2011 Volvo Golf Champions Official Programme

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Bahrain's premier golf & leisure destination

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Bahrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premier Golf & Leisure Destination Create unrivalled memories at the Royal Golf Club when you experience our: Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021;

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www.theroyalgolfclub.com

Contents Welcome messages 5.

Welcome from Leif Johansson 7.

Welcome from Stefan Jacoby 9.

Welcome from Per Ericsson 11.

Welcome from H.E. Shaikh Mohammed 13.

Welcome from H.E. Shaikh Rashid 15.

Welcome from Guy Kinnings 17.

Welcome from The European Tour

FeaTURe aRTicles 20.

Volvo in Golf – A Long Term Partnership 22.

Golf Has Never Looked So Good 27.

Duel Fuel Powers Volvo’s Sponsorship Drive 30.

Beginners’ Guide to Golf Watching 32.

Bahrain: Pearl of the Middle East 37.

H.E. Shaikh Mohammed Q&A

38.

60 The Magic Number 40.

Volvo Rides Tandem in Tour de France 42.

Volvo Trucks on a Roll in the Middle East 44.

Volvo’s Ultimate Challenge 45.

Teamwork the Ticket on Super Saturday 46.

Volvo Ocean Race on the Crest of a Wave 49.

Glass Act – the Making of the Volvo Trophy 52.

Keeping the Course – it’s Eco-Logical 56.

Finca Cortesin – Exclusivity and Elegance 58.

Quality the Watchword at the Volvo Golf Champions 78.

Monty – Architect of His Own Success

editor-in-chief: Mike Gallemore Design Director: Alex Gallemore editor: Richard Bevan Deputy editor: Todd Staszko Design manager: Mark Frain Production manager: Robert Flinn Technical manager: Mark Collinge Publisher: Mike Gallemore

Printed by: Raidy, Dubai Published by: Worldwide Sporting Publications 54 Alderley Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire, England SK9 1NY Tel: +44 (0)1625 535081; Fax: +44 (0)1625 537487 www.sportingpublications.com

inFoRmaTion 19.

Sponsors Acknowledgements

60.

Course Map and Tented Village Map 63.

Order of Play/Prizemoney/Qualification Criteria 65.

Players’ List of Entries 66.

Player Profiles 82.

Colin Montgomerie’s Hole-by-Hole Guide 88.

Acknowledgements and Officials

3

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Welcome from Leif Johansson, President & Chief Executive Officer, Volvo Group Thank you all for attending the new Volvo Golf Champions and the world final of the Volvo World Golf Challenge, two major events taking place in the Kingdom of Bahrain this week.

Volvo is one of the most active and longest serving supporters of world golf, with more than 20 years of experience in organizing world-class golf tournaments. Together with Volvo Cars, we share a unique and successful promotional platform through our common brand. These two events in Bahrain mean a lot to our shared global sponsorship activities and provide a golden opportunity for marketing our brand and products and for meeting up with customers and prospects.

The Volvo Golf Champions is also Volvo’s first major golf sponsorship in the region and, thanks to its location, Bahrain can be described as a link between our key markets in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

In other words, it serves as an important platform for the business areas in the Volvo Group, where our truck operations Volvo Trucks, Renault Trucks, Mack Trucks, UD Trucks and Eicher constitute the largest part, followed by Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Buses, Volvo Financial Services, Volvo Aero and Volvo Penta.

I would also like to welcome the CEO of Volvo Cars, Stefan Jacoby, to his first Volvo in Golf experience and to thank the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Bahrain Economic Development Board for their hospitality and valuable investment as premium partners of these events.

As with all of Volvo’s sponsorships, whether it is our award-winning golf portfolio, the Volvo Ocean Race, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, the Gothenburg Opera or the Volvo Environment Prize, we rely on a considerable number of people to assist us in our work.

The organisers and officials, as well as the many volunteers who give so freely and generously of their time, play an important part in the success of our events and, on behalf of the Volvo Group, we salute the contribution you make on our behalf.

Finally, it is the players, golfers, sailors, musicians and environmentalists who take centre stage and, for those professional golfers helping us launch the Volvo Golf Champions and the intrepid amateurs who have joined us from all over the world, I say “play well and enjoy yourselves.”

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Leif Johansson President & Chief Executive Officer Volvo Group

Welcome from Stefan Jacoby, President & Chief Executive Officer, Volvo Car Corporation It is my great pleasure to welcome you all – players, officials, spectators and members of the media – to the new Volvo Golf Champions tournament in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Together with the world final of the Volvo World Golf Challenge, the Volvo Golf Champions represents my induction to the renowned Volvo in Golf portfolio. This new professional championship, and the complimentary world final for club golfers, coincide with what promises to be an exciting new era for the Volvo Car Corporation.

Of course, long before I took up my new role, I was aware of the foresight and durability the Volvo brand has demonstrated in golf for a generation and more.

Loyalty, longevity and leadership and this new, prestigious championship not only underscores Volvo’s history and heritage in golf but also our continuing ambition going forward.

Being the only ever-present title sponsor in the modern era of The European Tour – first in Europe, then Asia and now the Middle East – Volvo is reinforcing its status as a key player in a sport played and watched by millions worldwide.

With golf once again an Olympic sport from 2016, its reach will certainly extend onto a truly global footprint, reflecting the worldwide scope of the Volvo Cars compass.

Safety and Environmental Care, as well as Quality and Innovation are key cornerstones on which the continued success of the Volvo Car Corporation has been and continues to be built. The Volvo Golf Champions certainly emphasises the latter, an exciting new innovative event featuring many of the very best, quality golfers in the world.

Meanwhile, the Volvo World Golf Challenge is the perfect foil for our professional portfolio, providing a direct conduit to our customers and prospects all over the world, many of whom, according to our analysis, share Volvo’s passion for and commitment to golf.

As someone from a global sales and marketing background, I understand and fully support the dynamic influence of sports sponsorship as a key component in the marketing mix, both in terms of brand-building and customer relationship management.

In closing, I would like to thank my colleagues at Volvo Group for their continued support and say to everyone associated with the Volvo Golf Champions and the Volvo World Golf Challenge – organisers, officials, volunteers, spectators, members of the media and especially the players in both events – ‘Good luck,’ and ‘Thank you for supporting Volvo in Golf.’

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Stefan Jacoby President & Chief Executive Officer Volvo Car Corporation

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A.A. Bin Hindi B.S.C (c) BAHRAIN Tel: +973 17 703078 E-mail: ciesales@binhindi.com

Al Rehab Equipment and Machinery Co. Ltd. SAUDI ARABIA Tel: +966 2 680 4444 E-mail: info@alrehab-ksa.com

ASC Turk Makine Ltd. TURKEY Tel: +90 216 581 80 00 E-mail: ilkay.fidan@volvo.com

General Engineering Services Est (GENSERV) OMAN Tel: +968 244 90 755 E-mail: sales@genserv-oman.com

Sardar Automobile and Machinery Trading Co. IRAQ Tel: +964 66 2574111 E-mail: ihsan@sardargroup.com

Abdelmassih Trading Company - Amtrac LEBANON Tel: +961 1 88 76 60 / 61 E-mail: michel@amtrac-lb.com

Al-Zabin International Group Co. For Heavy Equipment KUWAIT Tel: +965 433 4721/6017 E-mail: alzabin@alzabinkuwait.com

Copenhagen Group A/S / IM Jensen A/S AFGHANISTAN Tel: +45 3393 1989 E-mail: asco@imjensen.com

Nassib Saad Est. Trading & Import SYRIA Tel: +963 11 222 5432 E-mail: saadmt@scs-net.org

VPL Limited PAKISTAN Tel: +92 42 111 875 875 E-mail: ans.mahmood@panasiangroup.com

Al Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co UAE Tel: +971 2 502 9100 +971 4 213 5100 E-mail: famco@alfuttaim.ae

Arabian Agencies Company WLL QATAR Tel: +974 44 500 925 E-mail: araco@araco.com.qa

Elaghil Trading Co. YEMEN Tel: +967 1 207 595 E-mail: elaghil@y.net.ye

Parsian Pishro Sanat IRAN Tel: +9821 88 77 44 99 E-mail: info@parsianind.com

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Welcome from Per Ericsson, President, Volvo Event Management – Golf It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions here in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

These are exciting times for Volvo in Golf, the Volvo Golf Champions being the 122nd title sponsorship in golf and we are extremely proud of our record as The European Tour’s only ever-present title sponsor.

Volvo continues to support golf not only because we have a passion for and a commitment to the game, but also because, as a business proposition, golf continues to work for us, both at Volvo Cars and Volvo Group.

This season’s Volvo Golf Champions is a first for Bahrain, a celebration of great champions over the years, whilst, next year, the event will launch The 2012 European Tour with an all-star cast featuring only the winners from the 2011 season.

The Volvo Golf Champions is also unique in that Volvo is staging the world final of the Volvo World Golf Challenge immediately following the professional event and we are extremely proud to be introducing an entirely new concept where our amateurs will enjoy the experience of a lifetime by ‘Playing with the Pros,’ on Saturday in the Volvo Golf Champions Amateur-Pro Team Competition.

Business Friendly Bahrain has certainly lived up to its name and reputation and Volvo in Golf is indebted to the Bahrain Economic Development Board for its support, alongside our other partners, The Royal Golf Club, The European Tour and IMG, all of whom have shared our vision in creating the Volvo Golf Champions.

In addition, the investment made by our sponsors and official suppliers is very much appreciated.

With the Volvo Golf Champions we bring another world-class event to Bahrain and together with the Formula 1 Grand Prix, Bahrain has now firmly placed itself on the world sporting map as a truly dynamic and innovative destination, with these two season-opening special events at magnificent venues.

Meanwhile, Volvo is also delighted to be able to bring the two small but influential Kingdoms of Bahrain and Sweden closer together.

All that remains for me to do is to echo my earlier, ‘Welcome,’ to the Volvo Golf Champions, to spectators, officials, members of the media, partners and sponsors, our invaluable team of volunteers and especially the players from all around the world, thank you for your support and enjoy a great week.

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Per Ericsson President, Volvo Event Management - Golf

Welcome from Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board It is with great pleasure that we in Bahrain welcome the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions to our Kingdom: officials and volunteers, partners and sponsors, players and fans.

This prestigious event marks the latest occasion in our own long golfing history. The game was introduced to our shores in the early 1930s â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an unexpected benefit of being the first in the region to discover oil and the opportunities this created for those from overseas.

Eighty years on from that discovery and like millions the world over we have come to love this sport. Facilities such as the Royal Golf Club are testament to a growing passion shared by Bahrainis and our expat community, today drawn not by oil but by our vision â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or Vision 2030 - to look beyond it.

It is this Vision and approach, under the guidance of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Economic Development Board, in which we have chosen to drive the private sector as an engine for growth. A long term strategy of diversification brings opportunities not only in the Gulfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most well established financial services centre but in business and professional services, manufacturing, logistics and ICT. The global popularity of events such as this represents an opportunity to showcase all that Business Friendly Bahrain has to offer international companies looking to access the trillion dollar Gulf market. And, of course, sport in its own right can be a catalyst for sustainable social and economic development.

So as we make our debut on the global golfing stage in this celebration of Champions, I commend Volvo for staging an exemplary event in iconic surroundings and wish the players the very best of luck. Like the other fans here this week, I look forward to a successful event.

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Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa Chief Executive Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB)

“Ahlan Wa Sahlan” – Welcome from H.E. Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa, Chairman of BIGCC and The Royal Golf Club On behalf of the entire team at the Royal Golf Club we wish you a warm welcome to the Volvo Golf Champions and to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

We look forward to extending our true sense of Arabic hospitality to you and your families, as you enjoy the offerings of one of the smallest countries within the Arabian Gulf. An archipelago made up of 33 islands located between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Bahrain has a fascinating history dating back over 500 years and is often referred to as the “Pearl in the Gulf” based on its history of pearl diving in the early 1900s.

The country is naturally proud of its golfing heritage, having established the game in the Gulf region back in 1937 with the opening of the first ever sand golf course which still exists today as the thriving Awali Golf Club.

In the mid-1990s Bahrain began to dominate the Middle East golf scene as the National Team claimed ten Arab Golf Championship titles from a possible 14, finishing not worse than second to this day since 1995. In 1993 the team participated in the first GCC Golf Championship played in Qatar, taking first place in what was the start of an astonishing run of 14 straight victories.

Through the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahrain will finally be recognised on golf’s world stage as one of The European Tour’s newest venues. We are honoured that under the guidance of Volvo and IMG we have such an illustrious playing field of Golf Champions to celebrate the country’s inaugural European Tour event.

Our thanks and gratitude are extended to our course designer Colin Montgomerie OBE who back in 2007 unveiled the plans to transform the former Riffa Golf Club into a signature designed Championship Course, plus a 9 hole Par 3 “Wee Monty” course and a state of the art academy facility. With the support of Colin and his design team they have truly embraced the natural Wadi features and remodelled the landscape into a stunning blend of links and desert golf, literally taking us from Oil wells to Eagles!

Golf events of this calibre are not possible without the support received from our members, schools and fellow

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H.E. Shaikh Rashid Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Chairman of BIGCC and The Royal Golf Club residents of Bahrain, who have volunteered their services to the Championship. We trust you will enjoy the following days in the company of the world’s golfing greats as you marshal the course, assist players with transportation or support the official team of scorers.

I would personally like to take this opportunity to thank the management and staff who have worked so tirelessly to bring the course to its current championship-level and create the friendly atmosphere that makes the Royal Golf Club such a superb venue. To be awarded the illustrious fourth slot on The Tour’s Desert Swing is a true accolade in positioning the club as Bahrain’s premier golf and leisure destination. .

Finally, we wish you, the players, the very best for the four days that lie ahead. We look forward to announcing the Volvo Golf Champion 2011 on Sunday afternoon.

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Welcome from Guy Kinnings, Director IMG Golf EMEA We are delighted to welcome you to the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions, the first European Tour event to be held in Bahrain.

This exciting new tournament is a very successful extension of our partnership with Volvo, one of the most prolific and longest serving sponsors in golf. Volvo, our partners on the very successful Volvo World Match Play Championship, have again demonstrated their values of innovation in creating an original new event. They have devised a unique qualification criteria guaranteed to ensure this tournament stands out on The European Tour schedule.

IMG have been long-term supporters of The European Tour, having staged more than 250 European Tour events over the past 46 years.

Coupled with Volvo’s experience and commitment to golf during the past 20-plus years, we are proud to have collaborated on this new tournament and with the entry of so many of the world’s best players we look forward to an excellent week of world-class golf.

IMG has worked with the Royal Golf Club for many years, including on the design and development of The Montgomerie Course, and has shared their goal of hosting a European Tour event, so it is very satisfying to see that happen this week. The Club has worked tirelessly in preparing the venue for the tournament and the course is in immaculate condition and will provide an exciting stage for many of the world’s best players to do battle.

We are particularly grateful for the support of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, under the chairmanship of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, whose vision in supporting the Championship was a key factor as we looked at selecting the right venue. The EDB is a dynamic public agency with an overall responsibility for formulating and overseeing the economic development strategy of Bahrain and for creating the right climate to attract direct investment into the Kingdom. Its enthusiasm and assistance in the build-up to the event has been invaluable to our preparations and we feel sure that the Volvo Golf Champions will provide a very successful platform to showcase all the wonderful facilities that Bahrain has to offer to the global golfing audience.

We would also like to thank our excellent co-sponsors Rolex, CNN, Riffa Views, the Greg Norman Collection, Kosta Boda, Bahrain City Centre Mall, BIC, Coca Cola, Titleist, and BAPCO. Finally, thanks to you the spectator for coming along to be a part of the first Volvo Golf Champions. We hope you enjoy the experience and enjoy watching some wonderful golf. May I also take this opportunity to wish all the golfers competing here this week the very best of luck.

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Guy Kinnings, Director IMG Golf EMEA

Welcome from George O’Grady CBE, Chief Executive, The European Tour Welcome to the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions, an event that recognises both The European Tour’s past, through a field consisting entirely of former Tour winners, and our future, with this being one of three new events on the 2011 International Schedule.

In Bahrain we are delighted to add another new destination to The European Tour’s ever-widening list of host countries and also to expand our early season ‘Desert Swing’ to four outstanding tournaments.

When mentioning The European Tour’s heritage and future legacy it is, of course, always fitting to note the role played by our title sponsor here this week, Volvo, with whom we have a long-standing relationship.

This is the 71st event supported by Volvo over a 23-year period and with two more to come in 2011 – the Volvo China Open and the Volvo World Match Play Championship – we both look forward to a bright and prosperous future together.

That future, of course, begins here at The Royal Golf Club, where our field of champions will tackle the Montgomerie Course designed by one of most prolific Tour winners, The 2010 Ryder Cup Captain, Colin Montgomerie.

In addition to thanking Volvo for their backing of another European Tour event, we also acknowledge the important role played by promoter IMG and the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) in staging this inaugural tournament.

