The Smurfit European Open at The K Club, Straffan, Co Kildare, in Ireland will be played at the spectacular and challenging South Course for the first time in 2004. The North Course has hosted the event for the past nine years but the new 7,300 yard Arnold Palmer-designed South Course takes centre stage next summer from July 1-4.
Construction began on the South Course in February 2001 and opened for play last July on the week of the 2003 Smurfit European Open when The European Tour and the Jefferson Smurfit Group jointly organised a Pro-Am with 18 teams participating in aid of funds for the Special Olympics.
Dr Michael Smurfit struck the first tee shot to officially inaugurate the South Course, which lies on the other side of the River Liffey from the North Course, and has already been hailed as one of the best new courses in Ireland.
Spanning a total area of 180 acres, a tenth is accounted for by water features, while giving the appearance of an inland links with high undulating fairways, large difficult greens and treacherous rough. The signature hole is the seventh, the Quarry Hole which stretches to 606 yards.
Dr Smurfit said: ‘The staging of the Smurfit European Open on the South Course at The K Club will be a milestone for the Resort. This course has been built to the highest possible standards and has been designed by, in my opinion, the World’s greatest golf course designer, Arnold Palmer.
‘It will be very interesting to see the reaction from the European Tour Professionals as the contrast between this course and the North Course, which they have played since 1995, is enormous. The South Course is a battle of the elements with wind, sand, water and wilderness being much larger factors. I believe the course has a more Irish ‘feel’ to it given the grasses used in its construction and the extensive planting of Irish wild flora.
‘The hosting of the Smurfit European Open on the South Course will mean that The K Club will be one of the few Resorts worldwide to boast two true Championship tests of golf. We hope very much you enjoy this new, exciting course.’
Phillip Price of Wales is defending champion after his superb victory over a world class field in 2003 and with valuable Ryder Cup points and World Ranking points at stake, another outstanding field is in prospect to tackle the demands of the South Course.
In addition, tickets for the 2004 edition of this international tournament are available now – with a special Christmas discount.
All orders for any one day tickets and season tickets placed and paid for by December 24, 2003, will be discounted beyond the normal advance ticket price. This means that season tickets, priced at €75 in 2003, will now cost only €60 with the €15 Christmas discount.
An any one day adult ticket, which was available at the advance price of €25 last year, is on offer at €22.50 until Christmas with the €2.50 discount, while parking is free to all spectators.
For further ticket information, please call 1890 337 333 or log on to: www.sportsticketing.com
For further information contact:
Conor Ridge/Fintan Drury Communications Division
Drury Sports Management
The European Tour
(01) 6620313
Tel: +44 (0) 1344 840400
Fax: +44 (0) 1344 840444
Email: media@europeantour.com