africa.
England’s Paul Casey delighted in winning the event on the Colin Montgomerie designed Riffa Views course.
However civil unrest in the Arab state forced FIFA to abandon plans of staging the opening race of the Formula One season in Bahrain.
And with a cloud of uncertainty still hanging over oil-rich Bahrain, the European Tour along with sponsor’s Volvo and organisers IMG have been busy looking at an alternative.
The spectacular Fancourt Golf Resort near George is strong favourite to replace Bahrian and become host to the 2012 Volvo Champions.
If correct, Fancourt boasts a strong pedigree of staging big-time tournaments including:
• The 2003 President’s Cup (famously ended in a tie)
• The 2005 Women’s World Cup
• The 2005 South African Open
• The 2010 Berenberg Bank Masters
• The 2008-10 Gary Player Invitational
• The 2010-11 Dimension Data Pro-Am
• The 2008-10 Coca Cola Championship
The Volvo Champions could be staged the week prior to Christmas but then that would clash with the Asian Tour ‘Tour Championship’ in Bangkok and the Australian Masters in Melbourne.
Not that it would be a problem but many of Europe’s leading stars would be unavailable to compete.
Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke are scheduled to compete in Thailand.
Also current World No. 1 Luke Donald and fellow Brit Ian Poulter have been contracted to play in Melbourne that week before Christmas.
It would seem more appropriate that given the heavy schedule of events in the lead-up to Christmas the Volvo Champions be staged at Fancourt in January, 2012.
If so, it would fit in well with other co-sanctioned European Tour events in South Africa at this early stage of the year.