While the presence of so many great champions ensures a field rich in quality, it is the contribution of all our partners that guarantees a tournament of such high standard and prestige and we are extremely grateful to everyone involved. We hope you all enjoy the very first Volvo Golf Champions.

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George O’Grady CBE, Chief Executive, The European Tour

Southern Governorate...

Worth the Visit

Volvo and IMG would like to thank the following companies and organisations for their fantastic support of the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions. We are truly appreciative of all that they have done for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tournament.

V

olvo has been a pioneer in golf for many years, successfully using its high-profile events to position the premium brand and create sustainable business relationships with clients passionate about the sport.

Thanks to effective media exposure, millions around the world have seen the well-known blue brand on the tees, greens and fairways of the world.

The date was Thursday, 27th May, 1988, the venue the Wentworth Club near London, the occasion, the inaugural Volvo PGA Championship, the debut of a sponsor that is widelycredited with changing the face – and the fortunes – of European golf.

It was not only the glittering array of new golf championships, including the Volvo Masters, for 21 years the end-of-season Tour Championship on which the Dubai World Championship is based, but also the Volvo Order of Merit, to which the Race to Dubai looks remarkably similar.

Volvo in Golf –

Increased Prize Money Vastly increased prize money added to innovative player services such as courtesy cars, world-class practice facilities and players’ lounges, all taken very much for granted today, benchmarks Volvo’s contribution to golf.

Back then, a seven-month season almost exclusively in Europe offered prize money of US$12million, this season, a 49-week, 52-event season spanning the globe with prize money well in excess of US$150million and three new events, boosted by the Volvo Golf Champions in Bahrain.

Says the man whose name was definitely linked with Volvo’s awardwinning golf sponsorship, Colin Montgomerie, OBE, winning Ryder Cup Captain, one of the star attractions at this year’s Volvo Golf Champions: “We, The European Tour and the players owe Volvo a huge debt of gratitude for their contribution to golf, here now in the Middle East, Europe and also in Asia.”

Continued the Scot, who designed

the course that this week’s event in Bahrain will be played over: “Volvo gave The European Tour stability and credibility through their many events such as the Volvo PGA Championship and together with their backing for the Volvo Order of Merit also attracted many other blue-chip brands into our sport.”

By the mid-1990s, with Volvo’s European Tour engine running smoothly, the brand looked east, to Asia in general and to China in particular, becoming the first western brand to engage with golf in the Middle Kingdom and rolling out a pan-Asian programme to mirror its European initiative. The 20th anniversary Volvo

20

Masters was, remarkably, Volvo’s 100th stroke play sponsorship, whilst the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions takes the total number of professional golf events under the Swedish brand’s award-winning sponsorship to 122, and counting, with the iconic Volvo World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesín in May, Volvo’s third event of the 2011 season, following April’s Volvo China Open.

“Volvo is proud to be the only everpresent title sponsor on The European Tour,” says Per Ericsson, President, Volvo Event Management – Golf, adding, “We continually monitor our return on investment and it is clear that golf continues, even after 22

a Long-term Partnership

highly-successful years, to deliver the results we require, which is why we are adding the Volvo Golf Champions to our portfolio.”

Million Players But there is a second string to Volvo’s golfing bow. For 25 years, it has organised a worldwide golf series for club golfers – formerly the Volvo Masters Amateur, renamed from 2011 the Volvo World Golf Challenge – with almost a million players from 30 different nations having taken part.

“The situation regarding our global golf programme, our customers and our prospects is truly unique,” insists Per Ericsson, adding: “Volvo is the

only big brand that ties its amateur and professional events together, with the world finalists in the Volvo World Golf Challenge playing with the professionals on the Saturday of the Volvo Golf Champions, before going on to play their own ‘world championship’ over the same Montgomerie Course over which the professional champion earned his prize – same pin positions, fairway widths, championship tees.”

With golf now an Olympic sport, from Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and beyond, Per Ericsson sees significant opportunities, observing: “Golf is growing, in countries such as China, where Volvo is already the leading golf sponsor, and in places such as India,

21

Russia and Brazil, and at Volvo, we can make business through people’s passion, through watching professional golf and participating in a sport played by a great many of our customers and prospects.”

Bahrain may be a new destination for Volvo in Golf and The European Tour but it’s business as usual, rolling out another world-class golf championship for Volvo, The Tour and its players to be perennially proud of. n volvogolfchampions.com volvoworldgolfchallenge.com volvochinaopen.com volvoworldmatchplay.com europeantour.com

“My dad, Terry, was always a snappy dresser and a single-figure handicap golfer, my mom used to work in fashion – she used to run a retail store. So I guess the colour co-ordination thing came from her.” – Ian Poulter 30

Golf has never looked so good

W

HEN the game of golf was founded in Scotland over 200 years ago, austere men sporting full beards and threepiece suits drove, pitched and putted their way around the links using exotically-named, hickory-shafted clubs like the Mashie Niblick and the Spoon, striking Gutta Percha golf balls towards their target.

But, gradually over time, through an era that saw plus-fours, Pringle sweaters and nefarious fashion fads come and go, and occasionally come back again, the modern game of golf is as comfortable on the catwalk and in High Street designer boutiques as it is on the tees, fairways and greens of the world’s 70,000-plus golf courses.

Looking back at old, grainy sepia images of St Andrews in the 19th century, fierce-looking men like Willie Park Senior and Old Tom Morris winning The Open Championship in their heyday in their native Scotland, it was only the hickory-shafted golf clubs that confirmed these fine, upstanding fellows as professional golfers and neither notaries nor bank managers.

Whilst the equipment may have changed somewhat by the time great names such as Harry Vardon, Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, Henry Cotton and Sam Snead were making a clean sweep of the four ‘Majors,’ in the

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first half of the 20th century, it took the arrival of the ‘Big 3,’ Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, managed by the man who originated the sports marketing industry, Mark H. McCormack, founder of IMG, before fashion became a word in golf’s complex lexicon.

Even then, sweaters and slacks were the order of the day. The ‘country club’ look, smart but casual, with jacket and tie is still the required attire for most clubhouses around the world.

Nick Faldo is widely-credited for propelling the Pringle of Scotland brand into a global golfing icon, but, looking back just a generation, those outfits of the day remained staunchly in the ‘passable, practical and comfortable’ category.

Houte Couture Fast forward to the start of the 21st century and all that was about to change. A certain Tiger Woods was on the prowl, the marketing might of Nike behind him and within the blink of an eye, golf was more haute couture than club class, the term ‘performance wear’ entering the glossary of golf.

Greg Norman, aka the ‘Great White Shark’ created his own golf apparel brand, a division of Reebok, but it was the arrival of golf’s acknowledged style guru, Englishman Ian Poulter who put the pizzazz into the Royal and Ancient game. Poulter, who is one of the 4

star attractions here at the Volvo Golf Champions, explains how his passion for fashion came about: “My dad, Terry, was always a snappy dresser and a single-figure handicap golfer and my mum used to work in fashion - she used to run a retail store. So I suppose the colour co-ordination thing came from her,” says Poulter, who created his own fashion brand, IJP Design in 2007.

Few will forget some of Poulter’s wilder fashion statements – the patriotic Union Jack trousers at The 2004 Open Championship and his Claret Jug pants the following year. The British press referred to the current World Number 11 variously as, ‘An attention-seeker,’ and, ‘all mouth and trousers.’

Last Laugh But, with 11 top titles worldwide and career earnings (only on the golf course) in excess of US$21million (BHD7,918,595), Poulter has had the last laugh, his biggest victory to date, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship earning him US$1.3million (BHD 490,197), won, appropriately, dressed in all-pink.

“I began sketching designs as I toured the world, on letterheads and airline coasters, dreaming of the day I could wear my own creations” reflects Poulter, who even sported the jersey of his beloved Arsenal FC on course at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship

in 2006, earning himself a ticking off from tournament officials.

“The dream is now reality. IJP brand philosophy is to ‘lead with the legs’ by designing the trousers first and then co-ordinating the rest of the outfit around them,” he says.

He even has his own tartans, ‘the Poulter Tartans’ registered with and authenticated by the Scottish Register of Tartans, although none of his 10 European Tour titles have been won

24

north of the border, something he hopes to rectify – perhaps winning The Open Championship when it returns to Scotland at Muirfield in 2013 would be the crowning glory for the ‘peacock prince?’

Meanwhile, Poulter might have a potential rival for the title of golf’s ‘King of Chic? Italian protégé Matteo Manassero, who goes head-to-head with Poulter at this inaugural Volvo Golf Champions, became the youngest

“Seve is my hero so I feel very proud to wear his colours on a Sunday. When I won I received a letter from Seve and it was almost more exciting than winning my first professional tournament!” – Matteo Manassero

winner in European Tour history when, at 17 years and 188 days old, he stormed to victory at the CASTELLÓ MASTERS Costa Azahar late last season, ironically overtaking Ian Poulter Design ambassador, Gary Boyd, to take the title.

The young man from Verona signed a deal potentially worth millions with the RLX branch of global fashion house Ralph Lauren last year, saying: “Being Italian, we are always associated with

fashion. I have always loved the RLX Golf brand and feel that the apparel will lend me the comfort and technical edge that I need to perform my best on the course.”

The big fashion brands know a rising star with the correct attributes when they see one. David Lauren, Senior Vice President of Advertising, Marketing and Corporate Communications for Ralph Lauren said: “Matteo is quickly making a footprint in the game of golf on a global level. He is an incredibly talented golfer and his youthfulness and great style resonate with the RLX brand.”

Manaserro’s hero is not, like the majority of rookie professionals these days, Tiger Woods, but another legendary figure in the game of golf, Seve Ballesteros, still recovering from the brain tumour that has confined him to his Spanish home since 2008.

Manassero remembers meeting his hero when the Spanish legend played the Italian Open. Ballesteros handed him a wedge and invited him to hit a shot onto the practice green. Manassero remembers that he holed it and that Seve shook his head in disbelief. “I met

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Seve when I was just four years old, which was great for me,” recalls the young Italian. “He was not just one of the greatest players, he played another kind of game.”

Manassero, who recently beat Seve’s record as the then youngest winner on The European Tour at 17 years and 200 days set back in 1974, mirrors his hero’s routine of always wearing Seve’s trademark green and white garb on the final days of tournaments.

“Seve is my hero so I feel very proud to wear his colours on a Sunday,” said the young Italian. “When I won I received a letter from Seve and it was almost more exciting than winning my first professional tournament!”

Just picture the scene, this Sunday afternoon: the final pairing, golf’s finest fashionistas Poulter and Manassero, The European Tour Rookies of the Year in 2000 and 2010, respectively, going head-to-head not just for the US$283,330 (BHD107,000) first prize, but also for the title of Best-dressed Dandy in Bahrain. n www.ijpdesign.com

Duel Fuel Powers Volvo’s Sponsorship Drive F

Digging for Victory (top): US Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin, China’s first-ever winner of a European Tour event, Lian-wei Zhang, and Europe’s Ryder Cup Captain, Colin Montgomerie.

or a dozen years the Volvo brand was the powerhouse, setting the pace in professional golf, first in Europe, and then adding Asia in the mid-nineties.

With Volvo Cars owned now by Chinese auto maker Geely, Volvo’s global sponsorship activity, which includes a burgeoning golf portfolio, the Volvo Ocean Race and the Volvo Environment Prize, looks set to continue using this tried-and-tested hybrid formula in partnership with Volvo Group.

That age-old saying, ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it,’ could have been coined for Swedish brand Volvo and its awardwinning sponsorship activity. Volvo’s track record in sponsorship reveals it was one of the early pioneers in

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adopting sponsorship as part of the marketing mix.

1988 saw Volvo embrace the game of golf, becoming the first overarching sponsor of The European Tour before adding Asia in general and China in particular in the mid-1990s.

22-years-later, Volvo remains at the heart of golf in Europe, the Middle East and China, and one man who has bridged what has been a ‘golden generation’ for golf is 2010 European Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie and he is in no doubt as to the value of Volvo’s partnership with professional golf.

“The contribution Volvo has made to golf, first on The European Tour, then in Asia has been truly remarkable,” says the charismatic if occasionally 4

“Volvo is a brand with over 80 years of rich history and heritage, 72 of those years as one corporate entity, rightly enjoying a global reputation earned through core values of Quality, Safety and Environmental Care,” – Stefan Jacoby President & Chief Executive Officer Volvo Car Corporation controversial Montgomerie, adding, “Volvo brought to the European Tour not only much-improved prize money but they also set the gold standard some of the younger players today take for granted – courtesy cars, players’ lounges, physiotherapy services, first class practice facilities to name but a few.

“Volvo’s ground-breaking involvement in The European Tour since 1988 also helped persuade other blue-chip brands to invest in golf sponsorship, based on Volvo’s quality production values and a proven return on investment.”

Expertise and Endurance By 1999, Montgomerie had completed arguably the most remarkable feat of expertise and endurance in world golf, winning his seventh successive Volvo Order of Merit title, the accolade awarded to the most successful player each year – first amongst equals.

But the year also saw a development that could have dissected Volvo’s award-winning sponsorship campaigns; the Ford Motor Company acquired Volvo Cars, Volvo Group, the heavy automotive side of the Volvo brand

going its own way, investing Ford’s valuable dollars in new machinery and models, buses, trucks, construction equipment, aero and marine engines.

However, so strong was the bond between the now autonomous businesses, shared values of Quality, Safety and Environmental Care, that provision was made in the conditions of sale that both Volvo Cars and Volvo Group would, uniquely in industry, continue to jointly-promote the cherished Volvo name and its brand values – this despite having entirely independent management and shareholders.

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With that, Volvo’s world-class golf programme continued into a second decade and beyond, as did the prestigious Volvo Environment Prize, known as the ‘seventh unofficial Nobel Prize,’ whilst the Volvo Ocean Race, the world’s toughest, roughest round the world regatta, joined the family in 2001.

In the dozen years since the divergence, Volvo’s shared global sponsorship has, if anything, grown in stature and strength. Leif Johansson, President & CEO of Volvo Group throughout that time saying, “The two Volvos are, individually and

collectively stronger now than when they separated. Volvo Cars has a much stronger product range and Volvo Group is three times bigger than it was back then.”

Meanwhile, Volvo Cars, which has remained anchored in Volvo’s home city of Gothenburg, Sweden, has undergone a subsequent change of ownership, Chinese car-maker Geely Automotive acquiring Volvo Cars late last year, installing Stefan Jacoby at the helm, part counterpart, part colleague to Johansson at Volvo Group.

“Volvo is a brand with over 80 years of rich history and heritage, 72 of those years as one corporate entity, rightly enjoying a global reputation earned through core values of Quality, Safety and Environmental Care.”

Continued Stefan Jacoby: “When you have that scale and scope of standing across the spectrum of your stakeholders, customers, employees and business partners, and there is an intuitive level of trust and respect between both parts of the Volvo brand, you would not willingly give up the commercial momentum and advantage or the economies of scale that these joint sponsorships deliver.” Two

Scandinavians are entrusted to deliver the benefits that accrue from the Volvo brand’s flagships sponsorships, Norwegian Knut Frostad, CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race, and Per Ericsson, President of Volvo Event Management – Golf.

“Having long-term support from both parts of Volvo, two great advocates of the Volvo brand who empathise with the sport of sailing and understand the full potential of the Volvo Ocean Race, is as remarkable as it is refreshing,” says ex-round-the-world skipper Frostad, who has brought the spectacle to the Middle East for the first time with a ground-breaking stopover in Abu Dhabi in early 2012.

Promote the Brand Meanwhile, Ericsson presides not only over Volvo’s legacy of 120-plus elite professional golf championships sponsored by the Volvo brand, but is also, like his colleague Frostad, taking Volvo into a new Middle East market with this month’s Volvo Golf Champions in Bahrain.

“Volvo remains in golf for the simple reason that it is a game played and respected by our customers and

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prospects, not only in the largely retail B2C sector addressed by Volvo Cars, but also in a B2B environment for the benefit of Volvo Group and its component business areas,” says Swede Ericsson, adding, “The two aspects of Volvo sharing in their global sponsorship endeavours ensure that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”

“Our task at Volvo Event Management – Golf is to actively and dynamically promote the Volvo brand and its core values through golf and to provide premium platforms on which marketers at Volvo Cars and Volvo Group can leverage both brand awareness and customer communications using the unique and exclusive opportunities that golf offers.”

With the boards of Volvo Event Management – Golf and the Volvo Ocean Race enjoying equal representation from Volvo Cars and Volvo Group, this unique, pragmatic arrangement, which has endured two changes of ownership and a global recession of epic proportions, looks set to continue to put the wind in the sails of the Volvo brand and ensure that a return on investment remains par for the course. n

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Beginner’s guide to golf Watching The Volvo golf champions is the first european Tour event to be staged in Bahrain, and, whilst many of our spectators may be regular players and/or watchers of golf, others may be new to the sport.

