bmi and bmibaby have come together to jointly sponsor, as the Official Airlines, The Benmore Developments Northern Ireland Masters on the European Challenge Tour.
A top class field of Challenge Tour golfers will compete alongside two of Ireland’s leading European stars, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell, at Clandeboye Golf Club, Belfast, from September 11-14, 2003 with a prize fund of £150,000.
This sponsorship agreement sees the extension of bmi’s current European Tour sponsorship, which incorporates the Volvo PGA Championship, the Smurfit European Open and The Barclays Scottish Open, and is its first sponsorship of a European Challenge Tour event.
Alain de Soultrait, Director of the European Challenge Tour, said: ‘We congratulate bmi and bmibaby on this initiative which further enhances The Benmore Developments Northern Ireland Masters.
‘This will be the first time the European Challenge Tour has visited Northern Ireland and thanks to this sponsorship agreement our Members have the use of an outstanding service. We thank bmi and bmibaby for their support of future champions.’
Speaking on behalf of bmi and bmibaby Austin Reid, Chief Executive Officer said: ‘We are delighted to support such a prestigious and exciting sporting event. The inclusion of Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell – both from Northern Ireland and both champions on The European Tour – will certainly add to the profile of the tournament and give it a real local interest.
‘The involvement in this sponsorship of both bmi, our full service airline, and bmibaby, our low cost carrier, means that the tournament organisers have at their disposal an excellent combination of services which very few airlines can offer: quite a Masters stroke in fact.
‘Both are delighted at the association with the Northern Ireland Masters and we would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone involved – organisers, players and spectators – a very successful tournament.’
For further information please contact:
The European Tour Communications Division
Tel: +44 1344 840400
Fax: +44 1344 840444
e-mail: media@europeantour.com