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Home , Boonchu Ruangkit, Brian Barnes (golfer), Carl Mason, European Senior Tour, French Riviera Masters, Gary Wolstenholme

GOLF AT ITS BEST Leader of the Order of Merit 2014, Legend & Double Senior Major Champion

IAN WOOSNAM Former European Ryder Cup Captain, Former European Ryder Cup Captain Masters Champion & World Number One & three-time winner of the Senior Tour Order of Merit

8-14 DEC 2014 www.constancehotels.com CONTENTS

Welcome 4

Mauritius Commercial Bank Tour Championship 5 International Event

The Week’s Programme 5

The John Jacobs Trophy 6

EST Order of Merit Winners 6

A Meeting of Golfing Greats 7

2014 Order of Merit 8

Constance Hotels & Resorts 9

MCB Tour Championship and Worldwide Visibility 10

Our Valued Partners 11

Contact 12

3 TO OUR FRIENDS IN THE MEDIA

The Communication Department of Constance Hotels & Resorts is delighted to welcome you for the 4th edition of the MCB Tour Championship, the final event of the European Senior Tour season.

This year’s tournament is special for us as we celebrate our 20th year of tournaments here in Constance Belle Mare Plage. Indeed, it has been now two decades since we launched of the very first PGA approved golf tournament in and we are proud to position ourselves as golf pioneers in the country. During this time, many fantastic rounds of golf featuring great names from the sport have been played on our two courses which continue to delight and excite players each year.

As usual, printed and online information will allow you to follow the development of the tournament, particularly on our recently updated website: www.constancehotels.com.

This information kit includes details, facts, statistics and a record of the numerous renowned golf pros.

This event is usually the contest to point out the champion of champions by awarding the John Jacobs Trophy to the leader of the Senior Tour Order of Merit of the past year. But, thanks to an outstanding performance (4 victories on tour in 2014), the Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie knows he has already won this year’s trophy. The Mauritius Commercial Bank Tour Championship may be his 5th victory of the season if he wins at Constance Belle Mare Plage. We are also pleased to announce that the top 10 players from the order of merit will participate in the tournament.

As usual, additional competitions will be featured before and after the main tournament on our two 18 holes championship golf courses to make this week as unique as the previous years.

Should you require further information, please contact any member of the communication team.

The Communication Department

4 MAURITIUS COMMERCIAL BANK TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

So, what has been happening since that memorable day in December last year when marked his visit to Mauritius with victory in the MCB Tour Championship over the Belle Mare Plage Legend course?

It does not seem all that long ago, but as the present season arrives at its Indian Ocean climax, there is a great deal of success to report among those who have enjoyed the Constance Hotels & Resorts hospitality in past years.

This year, the MCB Tour Championship, arguably the most prestigious tournament outside of the Senior Majors, visits the island for a fourth time.

The Championship brings together most of the top 60 players in the Senior Tour Order of Merit to compete for a share in a prize fund worth a minimum of € 420,000. The previous year’s champion and the winners of the season’s Majors are also eligible to compete, underlining the quality of the event.

This year’s MCB Tour Championship will be played over 54 holes, from December 12 to 14, and will be preceded, as in the past, by a series of amateur competitions and a pro-am contest.

Coverage of the tournament will appear in national and international newspapers and magazines, through television and radio, and via the PGA European Tour website, while all the week’s activities – reports, scores and features – can be accessed through our website, www.constancehotels.com

THE WEEK’S PROGRAMME 198 Amateurs (local and international) and 66 Pros Main tournament prize fund: € 420,000

Monday 08.12.14 Air Mauritius Trophy – Legend Course Tuesday 09.12.14 Air Mauritius Trophy – Course Wednesday 10.12.14 Constance Hotels Pro-Am – Links and Legend Courses Thursday 11.12.14 Constance Hotels Pro-Am – Links and Legend Courses Friday 12.12.14 MCB Tour Championship / European Senior Tour – Legend Course MCB Invitational – Links Course Saturday 13.12.14 MCB Tour Championship / European Senior Tour – Legend Course Air Mauritius Trophy – Links Sunday 14.12.14 MCB Tour Championship / European Senior Tour – Legend Course Monday 15.12.14 MCB Pro-Am – Legend Course

