European Tour heads in a different direction – Al-Mouj is coming!
Come a year less a month from today, and there will be reason to celebrate in Oman, the tiny GCC emirate known for its stable political views and ‘metropolis-in-a-desert’ tourist attractiveness. Starting October 24, 2013, Al Mouj, The Wave, is coming to
Muscat!
The European Challenge Tour is out to break the ice for the first time ever in Oman, as well as the Gulf Cooperation Council.
It will be a debut that has an already impressive list of 84 professional golfers, with room for an additional 30 more invites, which includes ten for low handicap amateurs.
The event, sponsored by the National Bank of Oman, will hope to bring golf closer to emerging golfing nations, especially countries afield like Columbia, Egypt, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya and Russia.
With Oman, being the 45th country to make the European Challenge’s impressive list of countries visited, the game is increasingly gaining the previously lacked popularity and appeal.
Also, and quite thankfully, it has stopped looking like what George Carlin so vividly describes as a meet for flush old white men, as they adjudicate on how to divide up the country between themselves all the more finely.
Omani officials, of course, will be welcoming the international exposure.
Mr Salaam Al Shaksy, NBO’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “As title sponsor for the next three years, National Bank of Oman looks forward to welcoming the players and officials for the first ever Challenge Tour event in Oman.
“At National Bank of Oman, we are proud of the steps this country has taken with the launch of Almouj Golf, The Wave - the first Professional Golf Association (PGA) championship course in the country.
“With the support of the Oman Golf Committee led by Sayyid Arqam Al Busaidi, Oman will become the 45th country to be visited by the Challenge Tour”.
So the $300,000 National Bank of Oman Golf Classic is all set to be the last event before the season-ending Challenge Tour Grand Final.
Alain de Soultrait, Director of the European Challenge Tour, said, “We are absolutely delighted to be bringing the Challenge Tour to Oman and these are exciting times for us as it is the first time we have ever visited this part of the world.
This can only become a great deal better for the European Challenge Tour. Haza Saeedan! Oman, kudos for blazing the trail.
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