Autor: Jens Goldmann

Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the DP World Tour today announced free general admission tickets for all tournament days of the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Island, the opening Rolex Series event of the season from January 20-23.

To celebrate Yas Links Abu Dhabi hosting the 17^th edition of the prestigious tournament for the first time, fans will have the opportunity to witness the world class field in person for free, including four-time Major Champion Rory McIlroy and recently crowned DP World Tour Number One Collin Morikawa.

The iconic Yas Links course heralds a new chapter for an event which has long been an important fixture on the global golf schedule and continues to bring the game’s biggest stars to world class destinations in the UAE.

Yas Island is Abu Dhabi’s premier leisure, retail and entertainment hub offering a unique blend of stunning views, first-class hospitality and a diverse range of award-winning leisure and entertainment attractions, enhancing the experience for fans, whether they attend in person or watch from around the world.

His Excellency Aref Al Awani, General Secretary of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to Yas Links, one of the most spectacular golf courses in the world for the first time, and with free general admission entry available for all tournament days, we cannot wait to showcase our world class facilitates to players and spectators from around the globe.

“Our Championship has a rich history in the UAE, and as we prepare to celebrate the Golden Jubilee, we are excited to see the world’s best golfers in this magnificent setting, and to bring this world-renowned tournament to one of the world’s leading leisure and entertainment destinations, Yas Island.”

His Excellency Sheikh Fahim Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Arab and Emirates Golf Federation alongside Abdulfattah Sharaf, HSBC UAE CEO and Head of International were on hand to hit the ceremonial tee shot at Yas Links Abu Dhabi as the course was officially unveiled to media at Yas Island.

Excited by the new venue, Sharaf said: “Opening up a world of opportunity is in HSBC’s DNA – it’s what we’ve been doing here for our customers for 75 years – and by bringing the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship to Yas Links for the first time, we mark another milestone on our journey of supporting new visions and new ideas in the UAE.

“The Championship has an unwavering ability to attract the world’s best golfers and we’re thrilled to welcome back Rory Mcllroy and to have reigning Open Champion Collin Morikawa make his tournament debut.“

Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, said: “We are very proud to host the upcoming Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship here on Yas Island and at Yas Links we are excited to bring the DP World Tour’s opening Rolex Series event of 2022 to Yas Island, adding another global event to our exciting world-class sporting calendar.

“We look forward to welcoming the international golfing community and top class field of players will further strengthen our unique vision for Yas Island to be positioned as a key global destination for entertainment, leisure and business.”

Tom Phillips, Head of Middle East for the DP World Tour, added: “We are delighted the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship will take centre stage in the UAE at the stunning Yas Links on Yas Island to kickstart back-to-back Rolex Series events. We have been working alongside the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and tournament partner HSBC for a number of years to deliver this prestigious tournament and with a great field shaping up, plus free entry for all golf fans on tournament days, we look forward to another successful staging of this world class event.”

Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island will host players and staff, Genesis have come on board as the new car sponsor for the tournament along with DP World Tour Partners Fortinet and Zoom joining the tournament for the first time. 

First staged in 2006, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship has built a strong legacy in the Middle East, and the move to Yas Island highlights Abu Dhabi as an international sports hub. As well as the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the season ending F1 Championship and the Ultimate Fighting Championship are also taking residency at the world-class location. 

Get your free general admission tickets for the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship via Ticketmaster.ae, with additional hospitality packages available to purchase. 

Quelle: Pressemitteilung der DP World Tour

• Danny Willett to host the Betfred British Masters for a second time
• Tournament will again take place at the four-time Ryder Cup venue The Belfry
• Fans can register their interest for an exclusive Launch Price, with tickets going on sale on Thursday December 9

Tickets for the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett will go on sale on Thursday December 9, with pre-registered fans given priority access to a limited number of tickets available for an exclusive Launch Price.

The Betfred British Masters returns to the historic Belfry, venue of the Ryder Cup on four occasions, from May 5-8, 2022, with 2016 Masters Tournament champion Danny Willett assuming the role of host once again.

Tickets will go on sale for the 2022 edition on Thursday December 9, beginning with a limited number of Launch Price tickets available to pre-registered fans, from 11:00am. Tickets will then go on general sale at 5:00pm later that afternoon.

The Betfred British Masters returned to The Belfry earlier this year, with the Sutton Coldfield venue hosting the tournament for a fifth time. It has previously hosted 18 European Tour events since 1979.