5 THE JOHN JACOBS TROPHY

The John Jacobs Trophy honours one of the The following year, he accepted an invitation to become an Honorary most respected names in professional golf Member of the Royal and Ancient of . and is presented at the end of the year to the winner of the Senior Tour’s Order of Merit. The 2014 recipient of the John Jacobs Trophy will be Colin Montgomerie, who cannot be caught after four victories so far this season. Englishman John Jacobs enjoyed a successful career as a player, Ryder Cup captain, administrator, coach and course ORDER OF MERIT PREVIOUS WINNERS designer and has been the recipient of Year Order of Merit Leader Nat Earnings(€) many top awards. 2013 Paul Wesselingh ENG 311,644 Born in March 1925, the son of a golf 2012 ENG 356,751 professional, Jacobs won tournaments 2011 AUS 302,327 in Holland and in the 2010 THA 266,609 pre-European Tour days. He appeared in one Ryder Cup match, in the USA in 1955, 2009 Sam Torrance SCO 170,696 when he featured in two successes for the 2008 WAL 320,120 GB and Ireland team in their 8-4 defeat. 2007 ENG 412,376 2006 Sam Torrance SCO 347,525 In October 1971, Jacobs became Tournament Director-General of the PGA, 2005 Sam Torrance SCO 277,421 which marked the official birth of the 2004 Carl Mason ENG 354,743 European Tour and Jacobs was installed as 2003 Carl Mason ENG 350,242 its first Executive Director. 2002 JAP 330,211 He twice captained the European team 2001 AUS 287,025 in the Ryder Cup, albeit unsuccessfully, in 2000 AUS 163,167 1979 and 1981. By then he had established 1999 ENG 138,944 a reputation as an outstanding teacher, 1998 Tommy Horton ENG 127,656 working with some of the sport’s top players 1997 Tommy Horton ENG 158,427 and establishing a network of teaching academies and driving ranges. 1996 Tommy Horton ENG 133,195 1995 SCO 63,620 One of the finest tributes paid to Jacobs 1994 ENG 57,209 came from , coach to during his most successful spell as 1993 Tommy Horton ENG 56,935 world number one: “There is not one teacher 1992 SA 47,857 who does not owe something to John,” said Harmon. “He wrote the book on coaching.”

In 1997, Jacobs was awarded the OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Three years later, he was inducted into the and, in 2001, to the World Golf Teachers’ Hall of Fame

6 A MEETING OF GOLFING GREATS

This year’s field boasts most of the top golfers from MCB Open champion – (South Africa) European Senior Tour’s 2014 Order of Merit. Many of Multi-continent champion, having secured titles in them are golfing legends and they include Ryder Cup South Africa, and the United States. Winner of heroes and tournament winners in Europe, the United the MCB Tour Championship in 2012 and 2010, twice States and further afield. a champion on the US Champions Tour. Seventeen nations will be represented in this year’s 2014 winner MCB Tour Championship. – (ENG) Leader and pre-announced winner of 2014 Order Was consistent throughout 2014 with seven top ten of Merit – Colin Montgomerie (SCO) finishes. th4 position of the 2014 Senior Tour Order of Merit. 2nd position at the Dutch Open and the One of the top golfers to have graced Mauritius. Eight- WINSTONgolf Senior Open. time Ryder Cup player, six-times winner, 2010 Ryder Cup captain, double Senior Major Champion (2014), 2014 Senior Tour Rookie of the Year leader of the Senior Tour Order of Merit and record – Cesar Monasterio (ARG) man as the most prolific British winner in European Tour Reveled in his debut season on the 2014 Senior Tour, history, with 31 titles. being crowned ‘Rookie of the Year’. Winner of the Former European Ryder Cup Captain English Senior Open. Made an impressive year with two – Sam Torrance (SCO) 2nd position finishes at French Riviera Masters and SSE Scottish Senior Open. This three-time winner of the Senior Tour Order of Merit golf legend is also a nine-time Ryder Cup player who Defending Champion – Paul Wesselingh (ENG) captained the European Team in 2002 (winners). Won 2013 European Senior Tour Order of Merit winner. Won 21 European Tour tournaments and 11 European Senior his sixth Senior Tour event by beating Philip Golding Tour tournaments. and in a three way at the 2014 Former World Number #1 – Ian Woosnam (WAL) WINSTON golf Senior Open in September. Possibly one of the most famous names in the , this former European Ryder Cup captain is also a Masters Champion. He recently won the Dutch Open, his 5th European Senior Tour, after 29 European Tour Wins in his career…

Four time Senior Tour champion – (ENG) 3rd position of the 2014 Order of Merit. Three top ten finishes in four appearances over the Legend Course of Constance Belle Mare Plage. Regular visitor to the winner’s enclosure on the main European Tour and again on the European Senior Tour.

