Crail, Scotland – The MENA Tour again is climbing to new heights with the staging this week in Thailand of the Mountain Creek Open by Golf Citizen from May 10 to 12.
Thailand’s only golf course designed by Seve Ballesteros, the former world number one and winner of five Majors, boasts a 27-hole course that provides a challenging but fair test of golf for golfers of all levels.
“There is a feeling of tremendous excitement as we welcome the very first MENA Golf Tour event in Thailand at our club. We support all initiatives which target the overall development of the game and promote Thailand as a premier golf destination,” said Ausana Mahagitsiri, Managing Director of Mountain Creek Development Co., Ltd.
“The MENA Golf Tour has done a great job in creating a competitive environment for its members to grow and excel on the international stage. An overwhelming response to their events is a testimony to its growing strength.
Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour, is flanked by John Wither, PGA professional, Stuart Daly of GLS Asia, and Stacey Walton GLS Asia at a press conference to announce the inaugural Mountain Creek Open by Golf Citizen
“Ours is a course of international standard with its design perfectly integrated into the scenic and verdant surroundings. The course is highly challenging, but equally rewarding which reflects the core philosophy of Seve’s designs — maximum variety and maximum enjoyment.
“Our golf course operations team will ensure the course is in fantastic shape for the big week. I wish all participating players the very best anpe they will relish the beauty and challenge of our course,” she added.
Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the MENA Golf Tour, thanked the Mountain Creek team for its enthusiastic support of the tour. It seems just so appropriate that we will be visiting a world-class facility that exudes a culture of excellence and a designer’s name that appeals to all in the golfing fraternity.
“A first for Thailand and a first for the Mountain Creek, the event will provide a tremendous boost to competitive golf in this amazing country. These are exciting times for the MENA Golf Tour and we look forward to having a long-term relationship with Mountain Creek.
“With TV highlight package of the event reaching millions of homes worldwide, the event will also showcase the strides made by the MENA Golf Tour in the overall development of the game in the region and beyond,” he added.
Spread over three sections of nine holes — Highland, Creek and Valley — the Mountain Creek course demands a combination of both power and accuracy with the strategic positioning of hazards against the backdrop of a dense forest.
Located near the famous Khao Yai National Park, the course featured in the Asian Golf Monthly magazine’s list of top “10 Best Golf Courses in Thailand’ in 2013.
An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation.
Multiple European Tour starts, including the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Hassan II Trophy and the Maybank Championship Malaysia in addition to full playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour and exemptions into the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Q-School for the leading three professionals are some of the added incentives for the MENA Golf Tour members.
