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THE Royal Golf Club’s Montgomerie Course will play host to some of the world’s top golfers and most famous sporting celebrities in a unique tournament format next month, confirming GulfWeekly’s exclusive report last month that plans were in place to stage the sporting extravaganza.
IMG Worldwide and the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) are organising the weekend of competitive golf and special events, taking place on April 13-14.
Global golf stars – Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey and Thomas Bjorn – are among the pros already confirmed to face-off over 18 holes. Each will play in teams of two alongside tennis superstar Tim Henman, American football icon Joe Montana, and football legends Gianluca Vialli and Ruud Gullit.
The pro-celebrity tournament will take place a week prior to the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, and is one of a growing number of international sporting events held in the kingdom.
Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al Khalifa, the EDB’s chief executive, said: “We are delighted to be attracting such a high calibre of international golf and sports stars to Bahrain for the tournament.”
Other activities during this two-day celebration will include a community tennis coaching initiative featuring England’s Henman at the Bahrain Tennis Club, a community football coaching programme with former internationals Vialli and Gullit at Bahrain National Stadium and a Sportsman’s Question Time with the legendary Montana.
Casey, an 11-time winner on the European Tour including last year’s Volvo Golf Champions in Bahrain, said: “I am delighted to be returning to Bahrain for this showcase event at the magnificent Montgomerie Course. The weekend of events and the unique pro-celeb tournament will undoubtedly provide terrific entertainment for visitors from Bahrain and across the region.”
Susan Stevenson, the Royal Golf Club’s general manager, said: “This event will be a wonderful precursor to the eagerly-awaited 2012 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix and should provide a great boost to Bahrain’s reputation as an international sporting destination.
The Royal Golf Club’s valued members will, of course, receive invitations to attend this exciting golf event and more details will be released in due course.”
