Terre Blanche Resort and Golf Club in Provence will welcome the European Senior Tour for the first time when it hosts the French Riviera Masters from September 21-23.
It will be the third edition of the tournament, which was previously played at Cannes Mougins, and the Senior Tour players will once again compete for a prize fund of €250,000 over Terre Blanche’s Château Course.
Terre Blanche recently became the tenth member venue of the European Tour Properties Portfolio, and the third venue – alongside the London Club and Le Golf National - to gain European Tour Destination status. It is also home to The European Tour’s first Performance Institute.
Senior Tour player Marc Farry was involved in creating the tournament in 2010, which he went on to win by two shots from Gordon Brand Jnr, and he is again part of the tournament organising committee.
Frenchman Farry was succeeded as champion by Spaniard Juan Quiros, who captured the title last year when he defeated Ireland’s former Ryder Cup player Des Smyth in a play-off at Cannes Mougins to claim his fourth Senior Tour victory.
Dietmar Hopp, President of Terre Blanche Golf Club, said: “As the newest European Tour Destination, we are delighted to welcome the Senior Tour to Terre Blanche and to host the inaugural French Riviera Masters. Our exceptional facilities, allied to the superb Chateau Course, will provide a spectacular setting for the legends of the game to display their talents to our Club members and all golf enthusiasts.
“We are excited about this new partnership with the Senior Tour and we share an ambition to make the French Riviera Masters a truly outstanding event, bringing many of the leading names in Senior golf to Terre Blanche.”
Tournament Promoter, Frederic Dubois, commented: “We are delighted to have entered into a long-term partnership with Terre Blanche Golf Club, which recently acquired European Tour Destination status and shares our desire to welcome the great names of senior golf to Provence.”
Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour, said: “Terre Blanche is a magnificent resort, and one which will be a superb venue for the French Riviera Masters.
“This event has become an important part of the Senior Tour schedule since it was first played in 2010 and our thanks go to promoter, Frédéric Dubois of Santé & Loisirs Golf Events, for producing a wonderful tournament on the French Riviera, and likewise to Marc Farry for continuing to support this tournament.”
Marc Farry said: “After the success of the first two editions of this tournament at Cannes Mougins, Terre Blanche will be another great venue for us to play and I’m sure all of my colleagues on the Senior Tour will enjoy it. It was a great honour for me to win the inaugural tournament in 2010 , especially after helping to organise it and with my family there. To win the title again at a new venue would also be very special for me.”
