Ryder Cup winner Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland will headline a strong field of European Challenge Tour champions and promising local and regional talent when the 2010 Egyptian Open presented by SODIC is held in Cairo from October 20-23.
With entries now closed for the $250,000 event, the World Number Nine, who played a major role in helping Captain Colin Montgomerie’s European Team defeat their American counterparts to regain the golden chalice at The Celtic Manor Resort, is the stellar name in a field which boasts 15 tournament winners from the 2010 Challenge Tour Schedule.
Also confirmed in the 114-man line-up is England’s lowest handicapper Jack Senior (+5), who secured his place with victory in the Egyptian Amateur Open - the qualifier for the Egyptian Open presented by SODIC - and Egyptian number one Amr Abou El Ella.
Senior is one of several qualifiers from the Egyptian Amateur Open who will join McIlroy when the tournament gets underway at the JW Marriott, Mirage City Golf Club. Others qualifying for the penultimate European Challenge Tour event of the season are Egyptian Amateur Open runner-up Mickel Andersson of Sweden, plus Egyptian amateurs Soliman El Assar and Abdel Monem El Shafei, while Mamdouh El Sheikh qualified from his position in the Egyptian Golf Federation Order of Merit.
It may be the oldest tournament in the region, but this year’s Egyptian Open presented by SODIC will be the first time the event has offered World Ranking points, as the cream of the Challenge Tour are afforded their final opportunity to secure a spot in the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final in Italy the following week.
“We are delighted with the way in which this year’s tournament has been received by the local and international business community,” said Egyptian Golf Federation Chairman Ayman Hussein.
“To have SODIC confirmed as our presenting sponsor is a massive boost to everyone involved in the tournament.”
One of Egypt’s fastest-growing real estate development companies, SODIC is currently developing a number of the country’s largest and most exciting projects in the most lucrative and prestigious real estate sectors.
The event also enjoys a strong strategic partnership with the Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA), which is supporting the tournament as part of its initiative to develop golf tourism in the country.
Also signing up to back the Egyptian Open 2010 presented by SODIC are Mercedes – making their second consecutive appearance as Official Car sponsor – while national airline Egypt Air is also a commercial partner for the tournament.
“These are strong brands to have associated with our event, so we are grateful for the support of Mercedes and Egypt Air,” added Hussein. “We also thank and welcome our family of support sponsors – JW Marriott, Mirage City Golf Club, Julius Bär Advisory SAE, Dell, Drexel, Club Car, Hydroturf, Toro, Microsoft, Global Brands, Toshiba and Heineken, while Coca Cola and Dockland are our official soft drink and clothing suppliers.”
As well as the four days of tournament play, the traditional pre-event Pro Am will be held on October 19, when Titleist and ECCO will join tournament sponsors in offering great prizes.