7 2014 SENIOR TOUR ORDER OF MERIT LEADERS

Rank Player name Nat Notes Tournaments Played Prize Money

1 Colin MONTGOMERIE SCO 5 € 607,477 2 CAN 11 € 222,791 3 Barry LANE ENG 10 € 182,622 4 Philip GOLDING ENG 13 € 179,131 5 Cesar MONASTERIO ARG 11 € 160,236 6 USA 12 € 126,740 7 Miguel Angel MARTIN ESP 13 € 117,078 8 SCO 12 € 106,313 9 Paul WESSELINGH ENG 12 € 106,185 10 Peter FOWLER AUS 13 € 99,373 11 ESP 12 € 99,052 12 DEN 13 € 93,465 13 André BOSSERT SUI 11 € 80,809 14 SCO 10 € 78,138 15 AUT 11 € 77,608 16 ENG 10 € 69,806 17 Carl MASON ENG 12 € 69,738 18 FRA 12 € 69,039 19 David J RUSSELL ENG 10 € 65,072 20 RSA 12 € 64,213 21 ENG 12 € 61,811 22 Pedro LINHART ESP 11 € 60,636 23 Jamie SPENCE ENG 6 € 56,325 24 Ian WOOSNAM WAL 9 € 55,799 25 ENG 12 € 53,717 26 Jerry SMITH USA 11 € 52,590 27 WAL 6 € 51,569 28 Jean-Francois REMESY FRA 10 € 49,698 29 Simon P BROWN ENG 13 € 49,546 30 Angel FRANCO 12 € 49,353

• This year, the European Senior Tour marks its 21st season • The PGA European Tour operates a broad range of business initiatives essential to its primary mission of administering professional tournament golf. • It is a unique business, generating profits to the benefit of the members, the tournament players, who receive dividends by winning prize money.

8 CONSTANCE HOTELS & RESORTS, HOSTING GOLFING LEGENDS

A major factor in the success of the MCB Tour Championship and its predecessor, the Mauritius Golf Open, is the ability of Constance Hotels & Resorts to provide first-class accommodation and access to two 18-hole championship golf courses.

These exceptional facilities have been made available for participants of this exclusive golfing event for the past 20 years – the players, professional and amateur, their families and friends, and the international and local media.

The range of accommodation includes:

• 256 elegant and well-appointed suites and villas at the Constance Belle Mare Plage

• 88 suites and villas at the luxurious Constance Le Prince Maurice providing outstanding facilities throughout the week.

Apart from the golf, many activities are available to keep guests occupied and entertained, whether this is relaxing by the poolside, on the beach or in the bar, working out at the gym, pampered at the spa, enjoying a variety of water sports or simply exploring the island.

Every need is catered for.

Experience is the key to success

The Constance Belle Mare Plage has a wealth of experience in running major professional golf tournaments. The resort launched the first Mauritius Golf Open way back in 1994 and witnessed numerous epic encounters and thrilling finales over subsequent years. Englishman Mike McLean was the first-ever winner and repeated his feat six years later.

Top Australian was also a champion, as were Welshman Mark Mouland and ’s Miles Tunnicliff, both on two successive occasions.

And who can forget Van Phillips making up eight shots over the closing 12 holes to lift the title in 2006?

Ryder Cup man enjoyed a career revival in 2007 before Welshman Jamie Donaldson became the last champion in the tournament’s old format.

All the drama and intensity of the previous years has been carried forward into the MCB Tour Championship, as inaugural champion Kevin Spurgeon will bear witness. He went from two strokes ahead to four shots behind in the final round before staging an inspired recovery over the closing seven holes.