Fans hoping to access the priority window can register their interest here, including information regarding premium experiences which will also be available to view and purchase online from Thursday.

Since the Betfred British Masters was restored to the Tour’s International Schedule in 2015, it has been hosted by some of British golf’s leading players, starting with Ian Poulter at Woburn, followed by Luke Donald at The Grove (2016), Lee Westwood twice at Close House (2017 and 2020), Justin Rose at Walton Heath (2018) and Tommy Fleetwood at Hillside (2019).

Last year, Richard Bland ended a near 20-year wait for his first title as he defeated Italy’s Guido Migliozzi in a play-off to win on his 478^th start. The victory kickstarted a career renaissance for the Englishman, who went on to finish a career-high 11^th on the season-long standings.

Betfred, the UK-based bookmakers, will be the title sponsor of the tournament for a fourth consecutive year.

“I’m honoured to have the opportunity to host the Betfred British Masters for a second time,” said Willett, who became the first Englishman in 20 years to win the famous green jacket at Augusta National in 2016.
“I’m even more excited as we’ll have the opportunity to play in front of fans who unfortunately had to miss out last year due to the pandemic.

“The Betfred British Masters has been played on some fantastic golf courses over the years, and The Belfry is no exception. I learned a lot from last year’s hosting duties and I’m looking forward to playing my part in putting on a successful tournament for the home fans.

“I’d also like to extend my thanks to Betfred for their continued support of golf. They are a great partner for the tournament and a lot of credit goes to Fred (Done) and his team for their commitment to this event.”

The Belfry is easily accessed from the M6 motorway and is less than half an hour’s drive from Birmingham city centre. Parking will be available for spectators at the golf course, with details to be released closer to the event.

Complimentary tickets will be available for those aged 12 years and under upon purchase of an Adult ticket.

Quelle: Pressemitteilung der DP World Tour

Paul Casey, Martin Kaymer und Max Kieffer freuen sich auf „unglaubliche Atmosphäre“

6. Dezember 2021 – Die Porsche European Open eröffnen auch 2022 die Saison der Top-Golfturniere in Deutschland. Die siebte Austragung der Porsche European Open präsentiert vom 2. bis 5. Juni 2022 wieder höchstklassigen Golfsport auf der Anlage der Green Eagle Golf Courses bei Hamburg. Fast genau ein halbes Jahr vorher beginnt an diesem 6. Dezember 2021 der Ticketverkauf für eines der prestigeträchtigsten Turniere der DP World Tour, der früheren European Tour. Bis zum 24. Dezember haben Golf-Fans die Möglichkeit, Tagestickets für die Porsche European Open mit einem Rabatt von 20 Prozent zu erwerben. Für Kinder bis einschließlich zwölf Jahren können kostenlos Tickets bestellt werden. Jugendliche von 13 bis 18 Jahren zahlen lediglich 10 Euro pro Tag.

Link zum Ticketverkauf: www.porscheeuropeanopen.com/tickets 
Aktionscode: CHRISTMAS20 

Das Event auf dem herausfordernden Porsche Nord Course wird auch 2022 die mehr als 40-jährige Erfolgsgeschichte der European Open weiterschreiben – mit großen Namen und großer Leidenschaft für den Golfsport. Nachdem die Zuschauer im vergangenen Jahr nach vielen Monaten erstmals in Europa wieder Weltklasse-Golf hautnah erleben konnten, sehen die Planungen für die Porsche European Open 2022 bei passenden Rahmenbedingungen ein umfassendes Live-Erlebnis vor.

„Gerade in dieser besonderen Zeit wollen wir einen positiven Ausblick bieten, etwas, worauf wir uns freuen können. Deswegen arbeiten wir mit voller Kraft an einer begeisternden Porsche European Open 2022 und starten jetzt mit dem Ticketverkauf“, sagt Turnierdirektor Dirk Glittenberg. „Wir haben 2021 bis zum Schluss für Zuschauer gekämpft – und hatten am Ende Erfolg. Mit derselben Energie werden wir auch 2022 alles dafür geben, möglichst vielen Menschen spektakuläres Live-Golf zu bieten. Wir sind zuversichtlich, dass dies unter Berücksichtigung der pandemischen Lage im Juni auch funktioniert.“

Große Vorfreude bei Casey, Kaymer, Kieffer

Auf dem Pokal der Porsche European Open finden sich herausragende Namen der Golfsport-Geschichte: Bernhard Langer, Sir Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, Sandy Lyle, Ian Woosnam, Lee Westwood. Auch der dreimalige Ryder-Cup-Champion Paul Casey trug sich 2019 in die illustre Siegerliste ein und wird 2022 erneut versuchen, diesen für ihn besonderen Erfolg zu wiederholen.

