First of Leisurecorp's Big Three Tournaments Starts in South Africa

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(CAPE TOWN, South Africa) -- A three continent trio of international golf tournaments gets under way today in Cape Town at Leisurecorp's Pearl Valley Golf Estates with the 99th South African Open Championship. (Pearl Valley seen above)

The South African Open is Africa's oldest tournament. In July comes the Open Championship at historic  Leisurecorp-owned Turnberry in Scotland. The series ends next November with the $10 million dollar Dubai World Championship, the richest tournament in golf to be held at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Leisurecorp's flagship development in the United Arab Emirates.    


The 2009 season is also the first year of The Race to Dubai that includes the three tournaments that Leisurecorp is hosting. Abdul Wahid Al Ulama, Vice-Chairman, Leisurecorp, said, "It's not an understatement to say that The Race to Dubai has taken the golf world by storm. The season-long competition will visit a staggering 52 countries in 27 destinations and is keeping Dubai at the forefront of the sporting world throughout the entire year, while taking the game to fresh audiences around the world. I believe it is emblematic and reflective of what Dubai stands for."


At the South African Open, some of the greatest South African golfers -- Masters champion Trevor Immelman, triple Major champion Ernie Els, and double US Open champion Retief Goosen -- lead the field that includes defending champion James Kingston, European Tour Order of Merit winner Justin Rose, and Dubai-based Henrik Stenson.




David Spencer, CEO-Golf, Leisurecorp, said, "the beautiful setting of Pearl Valley Golf Estates combined with free entry, a bumper crowd, and such an incredible field means that this year's tournament will be the best the country has ever hosted."