Westin Turnberry Welcomes Back the Open Championship for 2009; The 138th Open Returns to the Famed Ailsa Course
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Westin Turnberry Welcomes Back the Open Championship for 2009; The 138th Open Returns to the Famed Ailsa Course
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Category: North America & West Indies / Carribean islands
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2005-12-16
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc (NYSE: HOT) today announced that the 138th Open Championship will be returning to the Westin Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire from July 16th to 19th of 2009, taking place on the resort's renowned Ailsa Course. The last time Turnberry hosted the Open Championship was in 1994.
"This announcement consolidates years of work and co-operation between The R&A, South Ayrshire Council and Starwood Hotels & Resorts, owners of Turnberry," said Stewart Selbie, General Manager, Westin Turnberry Resort. "I congratulate everyone on the Turnberry team who has successfully worked on this. In my six years here so many of the world's best golfers have told me that they enjoy coming to Turnberry as one of the best Open venues in the world."
A Resort like no other, The Westin Turnberry delivers the warmth and hospitality of a great country house, with world-class golf, an award winning Spa and much more. Turnberry was also included on Conde Nast Travelers' Gold List as "Top Golf Resort" last year.
Fore Times a Charm
The Westin Turnberry has been host to the Open Championship on three previous occasions. In 1977, it was the venue for the famous 'Duel in the Sun' between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus. The Open returned again in 1986, when Greg Norman not only defeated the field but also the wind and rain. In 1994 Nick Price snatched victory over the last two holes from Jesper Parnevik. Making 2009 the fourth time around of golf!
"It is fantastic news that the Open is returning to Turnberry," said Paul Burley, Director of Golf at Turnberry. "Having staged three outstanding Open's it is well deserved that this great championship returns to our legendary links. It is not by accident that previous Open winners at Turnberry happen to have been the best players in the world at the time. It is a reflection of the way the course was set up, its fairness and like all great golf courses, the Ailsa responds to superlative play."
In conjunction with The R&A, work will begin this winter on the Ailsa Course to enhance it and ensure it is a challenge for the world's best golfers.
Colin Montgomerie, OBE, fresh from his recent 8th European Order of Merit title who has his Links Golf Academy at Turnberry, sent his good wishes upon hearing the announcement. He commented, "I know from a player's perspective how popular the Ailsa Course is, as well as Turnberry itself with all the great facilities it has to offer golfers. I also know how well this announcement will be received by many of the world's greatest golfers. The Ailsa has always been my favourite links course and it's great that Ayrshire has another Open Championship on the horizon."
The Ailsa is regularly acknowledged as one of Britain's top three courses as well as consistently being ranked in the world's top 20 courses. With spectacular views sweeping across the Irish Sea to the Ailsa Craig, the Isle of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre with the picturesque lighthouse on the horizon, the Ailsa will provide a magnificent and memorable setting for this championship and reinforces Turnberry's reputation as one of the greatest Open Championship venues.
For further information, please contact:
Amalie Craig
Public Relations UK & Ireland, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Tel: +44(0) 20 7290 7105
Email: amalie.craig@starwoodhotels.com
Westin Hotels & Resorts, with 121 hotels and resorts in 31 countries and territories, is owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and was ranked "Highest in Guest Satisfaction Among Upscale Hotel Chains" in the J.D. Power and Associates' 2004 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study(SM) and voted Best Domestic Hotel Chain by Global Traveler Magazine. The Westin brand continues to drive new ideas and innovate services across the hospitality industry, such as the Westin Kids Club(R) program, the Heavenly Bed(R) and the Heavenly Bath(R) signature innovations. In 2005, Westin Hotels & Resorts(R) celebrates its 75th birthday, proving that exceptional service and luxurious comfort are never out of style.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 850 properties in more than 95 countries and 145,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood(R) Hotels is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis(R), The Luxury Collection(R), Sheraton(R), Westin(R), Four Points(R) by Sheraton, W(R), Le Meridien(R) and the recently announced aloft(SM). Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
(Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.)
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CONTACT: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Jennifer Centrone, 914-640-8469
jennifer.centrone@starwoodhotels.com
SOURCE: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
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