Having hosted the highest profile global events, Gleneagles® is used to being in the spotlight. On Sunday August 29, 2010, however, it is the eyes of the golfing world which will be gazing on it. Following the completion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, The PGA Centenary Course will then become the stage for Colin Montgomerie to finalise his Team for the 2010 Ryder Cup at The Celtic Manor Resort.
As event Chairman, Montgomerie is a strong supporter of the Johnnie Walker Championship having participated every year since 2003 when he finished fourth, as he did again in 2006.
He said: “As Chairman of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, I am delighted that our tournament and Gleneagles, the host of The 2014 Ryder Cup, will play such a vital role on The European Tour members’ schedules this year. It is particularly apt that the final chance for the players to make their mark for The 2010 Ryder Cup takes place at Gleneagles - Europe’s next Ryder Cup venue following Wales - and I hope the field this year will be stronger than ever.
“There are a lot of players in the mix for the Team who all have a very real chance of claiming one of the nine qualifying spots. This will make for an extremely exciting week. The home fans will enjoy the possibility of another Scottish winner in 2010. Paul Lawrie, Marc Warren - a former champion here and Richie Ramsay, who won earlier this seasonin South Africa, are just three of the many Scots who are expected to be in the field this year.’
Graeme Marchbank, Tournament Director and Head of Corporate Sponsorship at Diageo, said: “We are delighted that our Championship Chairman Colin Montgomerie will play in this year’s event. His commitment and presence each year definitely adds to the stature of the tournament which this year will have a double focus for him as Ryder Cup Captain.
‘With final Ryder Cup points at stake, it’s going to be an especially exciting event for players and spectators alike. We know the players and their families love coming to Gleneagles and enjoy the welcome they get from the Scottish crowds.
Bernard Murphy, General Manager of the five star resort said: ‘This is a busy year for golf at Gleneagles starting with the Johnnie Walker Championship in August, followed by the Junior Ryder Cup in September and the Scottish PGA Championship in October.
‘Our preparations are going well. As the host venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup we have a five year plan and we’re pleased with the progress on the development of The PGA Centenary Course. The stage is set for some exciting and challenging golf.’
Previous winners of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles include England’s Warren Bennett in 1999 and his fellow countryman Paul Casey who, to date, is the only player to have won the tournament on two occasions (2001 and 2006). They are joined on the Roll of Honour by Sweden’s Pierre Fulke (2000), Australia’s Adam Scott (2002), Denmark’s Søren Kjeldsen (2003), England’s Miles Tunnicliff (2004), Italy’s Emanuele Canonica (2005) and Grégory Havret of France (2008). The only Scot to have his name on the trophy to date is Marc Warren who triumphed in 2007, while the defending champion in August will be Sweden’s Peter Hedblom.
Aside from a European Tour exemption until the end of the 2012 season, the winner of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles will receive a cheque for £233,330 from an overall prize fund of £1,400,000.
Tickets for the Johnnie Walker Championship are priced from £22 for a daily ticket to £45 for a season ticket and are available at the gate. Normal concessions apply. Car parking is free. For full details please visithere