The following Beginner’s guide to golf Watching is designed to keep you on course with some helpful hints that will maximise the experience and enjoyment of visiting the Volvo golf champions.

getting started l Upon arrival at the Royal Golf Club, pick-up a Programme and a Daily Draw Sheet and familiarise yourself with the general layout of the area. l The Daily Draw Sheet provides the names, starting times and tees of each and every player, so you can follow your favourites round the course. l For an up-close-and-personal view of the players, we recommend you head for the Practice Range and Practice Putting Green.

Watching Brief l There are two ways of watching a major golf championship: either pick a group of players and follow them round the golf course, or, alternatively, select a good vantage point and watch all the players come through. l Keen spectators may ‘mix-andmatch,’ follow some favourites for a while before taking a break and watching one particular hole – Par-3s make for especially good viewing. l You can follow the scores of each match on the portable scoreboards carried with each group, whilst the overall state-of-play can be found on the leaderboards located around the course.

l Towards the end of each day’s play, the 18th green makes for an excellent and atmospheric vantage point as the players complete their rounds. l Take a break and catch all the action over lunch by viewing on the giant screen in the Public Village.

elementary etiquette l Professional players perform at their best when there are no disturbances to distract them, so please switch-off all mobile phones and avoid talking and cheering before and during a player’s routine. Feel free to cheer once the golfer has played his shot. l Please remain outside the roped-off areas and follow the guidance of the Stewards and Marshals. l Taking photographs/shooting video using cameras or mobile phones is restricted to the Practice range and Practice Putting Greens. Most players are happy to pose for photographs with spectators, but only after their round is finished. l Please do not pick up or touch a player’s golf ball on the course; it could cost him penalty shots – and money. l Children are welcome at the Volvo Golf Champions, but only when

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accompanied by adults, who are requested to keep kids under control. l When disposing of rubbish, please use the recycling bins provided. l Players are normally happy to sign autographs, normally when they come off the 18th green at the end of their round but never before and during a round.

Handy Hints l It is suggested that golf shoes, walking shoes or trainers are worn when walking around the golf course. l Please wear a sun hat and use a proprietary sun cream suitable for the Middle East, SPF 15 or above. l Although Bahrain at the end of January is likely to be sunny and warm, bring a warm outer garment, just in case. l The golfers ensure they are well hydrated throughout their round, and so should you be – don’t forget to take a bottle of water out on the course with you. l You may find using a pair of binoculars helpful in watching your favourite players close-up. l Food and beverages are available in the Volvo Golf Champions Village but you are at liberty to bring your own.

Bahrain: Pearl of the Middle East

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ahrain is defined by two central characteristics, a rich and colourful history and an enduring relationship with water.

Witness the country’s name, Mamlakat al-Bahrayn, literally translated as, ‘Two Seas’ in Arabic.

The focus is not the island’s minimalist landmass, but on the water that surrounds its shores.

The new Bahrain Financial Harbour of Manama, currently rising like Neptune from reclaimed land, and its proud buildings, such as the Dual Towers, appear to be holding back the sea.

Whilst land reclamation is now commonplace throughout the Gulf region, only Bahrain can claim a truly integral connection between fresh and salt waters: the sweetwater springs that bubbled off-shore

helped bring about 4,000 years of settlement, the layers of which are exposed in rich archaeological sites around the island.

The springs also encouraged the most lustrous of pearls – the trade in which helped build the island’s early fortunes. Indeed, Bahrain has long been the centre of the pearl-trading world. Luminaries like Jacques Cartier was a regular visitor, attracted by the finest examples of pearls, which he used in his iconic jewellery designs.

Just like opening an oyster shell, exploring Bahrain reveals a cornucopia of treasures, historic and contemporary. From the excellent, evocative National Museum in Manama, and the traditional houses of Muharraq to the extraordinary burial mounds at A’ali, there are many

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significant sites to visit, rich in history and heritage.

More modern pearls, such as the spectacular Bahrain World Trade Centre, the King Fahd Causeway and the new Durrat Al-Bahrain project at the southern tip link Bahrain’s vibrant present and exciting future to its memorable past.

The Kingdom of Bahrain is an archipelago consisting of 33 islands in the Arabian Gulf, its only connection with the mainland, the man-made King Fahd Causeway, 25km/16m which has linked Bahrain with Saudi Arabia since its opening in November, 1986, whilst plans are at an advanced stage for a second causeway linking Bahrain with Qatar.

The commercial, governmental and cultural capital is Manama, a thriving and vibrant city. Now, the Kingdom of

Bahrain is carving a name for itself in the sporting sphere. Its state-of-theart Bahrain International Circuit will soon be hosting the opening Formula 1 Grand Prix of the season for the eighth successive season, close to the location where the first oil find of the Middle East was made in 1932 – a fascinating historical juxtaposition and automotive connection. The new European Tour flagship event, the Volvo Golf Champions, will mirror the Formula 1 Grand Prix, as the prestigious season-opening event from next year.

For those of an archaeological

persuasion, the tombs of Saar, Bouri and A’Ali, the distinctive honeycomb tombs of Saar and the extraordinary town of A’Ali, where hundreds of ancient burial mounds lump and bump the landscape, are a must-see, as is the less historic but equally emotive Beit al-Jasra, the birthplace of the father of Bahrain’s ruler and a wonderful example of traditional Bahraini architecture, constructed with exquisite external simplicity, built from local materials such as coral stone as well as imported items such as Indian timber used to construct many of Bahrain’s magnificent doors.

As is the Bahrain Fort, Qala’at al-Bahrain, a Portuguese-eyed view of the sea from the strategic Bahrain Fort, built in the 16th century and recently restored to its former grandeur, one of UNESCO’s most cherished World Heritage Sites.

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Meanwhile, a trek to find traces of Dilmun, Bahrain’s ancient, powerful civilization, whose influence lasted between 3200 and 330 BC is the ultimate in time travel.

During the 19th century Bahrain came under the influence of the British in the ‘Trucial’ system – a series of treaties signed with Britain against piracy, a relationship that developed into a protectorate agreement, the modern day result of which is a strong tie between the British and the people of Bahrain.

Bahrain regained full independence in 1971 and in 2002, Bahrain became a constitutional monarchy with a fully-elected parliament in which both men and women are eligible to vote and stand for office.

There is also a system in place to ensure transparency of government 4

finances, a key factor in Bahrain becoming the region’s leading offshore banking and commercial hub, for two-score years a proven track record of integrity and probity.

Being a predominantly Islamic country, Bahrain is rich in religious iconography, including the Al-Fateh Grand Mosque. Officially opened in June, 1988, it covers an area of 150,000 square meters and can accommodate up to 7,000 worshippers.

Its large dome is 16 metres high and 22 metres wide and is internally illuminated by 12 ornate stained glass windows, with two minarets each 70 metres in height.

The Al-Fateh Grand Mosque also houses the Religious Institute for Islamic Affairs, whilst the oldest mosque in Bahrain, the Al-Khamis Mosque, was built in the 8th century and expanded over time. Its two minarets were later additions, built sometime between the 13th and 15th centuries.

Meanwhile, the Beit Al Qur’an is an Islamic museum in Hoora, built to accommodate a comprehensive and valuable collection of the Qur’an and rare manuscripts, the complex comprising a mosque, a library, an auditorium, a school, and museum consisting of ten exhibition halls.

This great institution and its museum house an internationally celebrated collection of historic Quranic manuscripts from various parts of the Islamic world, from China in the East to Spain in the West, representing a progression of calligraphic traditions from the

first century of the Islamic era to the present day.

Visitors to Bahrain’s magnificent mosques are readily welcomed, although care should be taken to respect the fact they are primarily places of worship and not tourist attractions.

Modern-day Bahrain is a contemporary Kingdom, embracing liberal values alongside its own cultural heritage, a haven for shopping and eating-out, local and international.

Not surprisingly, given Bahrain’s history, pearls are the principal home-grown products to take home as mementoes, often used in hand-crafted gold jewellery, whilst indigenous red clay pottery is available

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from the village of A’ali alongside hand-woven cloth from Bani Jamrah and textiles from Al-Jasra.

Bahrain’s capital city, Manama is an atmospheric magnet for night shopping. Just stroll through the labyrinthine streets of Souq AlManama behind Bab al-Bahrain to discover how locals spend their evenings bartering with the many traders over clothes, textiles and gold products.

Meanwhile, those shopping for luxury goods will not be disappointed.

Throughout the Kingdom’s many malls, especially Seef Mall, A’ali Mall, Bahrain City Centre Mall and the Moda Mall at Bahrain’s World Trade Center, global brands proliferate and

the prices are keen. Within the capital city ‘nightlife’ generally refers to eating out with friends in some of the city’s excellent restaurants, particularly in the Adliya district, with many ethnic flavours and foods on offer.

Local Bahraini specialities such as Machboos, the national dish (a rice base with chicken accompanied by several spices, including ‘Baharat,’ Coriander, Cardamom, Turmeric and the use of Rose Water in finishing the dish is a delicate addition that somehow binds all the spices together) takes considerable detective work to locate.

Whilst alcohol is freely available in international hotels and restaurants, local establishments serve rose-water

and pomegranate juice instead of wines and Champagne, both perfectly palatable alternatives.

In keeping with most Middle East destinations, the best time to visit Bahrain is between October and April when the sky is free from heat haze, and the weather is sunny without being unduly oppressive due to a pleasant, cooling breeze.

Mid-summer temperatures soar far beyond those considered comfortable, routinely 40ºC, occasionally topping 50ºC. Hotels, restaurants, visitor attractions and shopping malls are invariably air-conditioned, but the Bahraini ‘winter’ rarely requires much more than a light cover-up for temperate evening temperatures.

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There can be few better destinations than Bahrain for the quantity and quality of hotels, with most of the major groups alongside indigenous offerings, with something to suit every budget.

Bahrain may not be the most high-profile of the Gulf states, largely because it does not indulge is such high-profile promotional campaigns, but the Kingdom is none the worse for that, the hidden pearl of the Middle East, warm, welcoming, with an aura embracing past, present and future.

But don’t tell everyone. The secret gem that is Bahrain is just perfect the way it is. www.bahraintourism.com

© 2010 IMG WORLDWIDE, INC. / SELECT PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTY IMAGES, INC.

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Q&A with HE Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) Q: What difference does the Economic Development Board make to Bahrain’s growth?

A: The EDB is a dynamic public agency with an overall responsibility for formulating and overseeing the economic development strategy of Bahrain, and for creating the right climate to attract direct investment into the Kingdom.

One of our key roles is to smooth the path of businesses moving to Bahrain, ensuring that the economic environment is attractive, and helping companies to handle their procedures with maximum speed and efficiency.

Our mindset is to listen and learn from what companies tell us. If part of the process is not working as well as it should, we can intervene and put it right. Whilst similar in mindset, the Central Bank also has a steady and conservative approach when it comes to financial regulation.

One reason why our regulations work better than most is that we welcome practical comments from businesses operating in the market, before we finalise new laws or new rules. That way, we know our regulations work in practice as well as in theory and can be applied firmly as well as fairly.

Q: Bahrain is known as a Financial Services hub for the region – will this continue to be a focus, and in what other sectors do you anticipate growth?

A: As the first Gulf state to move away from dependence on oil, we have become the Gulf’s most diversified economy.

Bahrain is also a very efficient strategic location for global businesses wishing to access this trillion dollar GCC market.

We can’t afford to sit back and so we work hard to ensure that we offer the best value propositions, revolving around a number of things, including a strong focus on the quality of regulation, low operating costs and access to a pool of skilled local talent.

All of these areas fall under Bahrain’s National Economic Strategy, which is the road map for transforming the Kingdom’s Economic Vision 2030 into reality. This approach has helped us build up a strong Financial Services sector, but other sectors where we see Bahrain having a strong offering include ICT, high value-added manufacturing and logistics.

Q: How do you see the Volvo Golf Champions, and other sporting events such as the Formula 1 race, supporting the EDB’s strategy to attract international businesses to Bahrain?

A: Attracting events such as the Volvo Golf Champions and the F1 is a central part of the EDB’s remit to raise the

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profile of Bahrain as a business location and create the right climate to attract foreign investment.

Clearly the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix, the first F1 event in the Middle East, has had a hugely positive impact on the Bahraini economy since 2004 and it continues to grow every year, with the 2010 race being the seventh for Bahrain. The race has helped lift the profile of Bahrain, with an estimated worldwide television audience of 500 million as well as nearly 100,000 spectators attending in person.

We also have a long golfing history. The Awali Golf Club was established in 1938 – making it the first golf course in Bahrain and the GCC – and will celebrate its 48th Bahrain Open this season. Bahrain has won the Pan Arab Golf Championship 12 times, including six back-to-back titles from 1997 to 2002, and has won the GCC Championship 14 times. With golf having such a strong global presence, and as a proven business tool, we believe the Volvo Golf Champions will also bring great benefits to Bahrain by helping to raise the profile of the Kingdom on the international stage. n

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60 –

The Magic Number

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ar-for-the-course at the Royal Golf Club’s Montgomerie Course may be 72, but many of the leading golfers present at the Volvo Golf Champions will be shooting lower than that, with some even hoping for the magic number of 60, a feat that has been achieved on only 14 occasions on The European Tour.

Volvo Cars is set to boast three 60s of its own with the recent launch of the brand new, award-winning Volvo S60, the arrival later this year of a champion-in-waiting, the Volvo V60, adding to the already crowned Volvo XC60 which has been playing to the galleries ever since it was unveiled in 2008.

The driving range is one of the best places to watch the leading professionals up-close-and-personal, but Volvo Cars has a new star of its own, the brand new Volvo S60, which can be seen in the Volvo Village or in Volvo dealerships worldwide.

Extrovert Attitude Said to posses an extrovert attitude never before seen in Volvo showrooms, the Volvo S60 is also, without question, the most dynamic car model Volvo has ever created, its Pedestrian Detection System with full auto brake a truly groundbreaking safety feature for the automotive industry, City Safety standard across the Volvo S60 range.

Styled and sculpted in the most contemporary fashion, whilst retaining the hallmark and cool hand of Scandinavian design, the Volvo S60 is a genuine four-door

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coupe, without compromise, available in 16 colours from the understated Ice White and Black Stone, through the ever-popular Metallic Silver to the vibrant Electrum Golf and Passion Red. Volvo’s design team took their inspiration from the racing track as they pursued the uncompromising lines defined by motorsport for the all-new S60.

The graphic character of the racing track is clearly apparent in the instrument panel and embedded in the doors, every detail poetry in motion.

The instruments and centre stack are angled towards the driver to create a sensation of focus and control, the new dynamic three-spoke steering wheel and new sports seats with extra side supports come as standard in what may look and feel like a coupe, but can also act as an authentic five-seat family car.

Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing Three things about the new Volvo S60 remain just as they have been in each and every Volvo car ever constructed: Environmental Care – emissions are amongst the lowest in its class and a new DRIVe version comes on line later this year; Safety – Driver Alert Control, a unique technology to detect and alert tired and distracted drivers through the Blind Spot Information System, which helps detect vehicles in the offset rear blind spot on both sides of the car; Lane Departure Warning technology, which alerts the driver if the car runs across the lane markers without the turn indicator being used. These are just a few of the innovative safety features packed into the classleading, standard-setting Volvo S60, whilst the third core value, Quality, exudes throughout the Volvo S60 range.

The Volvo S60 has an older cousin, the Volvo XC60, the first mid-sized family car to adopt a rugged 4x4 personality, the definitive sheep in wolf’s clothing, whilst later this year, Volvo’s 60s family will be complete with the arrival of the Volvo V60, inside and out the most versatile and voguish mid-sized estate car on the road, with attitude and appearance.

Whether any of the champion golfers taking part in the Volvo Golf Champions can match the magic number of 60 for a competitive round on The European Tour, or even make history with the first-ever 59, only time will tell, but two top pros will go home happy. The winners of the Volvo Golf Champions Amateur Pro Competition on ‘Super Saturday,’ will each be presented with one of the cars that are already at the very top of the leaderboard. n www.volvocars.com

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Sky’s the Limit as Volvo Rides in Tandem at Tour de France

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hether the Tour de France or The European Tour presents professional cyclists and golfers respectively the greater test of endurance is open to debate, but when the SKY PRO Cycling team required world-class coaching and trucking to transport its team the length and breadth of Europe and beyond, they turned to Volvo to ensure its star riders travelled stylishly, safely and sustainably.

With elite cycling stars such as triple Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins and super Swede Thomas Löfkvist together with key personnel such as Sports Director, another Swede, Marcus Ljungqvist on board, a world-class transport partner was required to work in tandem with the team.

That’s where Volvo Buses and Volvo Trucks came in.

Volvo initially supplied two identical 42-seater Volvo 9700 coaches and a pair of Volvo FH500 Globetrotter trucks, which were customised for the purpose of carrying and conditioning riders and their extremely expensive race bikes.

