Robert Karlsson, who won his first Harry Vardon Trophy at the end of the 2008 season, launched his bid to capture a second when he began The Race to Dubai on The 2009 European Tour International Schedule in the HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
The 39 year old Swede struck the opening tee shot in the tournament which heralds the season-long golfing odyssey that will climax in November 2009 when the top 60 players go head-to-head in the richest tournament in golf - the Dubai World Championship.
Karlsson said: “It is really exciting to start something new like this and it is a great honour to be the person given the chance to kick off this thrilling period in The European Tour’s history.
“I felt very privileged to be the first Swedish player to win the Harry Vardon Trophy and now to be given the chance to defend it in the inaugural Race to Dubai is another important milestone in my career.
“There is always pressure on the opening tee shot in any golf tournament but I know the eyes of the world will be on me on this one so I’d better make sure and hit a good one!”
The Race to Dubai, a $10 million season-long competition, replaces The European Tour Order of Merit and is one of the major elements of the partnership between The European Tour and Leisurecorp, the Dubai World company focused on investments and developments in the leisure sector. It is Leisurecorp’s signature development, Jumeirah Golf Estates, which will host the Dubai World Championship next year on the Greg Norman-designed Earth course.
Competing at the prestigious HSBC Champions event are, among others, Open and US PGA champion Padraig Harrington, Masters Tournament champion Trevor Immelman, World Number Two Phil Mickelson, Australian sensation Adam Scott, World Number Twelve and resident of Dubai Henrik Stenson, the US PGA Tour’s hottest young stars Anthony Kim and Camilo Villegas, and Greg Norman’s fellow Jumeirah Golf Estates course designer Sergio Garcia.
George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said, “When we announced The Race to Dubai last year we were aware of the many challenges we would face to ensure that we were ready to launch the competition at the HSBC Champions.
“Together with Leisurecorp we are delighted to now be starting a new era in the history of The European Tour – one which we know will create many, many moments of great excitement along the way to the Dubai World Championship and one that we look forward to seeing more of the world’s best players taking up the challenge to compete in The Race to Dubai.”
David Spencer, Leisurecorp CEO-Golf, said, “When the first tee shot is hit at Shanghai, perhaps the most exciting season in European Tour history will get underway - after a year of talk, planning and preparation, finally the Race will be on!
“It's great to see exciting names like Vijay Singh, Anthony Kim and Camilo Villegas declare their intention to compete. The partnership between Leisurecorp and The European Tour is a big step forward in the development of the game, and The Race to Dubai provides a tantalising prospect for big name players that until now might have been tempted to play the US PGA Tour.”
Alan Rogers, Group CEO of Leisurecorp, said: “It’s been a fantastically busy year since we stood at the top of the Burj Al Arab to announce this new partnership. We’re delighted with where we’ve got to and excited by The Race that’s just begun.”
Giles Morgan, HSBC Group Head of Sponsorship added: “The HSBC Champions is in the unusual position of being the starting gates and the finishing stretch for the first Race to Dubai, and obviously with the prize money we offer we are going to play a significant role in deciding who wins the Race. We’ll get to see who sets off the fastest and who has the sprint finish. It should be fascinating.”
