Defending Champion of the Emirates Airline Invitational Hosted by Abdullah Al Naboodah, Retief Goosen, is determined to hold on to his title when he tees it up at Yas Links in Abu Dhabi tomorrow.
“Having had such an enjoyable time at last year’s Invitational there was no way I was going to miss out on defending my title,” says the two time US Open Champion, who shot a scintillating round of eight under 64 to win the 2011 Invitational. “I was pleased my performance at the Volvo Golf Champions at Fancourt last week, despite losing in the play-off with Ernie (Els) and Brendan Grace.
“I’d never played Yas Links before making my Invitational debut last year. It was my first round there so maybe that was a good thing – I didn’t know where all the trouble was. I just tried to hit good shots, played solid golf, putted well and hit a lot of shots close to the pin. The course obviously suited my game quite nicely. I was a late entry so I think I made the right decision to play and it was a really enjoyable day.”
“I think (tournament host) Abdullah has done a really good job with the Invitational. For a Pro-Am event it’s great prize money and it’s great for the charities to benefit from this, too. I’m looking forward to going back to defend my title.”
Recognised as the most prestigious one-day Pro-Am in golf, the Invitational has gone from strength to strength each year since the inaugural event in 2007. This year’s tournament will see Goosen spearhead a star-studded field that includes 2010 US Open Champion Graeme McDowell, Ryder Cup star Sergio Garcia, 2010 European Ryder Cup Captain Colin Montgomerie and 2012 European Ryder Cup Captain Jose Maria Olazabal competing for a prize fund of US$500,000. There will also be a host of celebrity competitors including ex-England cricket captain Michael Vaughan, who returns to defend the pro-am title.
Known for being played in a fun yet competitive manner, the Invitational received a huge boost last year when Emirates Airline came on board as title sponsor and that title sponsorship continues for the 2012 event, which has been further elevated by receiving Official European Tour Sanctioning.
“The 2011 Emirates Airline Invitational golf tournament was a great start to our sponsorship and we look forward to helping the event continue to grow,” says Ahmed Khoory, Emirates’ Senior Vice President Commercial, Gulf, Middle East and Iran.
“Emirates has a long and successful association with golf, sponsoring 19 tournaments last year, 11 of which were on the European Tour International Schedule. Sponsoring a tournament, already established as one of the most prestigious Pro-Ams in golf, in our home country is of special significance to us. We look forward to a stellar event with an all-star cast of world-class players and top celebrities set to light up Yas Links.”
The primary goal of the Invitational is to raise as much money as possible for good causes and this year the tournament’s official charities are: Friends of Cancer Patients, the UAE Down Syndrome Association, the Special Care Centre Abu Dhabi and the Tour Players’ Foundation. There will be a Gala Dinner following the day’s play, which will take place at Official Hotel the Yas Viceroy, where organizers hope to raise over $250,000 through a charity auction.
There are limited free tickets available for the 2012 Emirates Airline Invitational Hosted by Abdullah Al Naboodah. Interested parties should visit:www.emiratesairlineinvitational.comfor details of how to apply.