‘Extremely Accommodating’ Head of Special Projects for the SKY PRO Cycling team, Gwilym Evans, explained how a recommendation led to them specifying Volvo for the job, “DHL are a close partner and they put in an extremely good recommendation, so we contacted Volvo, who were extremely accommodating and worked hard and fast to provide us with the vehicles.”

The coaches, which have three axles and nine specially-designed, fully-reclining Estaban seats, to provide optimal relaxation for the riders, with other

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special features onboard the revolutionary new vehicle including a fitted kitchen, with microwave and fridge, two shower units and toilet facilities, whilst the back office area can be turned into a massage suite for relaxing and repairing tired and broken bodies.

The coach also has an inbuilt radio mast and full internet access with Wi-Fi connections, a state-ofthe-art Hi-Fi system together with TV screens tuned not only to SKY TV but also to receive channels from multiple countries.

Perfectly Suited Environment Mood lighting and a high efficiency air conditioning unit ensure that the environment is perfectly suited to rider recovery, whilst the floor of the coach is reinforced to cope with the increased load.

Also supporting the 25 riders and 37 staff, combining 13 nationalities, is Volvo Trucks who provide the vehicles to transport the cycles themselves, marking a dynamic double achievement for the Volvo brand, being associated with the transportation of the riders and their bikes.

The two left-hand-drive – for the technically-minded, both 6 x 2 rear-steer rigids – trucks with the world famous Globetrotter cabs, renowned for driver comfort and safety, each have telescopic trailers, expanding the workshop space to give Team Sky the most spacious technical facilities on the Tour de France.

‘Vehicles Raise the Bar’ Offering the privacy required to fine-tune the Pinarello fp1 Tiagra, which cost as much a highspecification Volvo C30, the custom-built trailers are more like a science lab than a typical workshop, whilst SKY PRO Cycling’s trucks and buses are amongst the most ecological on the Tour.

“We believe that these vehicles raise the bar in the cycling world – they are state-of-the-art and quite revolutionary,” continued Gwilym Evans. He added: “Having the right sort of environment for our riders gives them the best chance of success.”

The SKY PRO Cycling team takes part in the Tour of Qatar from 7th-12th February and the Tour of Oman from 14th-19th February 2011, and in the Tour de France from 3rd-25th July 2011. n www.volvo.com / www.volvotrucks.com www.volvobuses.com / www.teamsky.com

Volvo Trucks on a Roll in the Middle East

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he Latin word ‘Volvo,’ translated means ‘I Roll, conjugated from volvere,’ in relation to the ball bearing, and, as the Volvo Golf Champions gear-up and get their own bearings for action in Bahrain, Volvo Trucks is already on a roll across the Middle East region.

Just before Bahrain’s National Day Holiday, Volvo Truck and machinery supplier Al-Futtaim Auto and Machinery Company (Famco) officially launched Volvo’s new rugged FMX truck in the UAE, to considerable industry acclaim.

The FMX truck, built for heavy construction activities, was first unveiled at the Bauma International Trade Fair in April and is now being rolled out across the globe.

Paul Floyd, Managing Director, Famco said: “The FM is a proven chassis but the FMX is specifically aimed at the construction segment. It’s a little more heavy duty, and stronger and safer when it goes off-road.”

‘Exciting New Product’ The end of 2010 has seen a flurry of new machines hit the GCC market and Floyd is optimistic for the market and Famco’s prospects in 2011. “It’s nice to come out of the doldrums of the last 18 months and put some exciting new product in front of the customers – and we’re looking to have success with it.”

Meanwhile, Zahid Tractor, Volvo Trucks distributor in Saudi Arabia, and Al Ayuni Investment & Contracting Co. recently signed a landmark deal for 350 trucks, the majority of the trucks being the new Volvo FMX, to be deployed throughout Saudi Arabia for a variety of projects – from road construction to railroad projects.

The new Volvo FMX, equipped with the Volvo unique I-shift transmission, will replace aging units of different brands. The trucks started rolling out of the Jeddah-based Volvo Trucks assembly plant, Arabian Vehicles Industries (AVI), a joint venture between Zahid Tractor and Volvo Trucks Corporation in November last year.

“We are very pleased to partner with Al Ayuni and supply them with this large quantity of trucks,” said Nasser J. Bayram, Managing Director of Zahid Tractor’s Commercial Vehicles Division, adding, “Our

field service and the rest of the after-sales team, with Volvo Trucks Corporation’s technical support, will focus on ensuring the best truck up-time Al Ayuni has ever wanted”.

The selection of Volvo’s state-of-the-art new construction truck FMX came after a series of qualifications and assessments that have safety and quality as core and fundamental elements,

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demonstrating that the new Volvo FMX is ready for the toughest of tasks as the vehicle stands up to heavy loads, poor roads and challenging inclines.Engineer Abdul Karim Al Ayuni, Deputy Chairman of the Al Ayuni Board and Board Member designate, emphasised that the deal goes hand in hand with the approach and methodology that the Al Ayuni Group works under.

“Volvo Trucks has a long-standing, rock solid position

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in the Saudi market and Zahid Tractor has been an important partner of Volvo for decades,” explains Bjorn Ingemanson, President of Volvo Trucks International Division, adding, “It is very encouraging that Al Ayuni has placed this highly significant order and we are happy to be part of completing the important infrastructural and construction projects that are under way in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” n

Volvo’s Ultimate Challenge

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ven before Volvo entered the world of professional golf – and certainly ever since – amateur golf has played a major part in promoting the brand.

In some Volvo markets, most notably Sweden, Japan and the UK, the Volvo Masters Amateur was up-and-running even before the groundbreaking days of the Volvo PGA Championship, the Volvo Masters and now, the Volvo Golf Champions, the Volvo China Open and the iconic Volvo World Match Play Championship.

As Volvo’s profile became synonymous with golf, more and more countries saw the opportunities presented by golf, each and every continent in the world involved, almost a million club golfers taking part across 30 different countries over the past 25 years.

This year, around 50,000 golfers have played over 100,000 rounds of golf, struck almost 10 million golf shots with one simple aim in mind – to qualify for the World Final in Bahrain this week.

“Volvo’s professional golf portfolio

provides a global shop window for the Volvo brand and its range of products,” explains Per Ericsson, President, Volvo Event Management – Golf, adding, “But our worldwide programme for club golfers is where the business is done, building lasting relationships with customers and prospects through the universal language of golf.”

‘World-class Experience’ Most major premium brands utilise golf as a conduit through which to talk to their customers, but with Volvo, it is truly unique, using one of its prestigious professional championships as the backdrop for the World Final of the Volvo World Golf Challenge.

“Linking the two strands of our golf portfolio gives us a unique dimension and enables us to afford our customers and prospects a truly world-class experience,” explains Per Ericsson.

He adds: “They will play their final over the same Montgomerie course

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as the professionals played on Sunday.”

Amongst those countries represented at this year’s Grand Finale of the Volvo World Golf Challenge are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Past champion, Argentinean Maria Paz Toranzo Aldunate, who became the first woman to be crowned world champion when she took the title at Valderrama said: “For a club golfer, this has been the most amazing experience, both on the golf course but also by meeting fellow golfers from so many different countries and cultures.”

The World Final of the Volvo World Golf Challenge takes place on Monday 31st January and Tuesday 1st February 2011. n www.volvoworldgolfchallenge.com

Teamwork the Ticket on Super Saturday

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part from events like The Ryder Cup and The President’s Cup, professional golf is invariably an individual game.

But the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions has a unique dimension as the top pros join forces with the amateurs, who are in Bahrain for the world final of the Volvo World Golf Challenge, the unique Volvo Golf Champions Amateur-Pro Team Competition on what promises to be a truly ‘Super Saturday.’

“Volvo is in golf sponsorship because a large percentage of our customers play golf and the Volvo Golf Champions Amateur-Pro Team Competition demonstrates that we care just as much about our golfing customers as we do about the world elite of professional players, bringing them all together in an innovative way,” says Per Ericsson, President, Volvo Event Management – Golf, continuing, “The Amateur-Pro Team Competition nurtures the dream about the prospect of playing with the pros, from every player in every local Volvo World Golf Challenge dealer

event around the world. Over 50 club golfers from all over the world, who have battled their way down from 50,000 who set out in the Volvo World Golf Challenge, are in Bahrain for the World Final, with 30 of them having the opportunity to qualify to make a once-in-a-lifetime appearance on The European Tour.

Even the qualifying process offers an exciting prospect as everyone gets to play on the personal golf course of His Majesty the King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Stakes are High On the Saturday, one amateur will be paired with two professionals, whose individual strokeplay scores will not only be aggregated and count towards the Team Competition, but their individual scores will also count within the Volvo Golf Champions, whilst the amateur’s nett score will count, the two best balls going towards each team’s aggregate.

The stakes are high, for the club golfers in Bahrain for the World Final

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of the Volvo World Golf Challenge, the thrill and honour of joining a threeball on The European Tour, for the professionals, a Volvo S60 is awarded to the professional pair on the winning team.

14-handicapper, Wedge Louison, who won the Volvo World Golf Challenge National Final in Qatar to qualify for the World Final in Bahrain says: “I am extremely happy with my victory in Qatar. I’d love to represent Qatar in the Volvo World Golf Challenge and I hope I can be one of the lucky players to play with the professionals in the Volvo Golf Champions European Tour event.”

The qualifying event takes place on His Majesty’s Private Course at Safriya Palace, Bahrain, on Friday 28th January, with the Volvo Golf Champions Amateur-Pro Team Competition played over the Montgomerie Course at the Royal Golf Club on Saturday 29th January 2011. n www.volvogolfchampions.com www.volvoworldgolfchallenge.com

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Volvo Ocean Race On the Crest of a Wave V

olvo’s trademark blue has been a colourful constant running through the DNA of European and Asian golf for more than a generation, but that is only part of the story of Volvo in Sponsorship with the Volvo Ocean Race, the flagship of the fleet making a ground-breaking Middle East stopover with the leading yacht due to dock on 1st January, 2012.

For almost 40 years, Volvo has been in the vanguard of sponsorship, an early pioneer in realising the importance of the medium in the marketing mix – first through tennis and equestrian sport, famously in golf and now through sailing, Volvo is riding the crest of a wave.

Having taken over the ailing Whitbread Race as the new Millennium dawned, three epic roundthe-world races later, the Volvo Ocean Race is now preparing for its fourth circumnavigation, in 2011-2012, and, like the Volvo brand itself, the race is now truly global.

For the first time in the 40-year history of the toughest, roughest race on earth, there will be a Middle East stopover and, another first, an entry from one of the Gulf States, Team Abu Dhabi, which will race a brand new, state-of-the-art Volvo Open 70 racing yacht, which will be skippered by round-the-world veteran, Englishman Ian Walker.

10 ports spanning each and every continent of the world, crossing the equator no fewer than four times, from the flat calm and baking temperatures of the Doldrums to the mountainous

seas, howling gales, dodging the icebergs that can spell catastrophe with help often more than a week away, skill, endurance, courage and teamwork are the key components of a Volvo Ocean Race campaign.

“The Volvo Ocean Race is mentally and physically exhausting. The whole project is quite daunting, but it is easier to comprehend having done the race before. I have huge respect for the yachts and the race,” says skipper Walker, who tried his hand at golf at the 2009 Volvo World Match Play Championship, teaming-up with PUMA Ocean Racing skipper Ken Read, Swedish sailing legend Magnus Olsson and Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie.

Showcases Core Values The Volvo Ocean Race showcases the brand’s three core values, Safety – not a single serious injury in 2.5million man-miles sailed in 2008/2009; Quality – this is the world’s premier ocean race; and Environmental Care – the ‘Formula 1 machines’ of sailing getting round the world on wind and wave power alone, 37,000 miles to the gallon!

With temperatures ranging from + 40ºC around the equator to –10ºC deep down in the Southern Ocean where the waves can reach 15m in height, racing flat-out at 35 knots in pitch darkness with the safety car no where in sight, it is small wonder the Volvo Ocean Race is viewed as more Mount Everest than Formula 1.

“It may appear glamorous,” says

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PUMA Ocean Racing skipper, American Ken Read, keen to go one better than last time when he finished runner-up to Ericsson 4. “When you are on watch in hurricane-force winds in the middle of the night, wondering whether an iceberg or a stray sea container might finish your race – and put you and your guys in harm’s way – with the 20th freeze-dried breakfast in succession still hours away, it is far from that.

‘But,” insists Read, “it is the ultimate adventure, an amazing challenge and a fantastic exercise in friendship and camaraderie, not only with your own team-mates but also with your rivals, too.”

Around eight world-class teams under the stewardship of some of the best professional skippers in the world are expected on the start line when the Volvo Ocean Race action gets underway in Alicante, Spain on 5th November, 2011, arriving in Cape Town, South Africa, on 25th November before making its maiden Middle East stopover in Abu Dhabi on 1st January 2012.

Following an In-port Race and Pro-am, the Volvo Ocean Race fleet will set sail from Abu Dhabi on 14th January en route to the Chinese port of Sanya, stopping over in Auckland (New Zealand), Itajai (Brazil), Miami (USA), Lisbon (Portugal), Lorient (France) and finishing in the Irish port of Galway on the west coast of Ireland on 7th July 2012. www.volvooceanrace.com

OVERWHELMING

TRUST. Steve Stricker

Rory McIlroy

#1 IN WORLDWIDE PLAYERS

Nearest Competitor

1 9, 8 0 9 3, 4 3 0

Adam Scott

#1 IN WORLDWIDE WINS

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Lee Westwood

Robert Karlsson

Luke Donald

1 4 9 2 5

Louis Oosthuizen

Matteo Manassero

Zach Johnson

Padraig Harrington

THE #1 BALL AROUND THE WORLD.

titleist.co.uk Titleist, St Ives, Cambs PE27 3LU. Sign up to In The Swing, our free e-newsletter, at intheswing.info Source: Darrell Survey, Sports Marketing Surveys Ltd. Based upon results through 13/12/10 on the U.S. PGA, U.S. LPGA, Champions, Nationwide, South African, Asian, Korean, OneAsia, Australasian, Japan, Canadian PGA and PGA European Tours.

glass

act i

n keeping with the Volvo china open and the Volvo World match Play championship, the all new Volvo golf champions has turned to another iconic swedish brand, Kosta Boda, for the trophy that will be cherished by champions. awardwinning designer ludvig lรถfgren explains the creative process that results in sheer class in glass: 4

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Swedish style, Scandinavian design, are two of the hallmarks of the Volvo brand, so when a new trophy is required to be created for the Volvo World Match Play Championship, they turned to another great name in Swedish craftsmanship, Orrefors/ Kosta Boda, and to the award-winning glass artist Ingegerd Råman, who forged an iconic new piece that was lifted with great pride by Englishman Ross Fisher.

So it was no surprise that it was to Kosta Boda that Volvo turned once more for the new Volvo Golf Champions Trophy, this time to Ludwig Löfgren, whose artistic expression is youthful and full of attitude, whilst, at the same time, brutally conscious.

It was his constant search for a challenge – often resulting in hours of experimenting, both in the studio and in the hotshop – that brought the rock music-inspired graduate of the world-renowned University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, to the fore.

Having previously worked as a glass blower, the experience gave him both perspective and an understanding of glass.

Atmosphere On his approach to his art, the Swede says: “My approach to glass is sensitive, passionate and patient. I describe atmosphere, depict moods through references both to history and the present day.

“Molten glass enables me to work with sculpture and pictures simultaneously. Glass can be seductive, beautiful, soft and compliant to work with,” he explains, but cautions, “but at the same time it can scar you for life.”

The commission for the brand new Volvo Golf Champions trophy is out of the ordinary, a new challenge for the man who has recently returned to his native Småland from the metropolitan creative centre of Stockholm.

“My brief was that it was a prestigious commission for the new Volvo Golf Champions in Bahrain, and the client allowed me the freedom to

interpret and decipher the concept,” says the man who admits to never having played golf. He explains: “I never had the time for it, but it seems very interesting and challenging, although I’m afraid if I tried I would be stuck.”

The man whose work will be exhibited this summer in the garden of the Swedish Royal Family’s summer castle, Solliden, adds: “My main influences are art history, music and pulp fiction – you can find traces of all of that in my designs but I studied

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the game of golf and its trophies before embarking on the Volvo Golf Champions commission.”

He continues: “My process always starts with sketching and after that I go into the hotshop to experiment with my initial idea directly in hot glass,” adding, “I was pleased – I had quite a free hand and the piece reflects my design ideas, such as colour and a handmade crafted expression.”

His earlier work as a glassblower is advantageous in creating bespoke

“My process always starts with sketching and after that I go into the hotshop to experiment with my initial idea directly in hot glass. I was pleased – I had quite a free hand and the piece reflects my design ideas, such as colour and a handmade crafted expression,” – Ludvig Löfgren pieces such as the Volvo Golf Champions trophy, explaining: “My belief is that it gives me freedom. I know how the material works and that lets me balance right on the very edge of what is possible.

