BMW Golf Cup International 2009: World Final in South Africa. Sporting icon Gary Player welcomes amateur golfers to “his” courses.

Fancourt. Three months into 2010, the 2009 BMW Golf Cup International season reaches its conclusion with the World Final in South Africa from 1st to 6th March 2010. The top 99 players from the 34 countries that entered the largest international tournament series for amateurs will meet at the Fancourt golf resort in George, where they will determine the winners in two men’s classes, one ladies class, and the team competition.

The excellent amateurs qualified for the World Final thanks to their success at roughly 1000 tournaments around the world. This year once again saw huge numbers of entrants, with about 100,000 players from all corners of the globe playing in the tournament series.

“We are very proud of the enthusiasm amateur golfers all over the world have shown for our tournament series,” says Magnus Wiese, head of BMW Golfsport Marketing. “It is thanks to their sporting commitment and team spirit that this international competition has such a unique atmosphere. We want to thank the world finalists by providing a special experience in South Africa.”

The World Final of the BMW Golf Cup International will once again live up to its outstanding reputation this year: a world-class golfer will honour the finalists as a special guest, and will also hold a golf clinic. And who better for this role in South Africa than one of the most legendary professional golfers in the world, and certainly one of the country’s greatest sportsmen: Gary Player.

“We are delighted that one of the greatest golfers of all time will visit the World Final in the form of Gary Player,” says Wiese. “This will round off a superb experience for all the participants.”

Now 74 years old, Player joined the PGA Tour at the end of the 1950s. The nine-time Major winner topped the money list in 1961 and picked up a total of 24 titles. The “Black Knight” (he always wore black on the course) won more than 160 tournaments during his impressive career. Furthermore, the man from Johannesburg is also enjoying success as a golf course designer. Player has been involved in over 300 projects around the world, including the Fancourt Resort, for which he designed the three spectacular courses: The Links, Montagu and Outeniqua.

Seven kilometres west of George, Fancourt lies on the magnificent Garden Route in the foothills of the Outeniqua Mountains and is one of the oldest clubs in the country. Home to four golf courses, the Fancourt Academy, the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation, three pro shops, and one of only seven TaylorMade Performance Labs, Fancourt is a dream destination for any golfer.

The World Final of the BMW Golf Cup International will be played in three handicap classes on the Montagu and Outeniqua courses: Men’s A (up to handicap 12.4), Men’s B (handicap 12.5 to 28.4) and ladies (up to handicap 28.4). There will also be a national competition.

The World Final of the 2008 BMW Golf Cup International took place in South America for the first time in the 23-year history of the series, in Argentina. Mexican Eduardo Izbaile (Men’s A), Alain Desmurger from France and Florence Luron (Mauritius, Ladies) were the individual winners. The defending champion in the national competition is Mexico, who finished ahead of Taiwan and Paraguay in Buenos Aires.

Overview of the World Final of the BMW Golf Cup International:

Date:                    1st to 6th March 2010

Venue:                Fancourt Resort, George, South Africa

Entrants:             34 countries, 99 players

Countries:          Egypt, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, China, Germany,

                             Dubai, France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan,

                             Kenya, La Réunion, Malaysia, Morocco, Mauritius, Mexico,

                             New Zealand, Austria, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Senegal,

                             Singapore, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan,

                             Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, USA

Organiser:         BMW Group