„Ich freue mich schon jetzt auf die unglaubliche Atmosphäre auf dem Porsche Nord Course. Es wird jedes Jahr besser hier“, sagt Porsche-Markenbotschafter Paul Casey. „Und ich habe das Gefühl, noch nicht ganz fertig zu sein mit dem Turnier. Ich will auf diesem herausfordernden Kurs, den ich sehr mag, unglaublich gerne noch einmal gewinnen.“  

Auf dem Weg dorthin zeichnet sich schon jetzt eine starke Konkurrenz ab. So werden die deutschen Top-Golfer Martin Kaymer und Max Kieffer ebenfalls in Hamburg abschlagen. „Ein Heim-Turnier ist immer etwas Besonderes. Und der Porsche Nord Course bietet optimale Bedingungen für mitreißende Stimmung. Deswegen hoffe ich, dass wir im kommenden Juni die Möglichkeit haben werden, mit möglichst vielen Fans ein tolles Turnier erleben zu können“, sagt Martin Kaymer. Und Max Kieffer ergänzt: „Die Vorfreude auf ein großes Golf-Event in Deutschland bei entsprechenden Rahmenbedingungen ist riesig. Und ich denke, das gilt auch für die Golf-Fans.“

Quelle: Presse Porsche European Open

Press release Tickets are now on sale for The 2022 Senior Open Presented by Rolex, which takes place from July 21-24, 2022, at Gleneagles in Scotland, the Home of Golf. Europe’s only Senior Major Championship will visit the Perthshire venue for the first time in 2022 and golf fans can now take advantage of launch price tickets to see their heroes in action across The King’s Course. Prices start from £15 for adults and £7.50 for youths (16-24 years old) for the practice day on Wednesday July 20. Adults can watch the first day of the Championship, on Thursday July 21, for £25 by securing a launch price ticket, with prices increasing to £30 for days two and three in Perthshire. The final day’s play, when somebody will write their name into Senior Open folklore by winning the Championship, costs just £35 for adults and £17.50 for youths. An adult season ticket, which permits entry for the practice day and all four tournament days, can be purchased for only £95 for adults and £47.50 for youths. Tickets for juniors, aged 15 and under, are free upon purchase of an adult or youth ticket. There will be no parking on-site at Gleneagles, however Park and Ride will be free of charge for all ticket holders. Please click here to purchase your tickets. The 2021 Senior Open Presented by Rolex, held at the prestigious Sunningdale Golf Club in Berkshire, England, saw Welshman Stephen Dodd win his maiden Senior Major Championship as he showed great poise down the stretch to hold off a charging Miguel Ángel Jiménez, himself a past winner of the Championship. Full ticket FAQs can be found here.

ENDS

Quelle: Pressemitteilung der DP World Tour

Press Release

Due to increasingly inclement weather in the Johannesburg area, the Sunshine Tour, DP World Tour and City of Johannesburg have been forced to call the result of the Joburg Open after 36 holes.

It means the winner of the tournament is South African Thriston Lawrence, following his matching opening rounds of 65 which gave the 24 year old a 12 under par total of 130 and a four shot winning margin over his compatriot Zander Lombard.

The tournament had suffered weather delays on both Thursday and Friday and today’s lightning storms and heavy rain left large parts of the course unplayable, leaving officials with little option.

The tournament had already been cut to 54 holes yesterday to help non-South African resident players, caddies and tournament support staff return to their home countries. That move followed international travel restrictions imposed on South Africa on Friday due to the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant in the country.

Quelle: Pressemitteilung der DP World Tour

Press Release

The Sunshine Tour and DP World Tour today announced changes to the current Summer Swing of co-sanctioned tournaments in South Africa as a result of the country being placed on the travel red list of several countries following concerns around a new COVID-19 variant, and the effect this will have on the participation of professional golfers.

The Joburg Open, currently being played at Randpark Golf Club, will go ahead as planned and will finish on Sunday as scheduled as a full co-sanctioned tournament between the two tours.