“In my work for Kosta Boda I produce both Industrial, art-industrial and unique pieces and the trophy is more of a unique art glass piece,” he says.

He describes the production process as ‘teamwork,’ explaining: “I worked

with my glassblowing team to create the leaf and to cast the plate, whilst the mechanic did the metal stand and the carpenter helped me with the box.

“The trophy is put together by both cast glass with 12k gold colour and freehand sculpted glass leaf mounted on a handcrafted metal stand,” he says.

“The glass is heated to a temperature of around 1100ºC. When you work with it after that it has to cool down slowly in a cooling oven for 12 hours and only after that can you grind it on a diamond

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grinder or a cutter.”

With the finished piece about to be shipped with great care to Bahrain to await the winner of the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions, how close is his creation in reality to his initial vision?

“It is quite close to my original vision actually. Only small details I realised I had to change when I saw it in full scale, to get the balance absolutely right.”

Whichever of the star-studded cast of world-class golfers is fortunate enough to lift Ludvig Löfgren’s handcrafted creation in triumph in Bahrain on Sunday 30th January, the artist himself says: “I hope it will be viewed and appreciated as a contemporary and unique piece of glass art and over time become a truly iconic trophy in which the player and I can share great pride in our respective achievements.” n www.volvogolfchampions.com www.kostaboda.com

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Keeping the Course – It’s Eco-logical G

etting – and keeping - the Montgomerie Course in shape for the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions has been a team effort between the green-keeping staff at the Royal Golf Club and The European Tour’s Senior Greenkeeping Consultant Eddie Adams, with a watchful eye on the environment.

Having re-opened following Colin Montgomerie’s major re-design of the golf course that now bears his name at the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain, everything has been geared-up to having the Montgomerie Course in tip-top condition, playing fast and true, a challenge to the star-studded lineup of champions seeking to win the European Tour’s newest event.

Whilst a golf course may appear challenging and manicured to perfection to the Royal Golf Club members and its many visitors, it is a different matter for the aristocracy of The European Tour as they line-up to test Montgomerie’s creation.

“Ever since we were told that The European Tour was to come calling, with what promises to be a fantastic Volvo Golf Champions event, our efforts have been divided between ensuring members and visitors continue to enjoy the Montgomerie Course whilst preparing the track for some of the best golfers on the planet,” explains Royal Golf Club Director of Agronomy, Mark Hooker.

In addition, specialist golf course shaper Trevor Dormer was on site at the Royal Golf Club from midNovember, working on modifications to the Montgomerie championship course, which included the 14th fairway bunkers, the shaping of the desert areas on the 4th, 6th and 13th and the reshaping of the bunkers on the 1st, 4th and 18th holes.

“We are exactly where we want to be right now,” said Eddie Adams on the last of several visits to the Royal Golf Club, adding, “I am especially pleased with the work the team has completed on the bunkers, as this 4

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“Environmental care is one of Volvo’s three core values, along with Quality and Safety, so it is vitally important that we take our tournaments to golf courses where sustainability considerations are at the top of the agenda,” – Per Ericsson, President, Volvo Event Management – Golf. will help identify the playing area more clearly. Our priority is to set the course up to fit in with the local weather conditions and ensure a full day’s play during the four days of the tournament.”

Adams worked closely with Mark Hooker on other key aspects of ensuring the course was fully primed for its big European Tour test.

They looked at the length of the rough, the width of the fairways and the speed and consistency of the greens, which should run to more than 12 on the Stimp Meter, considerably faster than club golfers normally face.

“The summer grass on the course was beginning to slow its growth as temperatures started to drop, so winter grass seed was sown on the fairways and greens,” explains Hooker, adding, “We had two teams working 12-hour shifts who managed to reseed the whole course in just four days. The over-seeding has gone well and we are happy with where we are,” before Tournament Director Mikael Ericsson and course designer Montgomerie arrive on site.

Environmental considerations are top of the list for any course hosting a Volvo-sponsored tournament, as Per Ericsson, President, Volvo Event Management – Golf, explains: “Environmental care is one of Volvo’s three core values, along with Quality and Safety, so it is vitally important that we take our tournaments to golf courses where sustainability considerations are at the top of the agenda.

“Colin Montgomerie is equally passionate about the environmental impact of the courses he designs,

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so we started with best practice, but between the agronomy departments of the Royal Golf Club and The European Tour, important considerations such as recycling, water and energy use and the use of organic materials have all been implemented.”

So, as many of the world’s best golfers prepare to play the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions on the Montgomerie Course at Bahrain’s Royal Golf Club, they can be assured that the course will be tough, but fair.

After all, it’s simply eco-logical. n

Finca Cortesín – Exclusivity and Elegance T

he World Match Play Championship was inaugurated by the late Mark H. McCormack back in 1964, played over the famous West Course, the notorious ‘Burma Road,’ at Wentworth Club in Surrey and, as the world’s most enduring and evocative match play championship evolved, the Roll of Honour began to read like a Who’s Who of world golf.

Eyebrows were raised when Volvo took up the baton of an event with genuinely global appeal and the hallmark of excellence, then announced that the Volvo World Match Play Championship would be relocated to Southern Spain, to Andalucía and the luxurious, discreet Finca Cortesín.

With its spectacular golf course, bespoke boutique hotel, voluptuous villas, it’s a haven of tranquillity set between the Mediterranean Sea and the tiny bright white, picture-postcard hilltop village of Casares, which dates back to Medieval times.

When the multi-millionaire elite of world golf entered the cool, calm cloistered confines of Finca Cortesín

for the 2009 Volvo World Match Play Championship, the commendations were soon incoming. “Magnificent,” said Spanish hero Sergio García; “Unbelievable,” uttered World No.1 Lee Westwood; “Without doubt, the best hotel I have ever stayed in,” according to 2006 World Match Play Championship winner Paul Casey.

Simply Superlative At a fraction under 7,500-yards, Par-72, the focal point of Finca Cortesín is the Cabell Robinson-designed golf course, described by 2009 champion golfer Ross Fisher as, “Challenging, physically and mentally demanding and in perfect condition.”

But, if the golf course is sublime, which it most certainly is, complete with its state-of-the-art Jack Nicklaus Academy and a comprehensive, commanding clubhouse, then the Hotel Cortesín is simply superlative.

Walk through the chalk-white archway with ‘Hotel Cortesín’ above, cross the threshold into the imposing reception hall and it’s like leaving the

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outside world behind – no big, bold design statements such as chandeliers and marble-topped reception desk the length of a cricket pitch.

A simple, restrained, aestheticallypleasing reception in the Andalucían style, flagstones from ancient monasteries long since deserted, a welcome from confident, discerning, well-trained staff, into an atrium of monumental proportions, bespoke interior design creating an ambience that is relaxed, reserved, cool in every sense of the word.

It is not until settling into one of Finca Cortesín’s 67 suites, ranging for the spacious Junior Suites through to the extensive Executive and positively palatial Pool Suites to the capacious Cortesín Suite or one of seven unique private villas, that the true elegance and grandeur of the experience truly comes to bear.

Each individually designed and decorated, old fashioned words such as ‘handsome’ and ‘elegant’ come to mind, for Gran Hotel Cortesín takes you back to a bygone era of style and substance,

but with the added advantages of state-of-the-art, high-tech electronics to keep in touch with the outside world seemingly far beyond Finca Cortesín’s cocoon.

US Open Championship winner, Graeme McDowell – the man who holed the winning putt in Europe’s epic Ryder Cup victory over the USA - based himself in one of Finca Cortesín’s private villas en route to winning the inaugural Valderrama Andalucía Masters.

McDowell is a man who can afford the very best wherever he stays around the world, and yet even he had his, “Breath taken away by the sheer quality of Finca Cortesín,” adding, “It’s a beautiful setting, fantastic staff, wonderful views, great facilities – gym, pool, everything we need – the very best of everything.”

The Spa at Finca Cortesín is sensational, an area dedicated to relaxation, beauty, physical and emotional wellbeing, indoor and outdoor pools, a thermal suite with Finnish sauna, ice-cold plunge pools, not to

mention Spain’s only snow cave and the most extensive range of treatments on offer.

Gastronomically, Finca Cortesín truly goes to town, from breakfast, lunch or dinner in El Jardín, indoors or al fresco, the informal but impressive Don Giovanni, the alluring Blue Bar and the Clubhouse, where the food is as good as most up-market eating establishments.

Fusion of Flavours But the best is saved until last with Schilo’s, the eponymous restaurant of Dutch masterchef Schilo Van Coevorden, an elegant epicurean experience, a fusion of flavours, colours, scents, tastes and textures from Asia, Arabia, Africa and Europe, backed-up by one of the finest wine cellars in the Andalucía region.

In keeping with the world’s finest golf resorts, there is a real estate dimension to Finca Cortesín, not that you would know it. Discreetly set back from golf course and neighbouring properties, The Reserve offers spacious, luxurious

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living within a private neighbourhood of just 16 villas, the five-star service from Hotel Cortesín always on hand.

The Villas, built in the style of traditional Andalucían architecture but with cutting-edge features and the complimentary design that runs throughout Finca Cortesín, these are homes for contemporary living, individuality built to last for generations.

Meanwhile, the Altos of Cortesín apartments, which enjoy stunning panoramic views of the golf course and Mediterranean Sea offer a blend of convenience and luxury, sharing the same design values, one, two and threebedroom apartments, each carefully crafted with spacious terraces and manicured private gardens.

Summing-up Finca Cortesín is no mean feat, for mere words and photographs can hardly do justice to this jewel in the Spanish crown, but rest assured, this is no ordinary golf resort but one where luxury is very much par for the course. n www.fincacortesin.com www.volvoworldmatchplay.com

Quality the Watchword at the Volvo Golf Champions W

hen Volvo was setting out on its inexorable automotive journey in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1927, Rolex, founded 22-yearsearlier, made its debut in sport when a swimmer, Mercedes Gleitze, swam across the English Channel wearing a Rolex Oyster, the first truly waterproof watch.

In 1967, the then world’s best and most alluring golfer, Arnold Palmer, was presented with a Rolex in recognition of his achievements on the golf course, signalling the start of a long and illustrious association with the game of golf, which endures to this day.

Indeed, Rolex has been an everpresent at The Open Championship for two generations and more, with the US Open, The Ryder Cup, the US PGA Championship also part of its crown jewels, along with world-class ambassadors, household names like Phil Mickelson, Martin Kaymer and Annika Sorenstam.

On Time But, there is another equally important, if less high-profile string to the Rolex bow, Ivor Robson, the Official Starter at The Open Championship since 1975, making his debut in Bahrain this week – courtesy of Rolex – at this week’s Volvo Golf Champions.

In fact, Ivor Robson’s baritone Scots brogue is one of world golf’s most recognisable and reassuring sounds, the veteran of more than a thousand European Tour events, the man who is charged with getting everything and everyone off on time.

Ivor Robson is old-school, his gun-metal grey hair cut to perfection, his back as straight as a military

guardsman on parade, his voice clear and resonant, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, welcome today one of the Volvo Golf Champions, on the tee from …….”

Always in position a full 90 minutes before the first tee-off time – which can sometimes be as early as sixo’clock in the morning – Robson has to ensure that his running order is

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complete, his pronunciation word perfect and that the supply of tees, pin placement diagrams, not to mention fresh fruit and water for the players and their caddies are all to hand.

Let there be no doubt about it, the first tee at any Rolex-supported championship is emphatically

under Ivor Robson’s jurisdiction, commanding the space and the respect of players checking-in on time with him before their round.

“It’s the best job in the world,” he insists, despite almost 100 flights each year, taking him all over the globe and long, protracted days spent on the first tees of golf courses on the five continents of the world, adding, “The days can be long and I have experienced almost every kind of weather, but I would not exchange it for anything.”

Robson’s principle purpose is sporting rather than public relations, announcing each and every player onto the first tee on the Montgomerie Course at the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain done without fuss or fanfare, ensuring as far as possible, that players report to him and tee-off on schedule.

Harsh Penalties “There are Rolex clocks in the clubhouse, on the practice range and putting green, so the players should always be aware of their tee-time and their own routine leading up to that,” says the Scots grandfather, adding, “I treat each and every player equally as they arrive on the first tee, be it 6.30am or 2.30pm.”

But, each season, someone invariably falls foul of the Rolex clock ticking relentlessly on the first tee, and with harsh penalties as Ivor Robson explains.

“Any player reporting up to five minutes late will be penalised two strokes, beyond five minutes, it is disqualification,” he says, adding, “It’s not a mistake they tend to make more

than once.” However, even once each group of players has been sent on their way with the military precision of ex-club professional Robson, they are not yet out of the woods when it comes to paying attention to time.

‘On the Clock,’ are three words most professional golfers fear the most; at the Volvo Golf Champions and Tournament Director Mikael Eriksson will be keeping a watchful eye on each group. If they fall behind the carefully computed time allowed and fail to make up time, there may be trouble ahead.

Denmark’s Mads Vibe-Hastrup was fined US$3,240 (Approx. BHD1,220) and given a one-shot penalty for slow play at the 2009 Barclays Scottish Open, the 2007 Madrid Open champion twice incurring ‘bad times,’ a third-round 70 turned into a 71 after being informed of his punishment by European Tour Chief Referee John Paramor.

The Dane had taken 74 seconds to

“There are Rolex clocks in the clubhouse, on the practice range and putting green, so the players should always be aware of their teetime and their own routine leading up to that,” – Ivor Robson 59

play his tee shot at the eighth hole on the Saturday, the allowed time being 55 seconds before taking a further 59 seconds to strike his first blow on the 17th tee.

More recently, Rolex Ambassador Phil Mickelson also fell foul of the Rules at the recent Barclays Singapore Open, incurring a two-shot penalty for being late. “I was happy to accept the penalty and not to be disqualified,” said Mickelson.

His Ryder Cup team-mate Jim Furyk, received the ultimate sanction – disqualification from The Barclays in New York, the first event of the four-tournament PGA Tour Play-offs for the FedExCup. His sin was missing his 7.30am tee time for The Barclays Pro-Am because his alarm clock failed and he slept in.

Miniscule margins, the harshest of penalties, but with live TV, media deadlines, the rest of the field and the prospect of facing Ivor Robson on the first tee the next morning, don’t expect any of those chasing the trophy at the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions either to be late on the first tee or to be put, ‘On the Clock,’ because, as the old adage goes, ‘Time is money.’ n www.rolex.com www.europeantour.com

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CHAMPIONS CLUB HOSPITALITY

MAJLIS HOSPITALITY

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PUTTING GREEN

Prize money Breakdown 1 €283,330.00 2 188,760.00 3 106,420.00 4 85,000.00 5 72,080.00 6 59,500.00 7 51,000.00 8 42,500.00 9 37,910.00 10 34,000.00 11 31,280.00 12 29,240.00 13 27,370.00 14 26,010.00 15 24,990.00 16 23,970.00 17 22,950.00 18 21,930.00 19 21,080.00 20 20,400.00 21 19,890.00 22 19,380.00 23 18,870.00 24 18,360.00 25 17,850.00 26 17,340.00 27 16,830.00 28 16,320.00 29 15,810.00 30 15,300.00 31 14,790.00 32 14,280.00 33 13,940.00 34 13,600.00 35 13,260.00 36 12,920.00 37 12,580.00 38 12,240.00 39 11,900.00 40 11,560.00 41 11,220.00 42 10,880.00 43 10,540.00 44 10,200.00 45 9,860.00 46 9,520.00 47 9,180.00 48 8,840.00 49 8,500.00 50 8,160.00 51 7,820.00 52 7,480.00 53 7,140.00 54 6,800.00 55 6,460.00 56 6,120.00 57 5,780.00 58 5,440.00 59 5,270.00 60 5,100.00 61 4,930.00 62 4,760.00 63 4,590.00 64 4,420.00 65 4,250.00 Total €1,700,000

VolVo golF cHamPions scHeDUle oF eVenTs Monday Tuesday

Practice Day Practice Day

Wednesday

Pro Am; Limited afternoon practice Course open from 0700 – 1600

Approx. first tee time: 0700

Approx. end of play: 1700

Thursday

Round 1 of the Volvo Golf Champions Course open from 0600 – 1800

Threeballs off 1st & 10th tees

Approx. first tee time: 0700

Approx. end of play: 1700

Friday

Round 2 of the Volvo Golf Champions Course open from 0600 – 1800

Threeballs off 1st & 10th tees

Approx. first tee time: 0700

Approx. end of play: 1700 After the first two rounds the field will be cut to the leading 60 Professionals and those tied for 60th place. Only these players will compete over the 3rd and final rounds of the Volvo Golf Champions.

