Fancourt in South Africa to host Volvo Golf Champion Of Champions in January 2012

Fancourt's The Links will host the first ever European Tour Event on African soil in January 2012 - the Volvo Golf Champions.

Fancourt has announced that the European Tour's first-ever true 'tournament of champions' event has been confirmed for South Africa's number-one golf course, The Links at Fancourt, where it will be held from 19 to 22 January 2012.

The event holds the prospect of the finest field ever assembled for a European Tour event on African soil, chasing the €350,000   first prize. With a prize fund of €2million the Volvo Golf Champions is the first solely-sanctioned European Tour event of 2012, and offers the circuit's most valuable purse on the African continent.

The Volvo Golf Champions is open only to European Tour players who have won an event during  the previous year's European Tour International Schedule; 2011 Major Champions; and current Tour Members with ten or more European Tour wins to their name. With prize money and valuable Official World Ranking Points on offer from first to last place and with only a dozen events until the Tournament, an unprecedented gathering of global golfing talent is expected to line up at the globally acclaimed Links at Fancourt, recently voted number one course in the country, and designed by South African golf legend Gary Player.

The inaugural Volvo Golf Champions, which was staged as a celebration of global golf in January 2011, saw the 34-year-old Arizona-based Englishman Paul Casey triumph, securing his place in the Fancourt field. Having won on every continent in the world except Africa, Casey is determined to put that right as he defends his Volvo Golf Champions crown in South Africa early next year.

Commenting on the Tournament, Casey said: 'I think that the news that the Volvo Golf Champions is heading to South Africa will be very well received by the players as we have received nothing but amazing feedback about the Links course. Defending my title at the Volvo Golf Champions will be at the top of my New Year's Resolution List!'

The Links at Fancourt, consistently in the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World since it was opened in 2000, is an awe-inspiring example of magnificent design and golf-course construction, considered by many to be the best example of links golf outside of the UK and Ireland.  The Links has previously hosted other major golf tournaments such as the Presidents Cup in 2003, the Woman's World Cup in 2005, the SA Open in 2005, and the Berenberg Bank Masters Seniors European Tour event in 2010.

Mr. Hasso Plattner, the owner of Fancourt expressed his delight at the Links being chosen as the venue for this prestigious event. 'We have been privileged to see some of the world's very best golfers in action at Fancourt, and in particular on The Links. It is wonderful that we will once again be part of golfing history in South Africa, and have the opportunity to showcase Fancourt and the Garden Route to the world.'

FANCOURT
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