The South African Open Championship, set to be played at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City from 2-5 December, will also still be played as scheduled. However, it will go ahead as a solely Sunshine Tour event with a prize fund of US$500 000.

The Alfred Dunhill Championship, which was scheduled to be played at Leopard Creek Country Club from 9-12 December, has after lengthy consultations with Alfred Dunhill, unfortunately been cancelled due to the adverse effect the travel restrictions will have on the field.

Quelle: Pressemitteilung der DP World Tour

General Admission tickets are now on for the 2022 BMW PGA Championship, the fourth Rolex Series event of the DP World Tour season, with a limited number of Launch Price tickets available to purchase on a first-come-first served basis here.

The historic event will return to the prestigious Wentworth Club from September 8-11, when many of the world’s best players will converge on the famous West Course hoping to etch their name on the coveted trophy.

Tickets went on general sale for the 2022 edition today at 5pm, following a priority window for pre-registered fans & past event ticket purchasers.

Every year, the BMW PGA Championship attracts more than 100,000 spectators for what is one of the highlights of the British sporting summer, with its mix of world-class golf, live entertainment from internationally-renowned music acts and an unrivalled atmosphere in the vibrant Spectator Village.

The action begins with the Tuesday Practice Day, before the star-studded Celebrity Pro-Am brings together global celebrity superstars and some of golf’s most famous players in a fun-filled curtain raiser to the main event, the BMW PGA Championship, which tees off on Thursday September 8 and runs through to Sunday September 11.

Last year saw Clean Bandit (DJ Set & Live Vocalist) and Feeder headline the Slingsby Showstage on Saturday and Sunday evenings respectively, with acoustic acts providing the background music to the weekend’s daytime festivities.

The BMW PGA Championship takes place less than an hour from central London with a range of transport options available. In 2022, BMW group owners will once again receive preferred parking benefits as per previous years – full details will be released closer to the event. Park & Ride parking will be also available free of charge. Information and location will be available closer to the event.

Complimentary tickets for those aged 12 years and under are available upon purchase of an Adult ticket.

You can also register your interest in priority access and the most up-to-date information about the BMW PGA Championship, including when premium experience tickets go on sale, by clicking here.

Link to Ticket FAQS here.

Quelle: Pressemitteilung der European Tour

Japan will become the 51^st different country to host a DP World Tour event when the ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP is included on the schedule for the first time in 2022.

The tournament – which will be played at PGM Ishioka Golf Club in Omitama from April 21-24, 2022 – will be the first regular tournament in history to be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Japan Golf Tour.

Previously, the only event on Japanese soil to feature on the DP World Tour schedule was the Olympic Men’s Golf Competition at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama last summer.

The 2022 ISPS HANDA – CHAMPIONSHIP will have a US$2 million prize fund and is the first event in a three-year agreement. It also deepens the European Tour group’s long-standing relationship with ISPS HANDA, the organisation founded by Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa in the belief that sport has the power to inspire, transform, and unite people and communities across social, racial and socio-economic barriers.

DP World became the new title sponsor of the European Tour group’s main Tour from the start of the 2022 season, in a ground-breaking evolution of a long-term partnership. The DP World Tour will feature a minimum of 47 events in 27 different countries, including new tournaments in Japan, the UAE, South Africa and Belgium.

Keith Pelley, European Tour group Chief Executive, said: “The DP World Tour is a global tour and, as a result, we relish opportunities such as this to break new ground; in the process creating exciting golf tournaments for our fans worldwide and wonderful opportunities for our players and stakeholders alike. 

“We recognise the continued vision and commitment of Dr Handa himself and thank everyone at ISPS HANDA for once again partnering with us, while we also welcome our new partners at the Japan Golf Tour.

“The ISPS HANDA Vic Open in Australia was the first ever tournament for men and women with an equal purse, a commitment to equality that we furthered with the ISPS HANDA World Invitational in Northern Ireland this year, which, co-sanctioned between the DP World Tour, LPGA, and Ladies European Tour, not only offered equal prize money to both men and women, but also hosted a disability golf tournament in tandem.

“As we saw earlier this month with our announcement about the Hero Indian Open returning to our 2022 schedule in February, Asia continues to be an important region for the DP World Tour and our first visit to Japan in April further underlines that.”