Saturday

Sunday

Round 3 of the Volvo Golf Champions, including the Volvo Golf Champions Amateur- Pro Team Competition Course open from 0600 – 1800

Threeballs off 1st & 10th tees

Approx. first tee time: 0700

Approx. end of play: 1700

Final Round of the Volvo Golf Champions Course open from 0600 – 1800

Two or threeballs off 1st tee

Approx. first tee time: 0800

Approx. end of play: 1700

QUaliFicaTion cRiTeRia The championship will be open to players who have taken up 2011 european Tour membership and who are eligible under the following categories: 1. Winners of the following from 2001 onwards: Open Championship, ET Order of Merit /Race to Dubai, US Masters, US Open Championship and US PGA Championship.

2. Winners of the following from 2006 onwards: PGA Championship, TPC of Europe, European Open (up to and including 2008), Dubai World Championship and Volvo Masters.

3. Winners of 2008 onwards World Golf Championship events and 2009 onwards: European Open, French Open and Scottish Open tournaments.

4. Winners of 2009 onwards: European Tour Race to Dubai tournaments with a prize fund of €1.5m and higher.

5. Winners of 2010 onwards: European Tour Race to Dubai tournaments with prize fund of below €1.5m.

6. Up to six sponsor invitations.

7. Members of the last named Ryder Cup Team and who have previously won a European Tour Race to Dubai / Order of Merit tournament.

8. Members who are eligible for Category 8 in the 2011 European Tour exemption category breakdown and who have previously won a European Tour Race to Dubai / Order of Merit tournament.

9. Players finishing within positions 1-40 on the 2010 career money list and who have previously won a European Tour Race to Dubai / Order of Merit tournament.

10. The winner of the last played King Hamad Trophy.

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players list of entries Entries in Category 0a. Winner of the last played King Hamad Trophy 1 Andrew MARSHALL Green17 ENG Entries in Category 1. Winners of Majors/European Tour Order of Merit (Race To Dubai) 2 Padraig HARRINGTON IRL 3 Todd HAMILTON USA 4 Robert KARLSSON SWE 5 Colin MONTGOMERIE Elizabeth Montgomerie Fdn SCO 6 Michael CAMPBELL

NZL Entries in Category 2. Winners PGA Championship from 1997/ TPC of Europe/Volvo Masters/Dubai World Championship 7 Simon KHAN Black Mountain GC ENG 8 Paul CASEY

ENG 9 Miguel Angel JIMÉNEZ

ESP 10 Anders HANSEN

DEN 11 David HOWELL

ENG 12 Stephen DODD

WAL 13 Søren KJELDSEN

DEN 14 Jeev Milkha SINGH Jumeirah Golf Estates IND Entries in Category 2b. Winners of World Golf Championships/ European Open/French Open; Scottish Open (from 2009 onwards) 15 Francesco MOLINARI Circolo Golf Torino ITA 16 Ian POULTER Woburn G&CC ENG 17 Edoardo MOLINARI Circolo Golf Torino ITA 18 Christian CÉVAËR Golf Court Academy FRA Entries in Category 3. European Tour Order of Merit Tournament Winners 2008-2010 inclusive 19 Matteo MANASSERO

ITA 20 Richard GREEN

AUS 21 Peter HANSON

SWE 22 David HORSEY Styal GC ENG 23 Alvaro QUIROS

ESP 24 Marcus FRASER Kingswood GC AUS 25 Andrew DODT

AUS 26 Grégory BOURDY Golf Bordelais FRA 27 Michael JONZON

SWE 28 Ross McGOWAN

ENG 29 Simon DYSON Alanda Group, Spain ENG 30 James KINGSTON Rustenburg GC RSA 31 Alexander NOREN Haninge GK SWE 32 Peter HEDBLOM

SWE 33 Oskar HENNINGSSON

SWE 34 Nick DOUGHERTY Shaw Hill G&CC ENG 35 Jeppe HULDAHL Aaskov GK DEN 36 Thomas LEVET

FRA 37 Thongchai JAIDEE Raimon Land Thailand THA 38 Scott STRANGE

AUS 39 Danny LEE

NZL 40 Anthony KANG

USA 41 Sergio GARCIA Club de Golf Del Med. ESP Entries in Category 3a. Medical Extension 42 John BICKERTON

ENG

Entries in Category 3b. Winners of dual ranking European/ Challenge Tour events and from 2009 onwards, winners of Race to Dubai events with a prize fund below €1.5 million 43 Pablo MARTIN

ESP 44 John PARRY

Harrogate GC ENG 45 José Manuel LARA

ESP

46 Martin WIEGELE 47 Thomas BJÖRN 48 Fredrik ANDERSSON HED 49 James MORRISON 50 Rhys DAVIES

51 Seung-yul NOH 52 Richie RAMSAY

GC Erzherzog Johann AUT Golf in Dubai DEN Laholm GK SWE ENG St Georges Hill

WAL

KOR

SCO

Entries in Category 3c. Winners in three 2010 Challenge Tour events 53 Richard STERNE

RSA Entries in Category 8. Players finishing within positions 1-117 from 2010 Race To Dubai 54 Stephen GALLACHER Kingsfield Golf Centre SCO 55 Grégory HAVRET

FRA 56 Darren CLARKE

NIR 57 Gonzalo FDEZ-CASTAÑO GFC Golf & Business ESP 58 Peter LAWRIE Castleknock GC IRL 59 Alejandro CAÑIZARES Valderrama GC ESP 60 Raphaël JACQUELIN Terre Blanche GC FRA 61 Damien McGRANE Olive Group IRL 62 Ignacio GARRIDO

ESP 63 Brett RUMFORD Royal Perth AUS 64 Robert-Jan DERKSEN Het Ryk Golf Banen NED 65 Johan EDFORS Black Mt GC, Hua Hin SWE 66 Søren HANSEN

DEN 67 Bradley DREDGE Al Ain Eq. S & GC WAL 68 Richard FINCH B. Yeardley Cont. Ltd. ENG 69 Mikko ILONEN Black Mt GC, Hua Hin FIN 70 Paul LAWRIE

Carrick on Loch Lomond SCO 71 Christian NILSSON Karlstad GK SWE 72 Anthony WALL

ENG 73 Rafael CABRERA-BELLO LOPESAN Group ESP 74 Marcel SIEM

Country Sports Siem GER 75 Graeme STORM Champions (UK) PLC ENG 76 David LYNN

ENG 77 Pablo LARRAZÁBAL

ESP 78 Michael HOEY

NIR 79 Mark FOSTER Club SBM ENG 80 Steve WEBSTER Al Naboodah Group ENG 81 Maarten LAFEBER Lake Nona NED 82 Tano GOYA

El Potrerillo de L. R & CC ARG 83 Phillip PRICE

WAL 84 Mark BROWN Shandon GC NZL 85 Niclas FASTH

SWE 86 Kenneth FERRIE

ENG 87 Hennie OTTO Maggersfontein Mem.GE RSA 88 David DIXON

ENG 89 Ricardo GONZALEZ Handicap Cero G A ARG 90 Felipe AGUILAR Marbella Chile CC CHI Entries in Category 8a. Medical Extension 91 Gary ORR

Helensburgh GC 92 Paul BROADHURST

SCO ENG

Entries in Category 9. Top 40 2010 Career Money List 93 José Maria OLAZÁBAL

94 Barry LANE

ESP ENG

Entries in Category 99. Amateurs included in the field 95 Nasser YACOOB SALEH (AM)

BRN At close of entries a field size of 95 is confirmed. The field could be increased to 103 with six sponsors invites and potentially two new European Tour winners (Cat 97).

Paul Casey

P

aUl casey is one of the finest european golfers of his generation having won ten times on The european Tour, including the 2006 Volvo china open and a double success in the middle east with victory in the abu Dhabi golf championship in 2007 and 2009.

The Arizona-based Englishman made his big breakthrough on the US PGA Tour in 2009, winning the Shell Houston Open, but lost out in the all-English final of the 2010 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship to Ian Poulter.

Casey was crowned the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in 2001 after his impressive debut season, the highlight of which was a victory at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

In 2006 Casey resurrected his career by winning the Volvo China Open in Shenzhen, defeating compatriot Oliver

Date of Birth: July 21, 1977

Height: 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122; 10â&#x20AC;?

Wilson in a play-off, before going on to claim the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles for the second time.

The 33-year-old played a starring role in the 2006 European Ryder Cup triumph at The K Club, his second successive appearance on a successful European team, the highlight of which was a sensational hole-in-one at the 14th on day two of the event.

Casey capped the year with a comprehensive 10 and 8 win over Shaun Micheel in the World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, ending the season second on the Order of Merit.

Casey enjoyed a glittering amateur prior to turning professional. He was a member of the victorious Walker Cup team in 1999 and followed that a year later by winning the prestigious St Andrews Trophy.

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Born: cheltenham, england

Turned professional: 2000 European Tour Wins: 10 Career Victories: 13 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: 12 Official World Golf Ranking: 8

Peter Hanson

P

eTeR Hanson had an exceptional season on The european Tour last year with two wins which saw him finish 17th on The Race to Dubai and secured him a debut berth in The Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in October.

The Swede won his third European Tour title at the Iberdrola Open Cala Millor Mallorca in May, which put him on cusp of the automatic qualification for The Ryder Cup. Top-ten finishes followed at the Alstom Open de France and the WGCBridgestone Invitational and, knowing he needed to win again to secure his place, he clinched the Czech Open in a three-way play-off against Gary Boyd and Peter Lawrie in late August.

His 2010 season was Hanson’s most successful to date, earning US$1.75 million (Approx. BHD660,000) to

Date of Birth: october 4, 1977

Height: 6’ 3”

take his career prize money to over US$9million (Approx. BHD3.4million).

Hanson played his part for Europe at The Ryder Cup in Wales, scoring one point – a crucial 2up victory over Americans Bubba Watson and Jeff Overton alongside Miguel Angel Jiménez in the fourballs in Session 3.

In 2008 Hanson became the first Swede to win his national open tournament – the SAS Masters – in ten years after he defeated compatriot Pelle Edberg and England’s Nick Dougherty by one shot and take home the cheque for US$356,000 (Approx.

BHD134,000).

The soft-spoken Swede picked up his maiden European Tour title in 2005 at the Jazztel Open de España after defeating fellow Swede Peter Gustafsson in a play-off.

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Born: svedala, sweden

Turned Professional: 1998 European Tour Wins: 4 Career Victories: 9 2010 Final Race to Dubai Ranking: 17 Official World Golf Ranking: 41

Miguel Angel Jiménez

m

igUel angel Jiménez enjoyed a successful season last year with three victories on The european Tour and a fourth Ryder cup appearance at celtic manor in october.

Jiménez began his campaign by defeating Lee Westwood in a play-off at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic before going on to win the French Open, this time defeating Italian Francesco Molinari and compatriot Alejandro Cañizares in another play-off.

The Jiménez hat-trick came at the Omega European Masters where the Spaniard put in a dazzling performance, shooting 21 under par to win by three from the other Molinari brother, Edoardo.

Jiménez was in inspirational form at Celtic Manor, earning two points from three matches, including a crucial singles victory over Bubba Watson on the final

Date of Birth: January 5, 1964

Height: 5’ 10”

day as Europe triumphed 14½ –13½.

One of seven brothers, Jiménez worked as a caddie before taking up the game at 15, joining the European Tour in 1988 and securing his maiden title in 1992.

Nicknamed ‘El Mechanico’, because of his love of fast cars and never happier than when under the hood of his beloved Ferrari, Jiménez, who won the Volvo Masters in 1999, is instantly recognisable on the course with his trademark ponytail and Havana cigars.

The Spanish veteran, who, just like his favourite Rioja, seems to get better with age, is one of the game’s most colourful characters and the 47-year-old has a plaque in his honour on the 17th tee at Valderrama to commemorate a remarkable albatross two on one of world golf’s most notoriously difficult holes.

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Born: malaga, spain

Turned professional: 1982 European Tour wins: 18 Career victories: 21 Final 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: 9 Official World Golf Ranking: 24

Robert Karlsson

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oBeRT Karlsson book-ended 2010 with victories in the middle east as he ended his campaign in sixth place on The Race to Dubai with a fraction over Us$3million (approx. BHD1.1million) in season earnings.

He began the season with a threestroke win over defending champion Alvaro Quiros at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters and then ended it with a play-off victory over Ian Poulter at the Dubai World Championship.

In 2008 Karlsson became the first Swede to top the Order of Merit after two victories and ten top-ten finishes in a sensational season.

His first win came at the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Germany in September and he then made his second appearance for Europe in The Ryder Cup where

Date of Birth: september 3,1969

Height: 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122; 5â&#x20AC;?

he earned two points from four matches. Back on The European Tour Karlsson won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October after a play-off victory over Martin Kaymer and Ross Fisher.

He went on to claim the Harry Vardon Trophy for topping the Order of Merit with US$3.7million (Approx.

BHD1.4million) in earnings and then capped a great year by teaming up with Henrik Stenson to win the Omega Mission Hills World Cup for Sweden.

In 2009 Karlsson had a frustrating time on The European Tour, playing just 13 events after suffering a debilitating eye injury in May, then contracting glandular fever in the spring of 2010, but the giant Swede looks to be back to his best in time for the Volvo Golf Champions and the defence of his Qatar crown.

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Born: Katrineholm, sweden

Turned Professional: 1989 European Tour Wins: 11 Career Victories: 11 Final 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: 6 Official World Golf Ranking: 17

Matteo Manassero

T

eenage protégé matteo manassero became the youngest winner in european Tour history when he captured the casTellÓ masTeRs costa azahar in october 2010 at just 17 years and 188 days, his first big pay cheque worth Us$445,000 (approx. BHD168,000).

The youngster from Verona followed that with a runner-up spot in the prestigious UBS Hong Kong Open and was the unanimous choice as 2010 European Tour Rookie of the Year, following in the footsteps of fellow Volvo Golf Champions competitors Ian Poulter (2000), Thomas Björn (1996), Colin Montgomerie (1988) and José Maria Olazábal, who won the accolade in 1986.

After becoming the youngest – and the first Italian – winner of the Amateur Championship in June 2009, he

Date of Birth: april 19, 1993

Height: 5’ 11”

went on later that year to become the youngest recipient of the R&A Silver Medal awarded to the leading amateur in The Open Championship at Turnberry.

Manassero broke another record in April 2010 when he became the youngest player to make the cut at the Masters Tournament, where he finished in a tie for 36th place in what was the best performance by a European amateur for 73 years.

Manassero took up golf at the age of four, one of his first memories was of meeting his hero, Severiano Ballesteros, who was taken by the young Italian’s chipping ability.

Today, Manassero always dresses in Seve’s trademark white shirt and green trousers on the final day of any tournament, and it was fitting his maiden victory was on Spanish soil, a win he dedicated to Ballesteros.

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Born: negar, Verona, italy

Turned Professional: 2010 European Tour Wins: 1 Career Victories: 1 Final 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: 31 Official World Golf Ranking: 62

Edoardo Molinari

e

DoaRDo molinari burst into the limelight on The european Tour last year with two sensational victories on scottish soil, impressing colin montgomerie, who gave him a wildcard pick for The Ryder cup.

Molinari won his first European Tour title at The Barclays Scottish Open in July with a three-shot victory over Darren Clarke after finishing on 12 under par, winning the biggest prize of his career to date, US$803,000 (Approx.

BHD303,000).

One month later the Italian claimed the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, storming home with three consecutive birdies, defeating Australian Brett Rumford by one stroke.

Molinari secured one point from three matches for Montgomerie’s European Ryder Cup team, including a crucial half point in the singles against young

Date of Birth: February 11, 1981 Height: 5’ 11” Born: Turin, italy

American Rickie Fowler. He and his younger brother Francesco were the first brothers to play in the same European team (Bernard and Jeff Hunt played in the Great Britain and Ireland team together in 1963).

The pair had teamed-up in late 2009 to win the World Cup for Italy for the first time in the country’s history Omega Mission Hills World Cup just a few days after capturing Japan’s richest event, the Dunlop Phoenix. Edoardo joined The European Tour after a record-breaking season on the Challenge Tour in 2009, when two wins and nine further top-ten finishes saw him top the Challenge Tour rankings with record earnings of US$325,000 (Approx. BHD123,000.)

Prior to turning professional Molinari had an exceptional amateur career, becoming the first European to win the US Amateur for 94 years back in 2005.

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Turned Professional: 2006 European Tour Wins: 2 Career Victories: 9 Final 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: 11 Official World Golf Ranking: 18

Francesco Molinari

i

Talian Francesco molinari wrapped up the biggest win of his career last november with a stunning onestroke victory over World number one lee Westwood at the World golf championships-HsBc champions in shanghai.

The younger of the two Molinari brothers entered the final round with a one-stroke lead and held off the Englishman with a 67 for a wire-towire victory and a cheque for US$1.15 million (Approx. BHD435,000). Including his WGC win, Francesco made 25 cuts in 26 consecutive starts and in a remarkable run of consistency, recorded ten top-ten finishes in 2011.