9 THE MCB TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP – WORLDWIDE VISIBILITY

Daily bulletins, live updates, interviews and features for newspapers, magazines, radio, TV programmes and the web, throughout the tournament and beyond, provided by:

• www.europeantour.com o China/Hong Kong (Cup Magazine, Singtao Daily) • www.constancehotels.com o France (Golf Européen/Golf Magazine, • European Tour Productions, who will supply a one-hour Canal Plus, Fairways) film of exclusive moments of the event to be viewed on * in the UK * Sport+ in France * o Singapore (Golf Vacations) in Asia * Supersport in South Africa. The tournament o Turkey (Hurriyet Daily Newpaper) will be broadcast to more than 230 million viewers throughout Europe, North and South America, Middle o Czech Rep (Golf Vacations) East, Africa and Asia. o South Africa (Compleat Golfer, Golf Digest) • 25 journalists from the main golfing and general media o UAE (Golf Digest) who will provide articles and features for publications o Norway (Great Golf) around the globe: o Maurice (Ile Maurice Tourisme) o Switzerland (Golf&Country, Plaisirs Gastronomie et Voyages, Ou Magazine) o Denmark (Luxury Aficionados) o (Süddeutsche Zeitung, Sky TV Station, o Réunion (Le Quotidien) Die Welt) o UK (National Club Golfer, Mail Online) o Italy (Golf e Turismo) o India (GolfPlus Monthly)

10 THANKS TO OUR VALUED PARTNERS

The MAURITIUS COMMERCIAL BANK is the oldest and largest MAURITOURS & BUDGET RENT A CAR banking institution on Mauritius. It was founded in 1838 and has its – Our Official Ground Handling Agent headquarters in Sir William Newton Street, Port Louis. Mauritours is the leader in the Mauritian The bank has a total of 2,500 employees and operates a network of Tourism Industry and is well-respected at 42 branches and over 4,000 point-of-sale terminals across the home and abroad. The Group present in island. The MCB has always sought to contribute to the welfare of the Mauritius, Rodrigues and community and has been at the heart of numerous projects. Among operates several main branches of activities: these are the Blue Penny Museum, a rich collection of historical documents and works of art made available to the public to view, and • Tour Operating / Destination the MCB Forward Foundation, launched in September this year, whose Management Services. prime objective is to develop and support sustainable initiatives for the • Travel Agents. social, environmental and economic well-being of the community. • Hotels in Rodrigues. Organisers of the MCB Tour Championship are also indebted to their various other supporters and sponsors who include: • Car Hire through Budget Rent a Car, with a fleet size of 75 cars ranging from small to full size, all cars are fully CONSTANCE LE PRINCE MAURICE optional. Present in most hotels, our rates are competitive. Focusing on product Set within 60 hectares of unspoiled land, amidst rare and luxuriant and service quality, we guarantee the vegetation, Constance Le Prince Maurice consists of suites and customer the best service ever. villas and one Princely Villa, some of the accommodation are on stilts on a natural fish reserve.

The entire property blends naturally with the beauty and simplicity OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS of the environment. Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority The hotel features top class facilities and comfort, including the (MTPA) Champagne Delamotte, Crus et Uspa, a fantastic wine cellar as well as a large range of water and Domaine de France, Nespresso, Castle inland sports activities. The unique floating restaurant and bar is Lager, L’Epicerie and Argolf open for dinner only.

STANDARD SPONSORS

AIR MAURITIUS – Our National Carrier For contributing materially and financially Air Mauritius presently flies to 20 destinations in Europe, Asia, to the success of the event , Africa and the Indian Ocean. Shiseido, Orange, Central Business Their policy regarding golf bags, is to allow an additional 23 kg Equipment, Brinks, Imprimerie et Papeterie containing per passenger free of charge. Commerciale Ltee, Scetia, Ile Maurice Tourisme, Porsche, Coroi and Lacoste This facility is applicable for travel on a point to point basis to all Air Mauritius online destinations in Europe and also to beyond points via Charles de Gaulle for passenger travelling on Air Mauritius / Air France.

11 CONTACT Communication Department Constance Hotels & Resorts Poste de Flacq, Mauritius Indian Ocean Tel: (230) 402 2919 Fax: (230) 415 1082 Email: [email protected] www.constancehotels.com