Dr Haruhisa Handa, Founder and Chairman of ISPS HANDA, said: “ISPS HANDA is honoured and proud to be title sponsor of the first ever DP World Tour and Japan Golf Tour co-sanctioned event, and my sincere thanks go to the CEO of the European Tour group, Keith Pelley, and his team, and also to Chairman Isao Aoki and his team at the JGTO. 

“ISPS HANDA has deepened its partnership with many tours around the world, but our relationship with the DP World Tour has become special in that we share the passion of using the power of sport in pioneering many ground breaking initiatives. 

“We are excited to bring this partnership now to Japan, where we feel that our shared goals and visions in the power of sport will make a difference in my own country and beyond.”

Isao Aoki, Chairman, Japan Golf Tour Organization, said: “I am very happy that we will be able to hold a co-sanctioned tournament with the DP World Tour in April 2022, which was our long-cherished desire, and we can’t wait to hold it from now on. 

“I am deeply grateful to the International Sports Promotion Society for their full support of the tournament. This is the first time a tournament which is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour has been held on Japanese soil, which the JGTO, all of our stakeholders, and golf fans in Japan have been waiting for. 

“I am sure that the skill of the players who compete on the DP World Tour will not only attract Japanese golf fans but also stimulate the members of the Japan Golf Tour. On the other hand, the members of the Japan Golf Tour will have a great opportunity to perform in front of the world with this tournament as a foothold, and I’m sure our members will take advantage of this opportunity as much as possible. We are making various preparations for this great event in six months – please stay tuned.”

ISPS HANDA has supported events on the European Tour International Schedule for almost a decade, including the ISPS HANDA Wales Open (2012-14 and 2020), ISPS HANDA Perth International (2012-14 and 2016), ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf (2013, 2016, 2018), (ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth (2017-19), ISPA HANDA Vic Open (2019-20), ISPS HANDA UK Championship (2020) and ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf Management (2021).

The latter event in Northern Ireland was elevated to DP World Tour status after a successful debut on the Challenge Tour in 2019 and continued the Tour and ISPS HANDA’s shared drive for diversity and innovation, becoming the first event of its kind to be tri-sanctioned alongside the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour in the northern hemisphere – following in the footsteps of the ISPS HANDA Vic Open in Australia. 

In 2019, Dr Handa was also announced as an Honorary Ambassador for the European Tour’s Golfers with Disability programme, in recognition of his role in raising the profile of disabled golfers worldwide. 

Quelle: Pressemitteilung der European Tour

Final Report

Denmark’s Joachim B. Hansen posted a final round of 68 to claim the Aviv Dubai Championship by one shot from Ryder Cup player Bernd Wiesberger and Italy’s Francesco Laporta.

Hansen dropped only a single shot in 72 holes over the Fire Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates  – a bogey five on the 15^th in his third round – as he claimed his second European Tour title to add to his 2020 Joburg Open triumph.

The 31-year-old started the final round tied for the lead with Laporta but he birdied the opening hole to move clear at the top of the leaderboard and never relinquished his advantage, adding three more birdies to his scorecard on the seventh, tenth and 13^th holes to finish on 23 under par.

His playing partner Laporta birdied the seventh, 11^th and 13^th holes but rolled his birdie chance agonisingly past the cup on the last to finish one short in a tie for second with Wiesberger, who had set the clubhouse target of 22 under par with a round of 65.

Hansen needed a victory to secure his place in next week’s season-ending Rolex Series event, the DP World Tour Championship on the neighbouring Earth Course, rising 42 places from 85^th position to 43^rd on the Race to Dubai Rankings in parnership with Rolex.

He also extended Denmark’s success in 2021, joining compatriots Rasmus Højgaard (Omega European Masters) Nicolai Højgaard (DS Automobiles Italian Open) and Jeff Winther (Mallorca Golf Open) as a winner on the European Tour this year, while Marcus Helligkilde topped the Challenge Tour’s Road to Mallorca rankings.

Englishman Andy Sullivan produced a remarkable finish – picking up seven shots in his final six holes, including an eagle on the last – in a round of 65 to finish three back on 20 under par, which looked to have secured his spot in the all-important top 54 on the Race to Dubai and qualify for the DP World Tour Championship.

However, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond also eagled the last for a round of 67 to join him on that mark, which meant Sullivan dropped to 55^th position and missed out by one Race to Dubai point, and ultimately, by one place.