In 2009 Molinari came to prominence alongside his brother Edoardo when they won the Omega Mission Hills World Cup for Italy and in October last year they both made their Ryder Cup debuts for

Date of Birth: november 8, 1982

Europe at Celtic Manor, playing together twice.

Francesco earned half a point out of three matches as Europe secured the closest fought Ryder Cup since 1999.

Francesco secured his place in Colin Montgomerie’s side after some superb performances on The European Tour, which included a runner-up finish at the Alstom Open de France where he was edged-out by Miguel Angel Jiménez in a play-off.

Molinari joined The European Tour in 2005 and won his first title a year later on home soil at the Telecom Italia Open by carding a superb final round 65 to win by four strokes from Anders Hansen and Jarmo Sandelin.

Family football rivalries are assured as the brothers, Francesco and Edoardo, support arch-rivals Inter Milan and Juventus respectively.

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Height: 5’ 8”

Born: Turin, italy

Turned Professional: 2004 European Tour Wins: 2 Career Victories: 3 Final 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: 5 Official World Golf Ranking: 16

Colin Montgomerie, OBE

c

olin montgomerie’s playing schedule took a back seat in 2010 as he prepared to fulfil a life-long dream of captaining the european Ryder cup team at celtic manor in october, where he led europe to a narrow 14.5–13.5 victory over the Usa to regain the trophy.

As a player Montgomerie has represented Europe in eight Ryder Cups and in 2006 he became the second player to play in five successive Ryder Cup teams.

Montgomerie is unbeaten in his eight singles matches and in 2004 at Oakland Hills he had the honour of holing the winning putt.

Montgomerie holds the record for the most European Tour titles by a British golfer after he eclipsed Nick Faldo’s haul of 30 with victory at The European Open at The K Club in 2007. He then

Date of Birth: June 23, 1963 Height: 6’ 2” Born: glasgow, scotland

capped the year in fine style with victory for Scotland in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup alongside Marc Warren.

The Scot spent an unprecedented seven consecutive years at the top of the Volvo Order of Merit from 1993 to 1999, and topped it again in 2005, and with career earnings of over US$32million (Approx. BHD 16million) he sits in second place on the European Tour Official Career Earnings table behind Ernie Els. Montgomerie clearly enjoys playing events sponsored by Volvo, having won titles under the Volvo banner nine times, including three Volvo PGA Championships in succession 1998, 1999 and 2000.

The 47-year-old designed the Montgomerie Course over which this week’s Volvo Golf Champions will be played.

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Turned Professional: 1987 European Tour Wins: 34 Career Victories: 40 Final 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: 129 Official World Golf Ranking: 420

José Maria Olazábal

J

osÉ maria olazábal is one of the finest golfers ever to play on The european Tour, having won 23 times on the circuit, including the masters Tournament in 1994 and again in 1999.

Olazábal has also won four further times on the US PGA Tour, including the NEC World Series of Golf on two occasions, the first in 1990 by a recordwinning margin of 12 shots.

Olazábal enjoyed a glittering amateur career, winning the British Boys, Youths and Amateur titles, defeating Colin Montgomerie in the final of the 1994 Amateur Championship at Formby Golf Club.

He won the Volvo Belgian Open in 1988, followed by the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth in 1994, having just won that first the Green Jacket at Augusta National.

Olazábal missed almost two whole

Date of Birth: February 5, 1966

Height: 5’ 10”

seasons in 1995 and 1996 due to rheumatoid polyarthritis in both feet, but battled back to win his second Green Jacket in1999.

He forged a great Ryder Cup partnership with his compatriot Seve Ballesteros, making his debut aged just 21. The pair hold the record as the most formidable pairing in Ryder Cup history, winning 11 matches, halving two and losing just two of their 15 matches together.

Olazábal also led Spain to victory in the Alfred Dunhill Cup in 1999 at St Andrews in the company of a young Sergio García and his close friend and compatriot Miguel Angel Jiménez, before spearheading a successful title defence the following year in the event’s final outing. The 44-year-old is once again on the comeback trail after an injury-blighted season last year.

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Born: Fuenterrabia, spain

Turned Professional: 1987 European Tour Wins 23 Career Victories: 30 Final 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: n/a Official World Golf Ranking: 570

Ian Poulter

i

an Poulter won twice on The european Tour last year – including the biggest victory of his career – and the biggest pay-day at Us$1.4million (approx. BHD530,000) at the World golf championships-accenture match Play championship – on his way to finishing fourth on The Race to Dubai with just over Us$4million (approx.

BHD1.5million) in prize money.

His second win came in November at the UBS Hong Kong Open, the penultimate event of the season, when he defeated Italian youngster Matteo Manassero and Simon Dyson by one stroke.

The following week he was edgedout by Robert Karlsson in a play-off at the Dubai World Championship after he incurred a one-shot penalty for inadvertently moving his ball marker on

Date of Birth: January 10, 1976

Height: 6’ 1”

the green. Poulter qualified for his third Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor last year and tasted success for the second time, helping Europe to a narrow victory after he scored three points from four including a superb 5 and 4 victory over Matt Kuchar in the singles.

Since turning professional in 1994 Poulter, who was European Tour Rookie of the Year in 2000, has won ten times on The European Tour including the 2004 Volvo Masters at Valderrama and in 2007 he won the prestigious Dunlop Phoenix Open in Japan.

Renowned for his debonair dress sense, the colourful Englishman, who is an avid Arsenal FC fan, has his own golf and leisurewear label.

He has accumulated over US$21million (Approx. BHD8million) in career earnings.

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Born: Hitchin, england

Turned Professional: 1994 European Tour Wins: 10 Career Victories: 11 Final 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: 4 Official World Golf Ranking: 10

Nasser Yacoob Saleh

n

asseR Yacoob saleh makes history by becoming the first Bahraini golfer to appear in a european Tour event on home soil.

The father-of-four almost made it into the prestigious Volvo Golf Champions at the first time of asking through the King Hamad Trophy, but the Bahraini amateur ace made no mistake at the second attempt, winning the Bahrain Golf Association Team Qualifier three weeks to the day before teeing-off in the biggest event of his career to date.

Having represented Bahrain in various amateur events across the Middle East region, the Bahrain

Date of Birth: January 1, 1962 Height: 6’ 0”

Defence Force employee knows the Montgomerie Course like the back of his hand and has even played the course against its designer Colin Montgomerie.

Saleh, whose golfing favourites are Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, has enjoyed the game since the age of 16 having played much of his early golf on the sand course at the Awali Golf Clib here in Bahrain.

Saleh is excited by the prospect of mixing it with some of the top professionals on The European Tour. His ambition is to, “Play well, give it my best shot and try to make the halfway cut.”

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Born: Bahrain

Status: amateur Career Victories: 3 (am) Final 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: n/a Official World Golf Ranking: n/a

Jeev Milkha Singh

J

eeV milkha singh is india’s most successful golfer ever, the first player to challenge the supremacy of the country’s cricketers as a national sporting icon.

Singh won five times in Asia in the early part of his professional career before a seven-year drought saw him almost give up the game for good.

He bounced back in style in 2006, winning the Volvo China Open followed by the prestigious Volvo Masters – a result that put Asian golf firmly on the world map – to finish the season 15th on the Order of Merit.

Twice the winner of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Singh has also been prolific on the Japanese Tour, where he has won four times. He claimed the prestigious Barclays Singapore Open in

Date of Birth: December 15, 1971

Height: 6’ 0”

2008, one of three victories worldwide in his most successful season ever.

The son of Indian Olympic athlete Milkha Singh, Singh followed in his father’s footsteps when he was awarded India’s highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri in 2007. He reached a career-high point of 35th in the Official World Golf Ranking in 2008 and is aiming for the top 50 once again after an injury-plagued 2010.

Singh became the first Indian to play the Masters Tournament in 2007 and the following year posted a top-ten finish in the US PGA Championship.

He is married to his childhood sweetheart Kudrat, who presented him with a son, Harjai, who will celebrate his first birthday during the Volvo Golf Champions.

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Born: chandigarh, india

Turned Professional: 1993 European Tour Wins: 3 Career Victories: 13 Final 2010 Race to Dubai Ranking: 74 Official World Golf Ranking: 170

30

Monty – Architect of His Own Success?

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INNING Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie is forging a burgeoning reputation as a course designer with a natural feel for the game and an empathy with professional and amateur players alike, and his eponymous golf course at the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain looks set to test the best at this week’s Volvo Golf Champions.

The received wisdom is that, ‘golf is a game for life,’ and never was that truism more appropriate than in the case of one Colin Stuart Montgomerie, OBE. The man they call ‘Monty’ may have started late in making money from the game, turning professional aged 24, but as the big 50 approaches, he’s making up for lost time.

Professionalism His on-course earnings of over US$30million (Approx.

BHD11.5million) have come courtesy of 40-plus professional wins – he won at least once every year between 1993 and 2007 – whilst, away from the golf course, Monty has a reputation as ‘sponsors’ sweetheart.’

The Scot is as comfortable in the boardroom as he is in the locker room and the first pick in the pro-am, his after dinner speaking, golf clinics and company days are the epitome of professionalism. However, it is

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in the field of course design that Montgomerie is making his latest mark.

Selective rather than prolific, from his early creation, The Address Montgomerie, Dubai to Rowallan Castle in his native Scotland and now the Montgomerie Course at the Royal Golf Club in Bahrain, which this week hosts its first European Tour event, the Volvo Golf Champions, quality is the watchword if it is to bear the name – and the hallmark – of the most successful European golfer of all time.

“If something is carrying your name, you personally ensure that you give it your full attention, believe me,” insists the Scot. “You want it to be something special, not just for yourself but for all golfers who give up their time to play your creation – and, hopefully it leaves them with a long lasting impression.”

The eight-time European Tour Order of Merit winner, who became the first man to put his name down for Bahrain’s first-ever European Tour event continues: “I take great pride in both and certainly get a kick out of both (playing and designing) and although they are very different. I always aim for perfection in my job, whether it’s playing a tournament or designing a golf course, I always give it my best efforts.”

Montgomerie is also smart, smart enough to leave the detailed design and construction work to his colleagues at European Golf Design, 4

who collaborate with him in Europe and IMG Design, his partners in Asia and the Middle East.

Montgomeire worked on the Bahrain project with the lead designer from European Golf Design, Robin Hiseman, who says, “The project encouraged us to use our creativity, bring into play what natural features were available to us such as the wadi on the front nine and the end result is, I believe a golf course that will challenge the leading European Tour players at the same time as enabling members and visitors to enjoy their experience to the full as well.”

Handiwork Hosting – and playing in – a big-money European Tour event is something of a challenge for the man who was first to put his name in the frame for the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions, so how will the Scot feel about having his handiwork judged by his fellow professionals in Bahrain this week?

“Quite nervous,” says Montgomerie.

“Under normal circumstances I would be a bit worried about facing my critics.

But this is not a normal golf course and I don’t think I will have one critic out there.

“It is a brilliant golf course and I look forward to seeing what Europe’s best can do. Whether I play poorly or whether I play well, I am going to enjoy the week and I look forward to talking to the other players about the course and seeing what they feel about it.

“The Montgomerie at The Royal

Golf Club, is very personal to me,” he continues. “I have had the good fortune to spend a great deal of my time outside my playing schedule here in Bahrain, which I’ve dedicated to this project.

“The Royal Golf Club course is only the fourth of my signature courses, making it very special indeed.”

Montgomerie believes that rather than having a ‘definitive design style’ it is important for a course architect to work with the local landscape and conditions in order to get the best results.

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“My design beliefs, I feel, have grown with me throughout my career and I like to think they are not only an extension of me but also at the very edge of the latest design concepts and cutting edge technology,” he says. “Golf course design is a fusion of the designer’s vision and his experiences but is also driven by the local topography, climate and, or course the client’s brief.”

He adds: “We have definitely got a very interesting and unique layout.

“This is a landscape I adore and feel

comfortable with. The Scottish style of deep bunkering is a mark I always like to carry with me in my design work.

“The hazards are hazards and are meant to be a challenge, water and streams should come into play (and) it’s important that golf should be challenging, and the golfer, whatever their standard, should have to work for every shot in his or her round.

“Paramount to my belief is that golf should always be enjoyable. It doesn’t matter if it’s your leisure time

or business, you should leave a course feeling challenged yet satisfied. It should be somewhere that eagerly encourages you to come back – a total golf experience.”

Without a European Tour victory since the 2007 Irish Open, might Montgomerie use his inside knowledge of the course carrying his name to get back into the winner’s enclosure at the Volvo Golf Champions?

Only time will tell, but if any man can, Monty can.

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“It is a brilliant golf course and I look forward to seeing what Europe’s best can do. Whether I play poorly or whether I play well, I am going to enjoy the week and I look forward to talking to the other players about the course and seeing what they feel about it.”

–Colin Montgomerie www.theroyalgolfclub.com www.volvogolfchampions.com www.colinmontgomerie.com www.egd.com

colin monTgomeRie’s coURse gUiDe

Hole 1 424 YaRDs PaR 4 Straight into the action with the first of many holes where risk must be weighed against reward. Cutting the corner of Straight into the action with the first of many holes where risk must be weighed against reward. Cutting the corner of the diagonally the diagonally aligned fairway offers the shortest route from tee to green, but the best approach angle to the unusual aligned fairway offers the shortest route from tee to green, but the best approach angle to the unusual fall-away green is found by fall-away green is found by driving over the large hump across the fairway. Drive too far left and the approach is totally driving over the large hump across the fairway. Drive too far left and the approach is totally blind over the ridge in front of the green. blind over the ridge in front of the green. The green setting is unique, nestling in a narrow cleft between steep wadi The green setting is unique, nestling in a narrow cleft between steep wadi slopes. Gathering slopes will feed the ball towards the green, slopes. Gathering slopes feed the ball towards the green, but hidden bunkers and swales lurk in the shadows. but hidden bunkers and swales lurk in the shadows.

Hole 2 213 YaRDs PaR 3 This is, quite simply, one of the most spectacular short holes in the world. The new championship tee offers a heroic ‘all or nothing’ shot to the green perched precariously above the vertical wadi walls. This hole offers a Quite simply, one of the most spectacular short holes in the World. The new championship tee offers a heroic Ô all or nothingÕ shot to challenge reminiscent of the famous 16th at Cypress Point, California, USA, and is sure to attract a lot of attention the green perched precariously above the vertical wadi walls. This hole offers a challenge reminiscent of the famous 16th hole at and comment. A wide selection of teeing areas make the test a little more manageable for mere mortals.

Cypress Point and is sure to attract a lot of attention and comment. A wide selection of teeing areas make the test a little more manageable for mere mortals.

Hole 3 578 YaRDs PaR 5

From the back tee sitting high on a narrow wadi ridge, a wonderful panorama of the front nine holes spreads out From the back tee sitting high on a narrow wadi ridge, a wonderful panorama of the front nine holes spreads out before you. This is a before you. This is a big, galloping par 5 that swings and sways its way gently to the right over and around dunebig, galloping par 5 that swings and sways its way gently to the right over and around dune like undulations to a green site nudged against like undulations to a green site nudged against the base of a steep escarpment. The dominant feature is the the base of a steep escarpment. The dominant feature is the massive waste bunker that eats into the entire right flank of the hole. The massive waste bunker that eats into the entire right flank of the hole. The multitude of ridges, swales, humps and multitude of ridges, swales, humps and hollows give this hole a distinct links character and this hole embraces the low, running shot in hollows give this hole a distinct links character and the hole embraces the low, running shot in equal measure to equal measure to the high, floating approach. the high, floating approach.

Hole 4 487 YaRDs PaR 4 AnA candidate for the toughest hole, the fourth contrasts with the third in that it will generally demand an aerial early candidate for the toughest hole, the 4th contrasts with the 3rd in that it will generally demand an aerial approach over an approach over an enormous natural sand hazard to find the green in two. Another downhill tee shot, this time enormous natural sand hazard to find the green in two. Another downhill tee shot, this time through a shallow valley to a wide fairway through a shallow valley to a wide fairway, offers a dramatic view of the distant green, perched on an angled plain, offers a dramatic view of the distant green, perched on an angled ridge. Tee shots that hug the left of the fairway will minimise the ridge. Tee shots that hug the left of the fairway will minimise the carry over sand, but with a back left hole location carry over sand, but with a back left hole location this seemingly crafty play will leave you with a very awkward approach angle. Big this seemingly crafty play will leave you with a very awkward approach angle. Big dunes pinch the fairway along dunes pinch the fairway along its left edge and a curious hillock directly in the middle of the lay-up area complicates pitching.

its left edge and a curious hillock directly in the middle of the lay-up area complicates pitching.

