Knysna to host World Corporate Final

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March 4, 2011

The World Corporate Golf Challenge Finals, will this year be played at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Simola Estate.

The World Corporate Golf Challenge Finals, will this year be played at the spectacular Jack Nicklaus-designed Simola Golf and Country Estate in Knysna, South Africa.

The event, the largest corporate golf tournament in the world, will take place from May 3 to 8 this year, according to an announcement on Wednesday by The Eden District Municipality, in partnership with Cape Town Routes Unlimited and the Knysna Municipality

The World Corporate Golf Challenge has, since its inception 16 years ago, seen more than a million golfers competing across the globe for the chance to represent their countries in the final.
The event currently has 22 countries participating and the finals have bee played in many distinct locations around the world, including Jamaica, Mauritius, Malaysia and Spain.

The participating teams include two players representing a company, and the participant profile is predominantly executive management; decision makers who are international business and leisure travellers.

The initial participation is at national level in the 22 countries and comprises 15 000 teams from around the world competing to represent their countries in the final.

In a joint statement issued at Simola today, Mr Morne Hoogbaard, speaking on behalf of all the parties involved in hosting the event said that the Eden District was “keen to establish itself internationally as a leading golf tourism destination and hosting the Finals of the World Corporate Golf Challenge would assist greatly in this goal.

“With great weather, a beautiful location and world class golf courses on offer, the future looks very bright for golf in the Eden District,” he said

Golf in general is a major contributor to South Africa’s tourism economy, and the Eden District has proven its capability to confidently host major sporting events, which include golf, rugby, soccer, cycling and running.

Hoogbaard added: “We are excited to welcome the world’s best to this coastal region that boasts international awards for being the top golf destination in Africa and the Middle East.

In the tourism marketing of Cape Town and the Western Cape which can proudly hosts many major world class international and World Cup events, golf tourism plays a very important part,” Hoogbaard said.

“It draws a sophisticated market to our shores. In addition golf tourism increasingly benefits our local economy and communities with various golf estates offering skills programmes to children of the surrounding region.

The Eden District has previously been the recipient of the international 2006 Golf Destination of the Year Award, and with South Africa recently being awarded the Best Golf Destination of the Year for 2011 award at the international IGTM awards in Spain, it is fitting that the World Corporate Golf Challenge Finals are being held here in South Africa this year..

An interesting addition to this years event will be the inclusion of an event that will enable Corporate South Africa to participate in the Final.

The two days allocated to practice will now host Corporate South Africa versus The Rest of the World, and the winning South African team will be given the task pf representing South Africa in the Final over the last two days.

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