BMW Teams Up With Celtic Manor Wales Open

BMW has agreed to become the Official Courtesy Car of The Celtic Manor Wales Open at the majestic Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales. As part of the deal for the 2009 and 2010 tournaments, BMW will provide and manage a fleet of cars for the players and officials from their exclusive range.
 
This agreement marks the start of a relationship that builds up to The 2010 Ryder Cup where BMW is the Official Car to the biennial match between Europe and the United States.
 
“We are delighted to enter into this agreement with The Celtic Manor Resort and its Wales Open as not only is it a world-class event that attracts an excellent field, it will also provide us with a better understanding of the logistical challenges that will be presented at The Ryder Cup in September and October 2010,” said Peter Walker, BMW UK’s General Manager, Sports Marketing
 
“We are a performance-orientated and innovative brand so there is no better fit than the sport of golf which continually sets new standards. The Celtic Manor Wales Open is always an eagerly-anticipated event and we look forward to our involvement,” he added.
 
The Celtic Manor Wales Open returns for the tenth year from June 4-7, 2009. Already established as one of the leading events on the European Tour, the tournament is set for its second year on the spectacular Twenty Ten course, the first in history to be designed and built to host The Ryder Cup. The 2010 Ryder Cup captains, Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin, will both play in this year’s Celtic Manor Wales Open along with a host of other Ryder Cup stars and European Tour champions.
 
Celtic Manor Resort Chief Executive Dylan Matthews said, “We are striving to make the Celtic Manor Wales Open one of the premier events on The European Tour and this new relationship with BMW will certainly help us to achieve that goal. We are very much looking forward to working with the BMW team and welcoming them into our family of sponsors.” 
 
About BMW Golf
 
BMW has an ongoing international commitment to golf and is Official Car to The European Tour and partner of the Ryder Cup 2010.
 
The BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club is the flagship event on the European Tour and was first played under the new partnership with BMW in May 2005. This year, the tournament will be held from 21-24 May 2009.
 
BMW is the promoter of two other European Tour events – the BMW Italian Open, won by Argentinean Daniel Vancsik in May 2009 and the BMW International Open, at Golfclub München, Eichenried, Germany, from 25-28 June. In addition, the BMW Championship on the US PGA Tour will be played from 7-13 September 2009 at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club near Chicago.
 
As well as its commitment to professional golf, BMW also organises the world’s largest tournament series for amateurs, The BMW Golf Cup International. This event which has been running for over 25 years brings together ambitious golfers from over 50 countries.
 
www.bmw-golfsport.com
www.bmw.co.uk
 
For more information please contact James Lovett at GMS on +44 (0)1438 718399 or email james@gmsgolf.co.uk
 
About The Celtic Manor Wales Open
 
The Celtic Manor Wales Open was the first European Tour event to be staged in Wales for a decade when Steen Tinning won the inaugural event in 2000. Prize money has more than doubled in the nine years since with a roll of champions which includes Ryder Cup stars Paul McGinley, Paul Lawrie, Ian Poulter, Miguel Angel Jiménez and Robert Karlsson.
 
The championship was held on the Wentwood Hills course from 2000-2004 before switching to The Celtic Manor Resort’s Roman Road course from 2005 to 2007 as work was carried out on the new Twenty Ten Course. The Twenty Ten, the first course ever to be purpose built to host The Ryder Cup, took over the staging of The Celtic Manor Wales Open from 2008.
 
www.walesopen.com
www.celtic-manor.com
 
For more information please contact Paul Williams at Celtic Manor on +44 (0)1633 410288 or email paulwilliams@celtic-manor.com