Friday 26 / April / 2024
Muscat: Oman’s championship golf course, Al Mouj Golf, is set to become the first golf course in the Middle East to host the season opener of 2023’s International Series, the elevated series of tournaments on the Asian Tour, later this month.
The Asian Tour is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia and will see some of the world’s best players compete for a prize fund of $2 million.
Famous names including Sergio Garcia and Louis Oouisthazen are among the 132-strong line-up of top-level pros set to play over four days (9th to 12th February) and take on the challenges of the par 72 Greg Norman design course in the first leg of the Middle Eastern swing.
The International Series is set to be staged in 10 different locations globally with each taking place at premier golf clubs carefully selected for the high quality of their course and amenities and across global locations including Qatar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Set at the ocean’s edge, Al Mouj Golf is the Sultanate’s first links-style course and a World 100 Course with Today’s Golfer placing it in the top two in the region in 2022 and now, as the first ever Oman course to host The International Series Asian Tour, its reputation as a global sporting and leisure attraction has been raised further.
Over 10 years, the course has earned many plaudits for its superb design and its setting with breathtaking views of the sea and the Hajar mountains. As the nation’s first PGA championship course, it has also hosted several other prominent events including the Oman Open.
By attracting Pro and amateur players from across the globe, Al Mouj Golf has had a significant impact on Oman’s growing sports tourism sector, as CEO of Al Mouj Muscat, Nasser bin Masoud Al Sheibani explains, “We are delighted that Al Mouj Golf will host the kick-off event of the International Series. Our superb course will be the ideal setting for this highly prestigious tournament and it once more highlights Oman as a unique venue on the world golf stage. More than six million golfers regularly travel to different courses in pursuit of their passion and tournaments such as this showcase our exceptional course to a global audience.
“Tourism is critical as Oman diversifies its economy and the appeal of sports tourism. Al Mouj Muscat is committed to maintaining our global presence by hosting Pro tournament events, and to implementing innovative ways to deliver lasting value to our community, our stakeholders, and the Sultanate of Oman through sustainable tourism and building on the 4 million visitors we attract annually.”
Al Mouj Golf has now received 23 International Awards and has welcomed 16,000 golfers in addition to hosting 35,000 guests with many more expected as part of this latest competition. The course is a key asset of Al Mouj Muscat, the Sultanate’s leading leisure and lifestyle destination, and a joint venture between Majid Al Futtaim Properties, Omran, and Tanmia. As Oman’s first Integrated Tourism Complex Al Mouj Muscat has delivered a significant socio-economic impact on job creation, development, foreign direct investment and growth in the number of SMEs as well as across the tourism sector.
