Pro-Am and gala dinner to raise funds for TDIC’s charity partners
Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), the Abu Dhabi-based master developer of Saadiyat Island and its stunning Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, is preparing to host the annual Saadiyat Beach Classic, after the inaugural event proved a huge success in January 2010.
Golfing icon and grand slam winner, Gary Player, will once again host the event and will lead off an impressive field of well known personalities from the worlds of sport and entertainment on 25th January 2011. Last year leading golfing and non-golfing celebrities from around the world joined forces with local amateur golfers to raise more than AED 1.2m for four local charities together with The Player Foundation. TDIC will soon announce the official beneficiaries of the funds raised in the 2011 tournament, continuing its support of worthy causes in the UAE.
His Excellency Mubarak Al Muhairi, Managing Director, TDIC, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Saadiyat Beach Classic back for 2011. The 2010 event was a great success and not only gave us the perfect platform to showcase the quality of the Saadiyat Beach Golf Course, but also to raise a fantastic amount for local charities and we look forward to continuing to build the event in the coming years.”
Lee Tabler, Chief Executive Officer, TDIC added: “We welcomed Gary and some of worlds golf’s stars and well known celebrities to the first Saadiyat Beach Classic last year and I am sure this year’s event will boast another fantastic field. We aim to offer all of our guests a world class experience when they visit Saadiyat Beach, and it is great to see how some of the best players in the world tackle the course when they visit for the Classic.”
As well as some of the renowned names from world golf, amateur celebrity golfers will also support the event, playing alongside local golfers and sponsors in support of the nominated charities. The inaugural event in 2010 attracted well known personalities from the worlds of sport including the Black Knight, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke among the professional golfers and the 2011 event promises to boast an equally impressive field.
Gary Player, designer of Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, has been instrumental in his support for golf in Abu Dhabi and increasing awareness of the Emirate as one of the world’s leading golf destinations in the making.
The 18 time Major winner commented, “I have always loved coming to play in Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Island is a very special development. The Saadiyat Beach Classic was a wonderful way to launch the course last year, and I’m delighted to be hosting the event again this year. The ‘Desert Swing’ on the European Tour brings the best players in the world to the UAE and I’m sure the Saadiyat Beach Classic will become a highlight of this period in the coming years.”
In its first year, the Saadiyat Beach Classic attracted a number of prestigious sponsors such as Emirates airline and the luxury Emirates Palace Hotel. Building upon that success, the 2011 event has received increased interests of sponsorship, which will be announced in due course.
As well as the charity golf tournament TDIC will also host a black tie charity gala dinner, which on its debut, immediately established itself as a must attend event in Abu Dhabi’s social calendar. Silent and live auctions for a wide range of big-ticket items donated by corporate sponsors are expected to significantly boost the fund raising efforts, all against a backdrop of live entertainment.
Managed by Troon Golf, the world’s largest golf management company, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is the flagship sports facility on Saadiyat Beach, a future magnet for high-end visitors and residents with its host of exclusive 5-star resorts that will create one of the world’s most premium and stylish destinations.
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