Letters

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February 16 - 22, 2011
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I THOROUGHLY enjoyed reading about the exploits of the Koohpaima family in last week's GulfWeekly. What a fabulous article by Anasuya Kesavan matched only by Ryan Bayona's photographs. What cute quadruplets - good luck to mum, dad and big sis!

Fatima A.,

Manama.

NOW that the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions played over the Montgomerie Course at the Royal Golf Club has been successfully delivered, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the institutions and the people of the Bahrain for their steadfast support for me as the course designer and as one of the 98 players to line-up for Bahrain's recent European Tour debut.

The golf course was, in my view, in fantastic condition and set up by the European Tour to play tough but fair and when one looks at the final leaderboard, with the highest-ranked player in the field, Paul Casey, winning by a single shot on 20-under-par from two of my winning 2010 Ryder Cup team, the quality of the challenge set to a world-class field certainly bears scrutiny.

The support of the kingdom, and everyone at The Royal Golf Club has been unstinting from the day I set foot on the old Riffa Views course, right through to the final day of the inaugural Volvo Golf Champions, and for that I am truly grateful.

It was a huge honour and privilege to have been afforded the opportunity to design a golf course that bears my name and to have been able to take part in the first full European Tour event in Bahrain was an experience I will keep with me for many years to come.

The kingdom, from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander, the Bahrain Economic Development Board under the leadership of chief executive Mohammed Bin Essa Al Khalifa to the many thousands of Bahrainis who turned out to support the Volvo Golf Champions, thank you for your vision and wholehearted support on an event that has put Bahrain firmly on the world golfing map.

I would also like to thank my fellow European Tour professionals who helped ensure the quality and integrity of an event that promises so much going forward as the European Tour's season-starting event from 2012 onwards, and, of course, to Volvo, one of golf's greatest brands, thank you very much for your support.

Colin Montgomerie OBE,

Designer, The Montgomerie Course, Royal Golf Club, Bahrain.







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