Hole 5 408 YaRDs PaR 4

The brave can take the direct route to the green over the canyon with their tee shot. The more timid may Dare you take the direct route to the green over the canyon with your tee shot, or will you avoid the risk of plunging into the chasm avoid the risk of plunging into the chasm and play instead to the wide, flat fairway. The reward for success and play instead to the wide, flat fairway? The reward for success is a straightforward pitch and run shot into the tumbling green, whilst is a straightforward pitch-and-run shot into the tumbling green, whilst the price of caution is the aerial only the price of caution is the aerial only approach shot over the deep, wadi canyon. This classic risk-andĂ? reward option is a tempting approach shot over the deep, wadi canyon. This classic risk-andâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;reward option is a tempting proposition proposition from each of the tee sets. from each of the tee boxes.

Hole 6 402 YaRDs PaR 4

The wadi ravine continues its influence, as it must be carried with the tee shot and continues to run the entire The wadi ravine continues its influence, as it must be carried with the tee shot and continues to run the entire length of the hole to length of the hole to the right. A series of small rock pools and cascades are dotted along along this valley, to give right. A series of small rock pools and cascades will be created along this valley, to give the attractive aural accompaniment of softly the attractive aural accompaniment of softly running water. The sixth features an enormous green that pitches running water.

The 6th features an enormous green that pitches and rolls like a heavy ocean swell and as a result this hole again rew and rolls like a heavy ocean swell and as a result this hole again rewards the well-played running approach shot. A the well played running approach shot. A natural cliff face will be retained in the landing area, serving to split the driving zone into tw natural cliff face will be retained in the landing area, serving to split the driving zone into two distinct levels. A long distinct levels.

A long tee shot can be played to the left of this cliff, but this leaves an approach faced off by two menacing pot bunke tee shot can be played to the left of this cliff, but this leaves an approach faced off by two menacing pot bunkers.

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Hole 7 174 YaRDs PaR 3 This short hole concludes the sequence of three consecutive holes that meander their way through the dramatic

wadi landscape. The golfer’s attention is drawn immediately to the angled green perched precariously on a This short hole concludes the sequence of three consecutive holes that meander their way through the dramatic wadi landscape. peninsula outcrop, with a vertical drop down to the right into the narrow, wadi cleft, through which a tumbling, GolfersÕ attention will be drawn immediately to the angled green perched precariously on a peninsula outcrop, with a vertical drop rocky stream flows. The tees are scattered around the head of the canyon, offering many varied lengths and down to the right into the narrow, wadi cleft, through which a tumbling, rocky stream flows. The tees are scattered around the head of angles from which to attack the perilous target. Playing safely away from the canyon may bring into play the the canyon, offering many varied lengths and angles from which to attack the perilous target. Playing safely away from the canyon may bring into play the naturally found humps and hollows to the left of the green. DonÕ t go long either, as a further vertical drop awaits. naturally found humps and hollows to the left of the green. Don’t go long either, as a further vertical drop awaits.

Hole 8 461 YaRDs PaR 4 Once again, the tee locations have been selected to offer golfers a wonderful panoramic view. The message to be read is Once again, a tee location has been selected to offer golfers a wonderful panoramic view. The message to be read is that Ô left is bad!Õ that ‘left is bad!’. The deep, desert wadi first encountered on the third returns as a menacing influence, having seemingly The deep, desert wadi first encountered on the 3rd returns as a menacing influence, having seemingly devoured the entire left side of devoured the entire left side of the fairway. The tee shot needs to be right of centre to avoid having to approach the the fairway. The tee shot needs to be right of centre to avoid having to approach the green over any sand. However, the green green over any sand. The green contouring creates a few special hole locations which can only be best approached from contouring creates a few special hole locations which can only be best approached from the very left edge of the fairway, so remember the very left edge of the fairway, so remember to take a good look at the hole location here as you walk to the third tee. to take a good look at the hole location here as you walk to the 3rd tee.

Hole 9 541 YaRDs PaR 5

The first half of the hole is basically the old fifth retained exactly as it was. It is a beautiful tee shot, so has been The first half of the hole is basically the old 5th retained exactly as it was. It is a beautiful tee shot, so has been preserved. The only preserved. The only difference is that the fairway has been brought back down into the wadi to offer shorter hitters difference is that the fairway has been brought back down into the wadi to offer shorter hitters some relief. The big changes come with some relief. The big changes come with the second half of the hole, which has been radically overhauled. A wide desert the second half of the hole, which has been radically overhauled. A wide desert rift splits the fairway in two, placing added tension on rift splits the fairway in two, placing added tension on getting a good tee shot away to make the subsequent carry over getting a good tee shot away to make the subsequent carry over the sand much easier. Beyond the wide lay up area the fairway the sand much easier. Beyond the wide lay-up area the fairway contracts to a narrow neck, feeding into the left half of contracts to a narrow neck feeding into the left half of the green. Keeping to the left side of the hole throughout gives more approach the green. Keeping to the left side of the hole throughout gives more approach shot choices. shot choices.

Hole 10 323 YaRDs PaR 4

The back nine opens with a deliciously sporty short par 4, where the retained landforms of the old sixth and seventh holes play a key strategic role. To gain the best approach angle the tee shot must be held close to the The back nine opens with a deliciously sporty short par 4, where the retained landforms of the old 6th and 7th holes play a key strategic left of the fairway, from where it will hopefully skip down a steep hillside within the fairway to offer a relatively role. To gain the best approach angle the tee shot must be held close to left of the fairway, from where it will hopefully skip down a straightforward short pitch into another gentle fall-away green. Long hitters may even get all the way to the green steep hillside within the fairway to offer a relatively straightforward short pitch into another gentle fall away green. Long hitters may if they can shape their tee shot from left to right and feed off the gathering contours in the approach. The hole even get all the way to the green if they can shape their tee shot from left to right and feed off the gathering contours in the approach. bares its teeth to the shot hit to the right where steep contours and plentiful sand await.

The hole bares its teeth to the shot hit to the right where steep contours and plentiful sand await.

Hole 11 353 YaRDs PaR 4 Reminiscent of the wild Scottish links of Montrose or Cruden Bay, the 11th fairway lies as crumpled and folded as an unmade bed, with

Reminiscent of the wild Scottish links of Montrose or Cruden Bay, the 11th fairway lies as crumpled and folded as an dips, swales, hillocks and plateaus a plenty. An ever heightening range of sand hills marches down the left side of the fairway and perched unmade bed, with dips, swales, hillocks and plateaux a plenty. An ever heightening range of sandhills marches down upon the final spur of these hills sits the gently elevated green. Deep, gnarled bunkers protect the close cut, sloping flanks and again the left side of the fairway and perched upon the final spur of these hills sits the gently elevated green. Deep, gnarled work in tandem with the hole location in determining which side of the fairway is best for the easiest approach angle. Not a long hole, but full of discrete strategic intrigue. bunkers protect the close cut, sloping flanks and again work in tandem with the hole location in determining which side of the fairway is best for the easiest approach angle. Not a long hole, but full of discrete strategic intrigue.

Hole 12 146 YaRDs PaR 3 The Montgomerie Course’s very own ‘Postage Stamp’ hole – a tiny par 3 where accuracy counts for everything.

The smallest green on the course rests upon an undulating knoll entirely surrounded by waste bunkers and desert Riffa Views very own Ô Postage StampÕ hole; a tiny par 3 where accuracy counts for everything. The smallest green on the course rests grass-festooned dunes. What the hole lacks in length it amply compensates for with its physical hazards, though upon an undulating knoll entirely surrounded by waste bunkers and desert grass festooned dunes. What the hole lacks in length it arguably the most effective defence is the seed of doubt it plants in the golfer’s brain when presenting them with a amply compensates for with its physical hazards, though arguably the most effective defence is the seed of doubt it plants in the golferÕ s seemingly easy hole. Petite, but perplexing, this hole can nip at your score like a terrier snapping at your ankles. brain when presenting them with a seemingly easy hole. Petite, but perplexing, this hole can nip at your score like a terrier snapping at your ankles.

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Hole 13 587 YaRDs PaR 5 The first of back-to-back par 5s and a feast of strategic choices await. Big hitters will need to knock it over the large dune that stares them down if they are to have a chance of getting on in two. Beyond this menacing dune, Thewith its cavernous guardian bunker lies a wide fairway plain that will kick the ball onwards to within possible range. first of back-to-back par 5Õ s and a feast of strategic choices await. Big hitters will need to knock it over the large dune that stares Mere mortals will have to wind their way around the major hazards, with the cautious being well advised to make them down if they are to have a chance of getting up in two. Beyond this menacing dune, with its cavernous guardian bunker lies a wide use of the full width of the double fairway. The green is perched up on a narrow ridge, and rather like the ‘Road fairway plain that will kick the ball onwards to within possible range. Mere mortals will have to wind their way around the major Hole’ green at St Andrews, is guarded by a single, deep pot bunker. The best approach angle depends upon the hazards, with the cautious being well advised to make use of the full width of the double fairway. The green is perched up on a narrow hole location, but it will always be best to miss the green to the right – there is plenty of safe ground down there. ridge, and rather like the Ô Road HoleÕ green at St. Andrews, is guarded by a single, deep pot bunker. The best approach angle will depend upon the hole location, but it will always be best to miss the green to the right; there is plenty of safe ground down there.

Hole 14 586 YaRDs PaR 5

Doubling back down the super-wide fairway, the player immediately encounters many of the same landforms in reverse. You have to stick to the right of the hole to get up in two, so it is no surprise that the most caustic hazards defend this direct route. The lay up fairway for the second shot is truly vast, sharing the full width of the 13th hole, but within this expanse of short grass the ideal hitting zone is actually quite small. The green defences are angled to complicate approach shots from the further left they are played. These two par 5s are Doubling back down the super wide fairway, the player immediately encounters many of the same landforms in reverse. You have to inspired by the similarly co-joined twin par 5s of the fifth and 14th holes of the Old Course at St Andrews, the stick to the right of the hole to get up in two, so it is no surprise that the most caustic hazards defend this direct route. The lay up latter of which is arguably the most strategic par 5 ever created. fairway for the second shot is truly vast, sharing the full width of the 13th hole, but within this expanse of short grass the ideal hitting zone is actually quite small. The green defences are angled to progressively complicate approach shots from the further left they are played. These two par 5Õ s are inspired by the similarly conjoined twin par 5Õ s of the 5th and 14th holes of the Old Course in St. Andrews, the latter of which is celebrated as being arguably the most strategic par 5Õ s ever created.

Hole 15 474 YaRDs PaR 4 Turning away from home for the last time the course encounters the first significant water hazard and a demanding, long par 4. With the Turning away from home for the last time, the course encounters the first significant water hazard and a introduction of water, the influence of sand recedes in compensation. The strategy is again set up by the hole location, so on one day demanding, long par 4. With the introduction of water, the influence of sand recedes in compensation. The you would want to flirt with the water for the best angle of approach, whilst on another you may need to drive it to the crest of the hill strategy is again set up by the hole location, so on one day you would want to flirt with the water for the to thebest angle of approach, whilst on another you may need to drive it to the crest of the hill to the right of the right of the fairway for a good look at the flag and a clear approach path. A retained belt of desert trees play a part here and can blockfairway for a good look at the flag and a clear approach path. A retained belt of desert trees plays a part out your view of the hole if you make a strategic misjudgement.

here and can block out your view of the hole if you make a strategic misjudgement.

Hole 16 229 YaRDs PaR 3 The final short hole, where water and sand collaborate to form a dramatic and beautiful test. From the championship tee, jutting out

The final short hole, where water and sand collaborate to form a dramatic and beautiful test. From the into the lake, the shot to the green is almost entirely over water. As the tees move forward the influence of the water lessens, so that championship tee, jutting out into the lake, the shot to the green is almost entirely over water. As the tees by the time the novice tee is reached the lake is merely an attractive backdrop. The short approach fairway is set on a diagonal, affording move forward the influence of water lessens, so that by the time the novice tee is reached the lake is merely golfers the option of playing away from the lake, but two bunkers set short of the green will likely ensnare the overly cautious. A feature an attractive backdrop. The short approach fairway is set on a diagonal, affording golfers the option of playing of the hole is the green contouring, which includes an interesting low, central section, with higher hole location areas to the front and away from the lake, but two bunkers set short of the green will likely ensnare the overly cautious. A feature of rear of the green. Merely reaching the green will not be enough to secure a par; one must also find the correct portion. the hole is the green contouring, which includes an interesting low, central section, with higher hole location areas to the front and rear of the green. Merely reaching the green will not be enough to secure a par.

Hole 17 429 YaRDs PaR 4 There may only be 18 holes on the course, but this is effectively two holes within one, so radically different are There may only be eighteen holes on the course, but this is effectively two holes within one, so radically different are its strategies its strategies depending upon the pin location. The key is the tremendously wide green, which is effectively depending upon the hole location. The key is the tremendously wide green, which is effectively two greens within one to either side of two greens in one to either side of a central spine of bunkers. Hole locations to the right of the green are central spine of bunkers. Hole locations to the right of the green reside perilously close to the lake, whilst those to the left are defended by bunkers. Choose your driving line carefully to leave the most open approach to the flagĂ&#x2030; and try to ignore the enormous perilously close to the lake, whilst those to the left are defended by bunkers. Choose your driving line carefully lake! to leave the most open approach to the flag and try to ignore the enormous lake!

Hole 18 429 YaRDs PaR 4 Hang onto your hat for the grand finale, running straight back towards the clubhouse. For the final examination the test is one of straight hitting and a steady nerve. Miss left and the narrow, snaking wadi awaits, miss right Hang onto your hat for the grand finale, running straight back towards the clubhouse. Whereas the course has generally given a high and it gets very soggy. A huge, wide green, nestling in a spectator-friendly arena, awaits the final spectacular degree of latitude with the direction in which the tee shot can be played, for the final examination the test is one of straight hitting and a approach shot either over or around the sand-fronted lake. The final hole is not overly long, but is perfectly steady nerve. Miss left and the narrow, snaking wadi awaits; miss right and it gets very soggy. A huge, wide green, nestling in a spectatorset up to encourage bold, attacking golf and regardless of success or failure, will be a memorable and enticing friendly arena, awaits the final spectacular approach shot either over or around the sparkling sand fronted lake. The final hole is not climax to a course that rewards intelligent strategic play from first shot to last. overly long, but is perfectly set up to encourage bold, attacking golf and regardless of success or failure, will be a memorable and enticing climax to a course that rewards intelligent strategic play from first shot to last.

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Acknowledgements and Officials VOLVO Championship Executive Director Per Ericsson Championship Director Tobias Winsnes Communications Manager Anna Hafström Kovats

Marketing & PR Manager Sue Addison F&B Director Eric Deladiennee Consultant Michael Braidwood

EUROPEAN TOUR

Championship Manager Julia Ryding

Tournament Director Mikael Erikson

VOLVO WORLD GOLF CHALLENGE TEAM Project Director Jan Sidemo

Chief Referee Andy McFee

Project Manager – World Final Jonas Ogvall

IMG Championship Director Ross Hallett Championship Manager Georgie Sangster, Ben Freeman Championship Administrators Rosie Farrell, Alex Bensusan, Robert O’Siochain, Helen Merry

Secretary Carmel Treacy

Referees Mats Laner, Thomas Waldenstedt, Neal Briggs, Gary Tait Mobile Weather Craig Mrockza

MEDIA CENTRE ET Media Officer Scott Crockett Volvo Media Team Anna Hafström Kovats IMG Media/PR Manager Michele Mair IMG Media /PR Assistant Robin Spring

Chief Marshal Claus Hansen

PR /Marketing Ogilvy Mather

The organisers would also like to thank our Parnters, the Official Sponsors and Suppliers of the Volvo Golf Champions.

Chief Scorer Edward Daly

THE ROYAL GOLF CLUB General Manager Susan Stevenson Director of Golf Phil Jones Director of Sales Louise Daly Director of Agronomy Mark Hooker

OFFICIAL PARTNERS Bahrain Economic Development Board OFFICIAL SPONSORS Timepiece Rolex Media CNN Property Riffa Views Bahrain International Circuit

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Shopping Centre Bahrain City Centre Trophy Designers & Suppliers Kosta Boda Water /Soft drinks Coca Cola Clothing Greg Norman Collection Car Park BAPCO / Awali Plastics

Championship Accountant Jon McIntosh

OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS Practice Ball Titleist

The organisers would also like to thank the following people and organisations without whose help and dedication the Championship could not take place: The Chief Marshal, Claus Hansen and the Chief Scorer, Edward Daly for organising the marshals and scoring teams and all the people who volunteered their services.

The following suppliers who have supported the event and worked so hard to deliver the Championship: Aggreko AMG, Awal Plastics BAPCO, Batelco, BIGC Landscaping BMMI, Byrne City Neon Creative Technologies Dorlings, Getty Images, Gulf Hotel Gulf House Markets Gulf Show Power Jawad, Key Cleaning, Limousina, Liongate Paving Nass Scafform Owen Brown Protect Security Services Reddoor Events Rim Scaffolding, SES, Smith Sumner Design Southern Governement.

Bahrain International Shipping, Worldwide Sporting Publications The members of the Press, TV and Radio for their coverage of the Championship.

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