Fairmont St Andrews Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Sergio Garcia hunts a first-ever win in Scotland on International Series event at St Andrews

Matt Smith — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 07:32:48 +0000

Sergio Garcia has won a tournament or two (36, to be precise) during his 25 years as a professional golfer, but there is still one glaring omission on his CV.

The Spaniard may have a green jacket in the wardrobe thanks to his Masters triumph at Augusta National in 2017, but the 43-year-old, not for a lack of trying, has never won at the Home of Golf — Scotland (if you don’t count junior and team events).

Garcia sets out once again to change that this week as he tees it up at the St Andrews Bay Championship on the Asian Tour’s International Series — the sixth stop on the elevated circuit.

“It would be nice to win [in Scotland] obviously I have been close a few times. If you count the Ryder Cup, yes, I have won here,” said Garcia, ahead of the Asian tour’s first-ever event in Scotland. “It is something I would like to have the possibility of changing. We’ll give it our best shot.”

Garcia, 43, claimed the Amateur Championship in 1998 at Muirfield, and was part of the Spanish team, along with Miguel Ángel Jiménez and José María Olazábal, to win the Alfred Dunhill Cup the following year on The Old Course at St Andrews, but the closest he has come to triumphing indivually the Open Championship at Carnoustie in 2007 — when Ireland’s Padraig Harrington denied him victory after a four-hole playoff.

“It is very exciting. Winning is one of the reasons we are here,” he said. “I have always enjoyed playing in Scotland. I love the crowds here and it’s good to see. I didn’t have to come and play this week, but I wanted to, it really drove me to come here.”

England’s Paul Casey had earlier observed that it hadn’t occurred to him how unusual it is for the Asian Tour to be in Scotland as major Tour’s today hold events all over the world, and Garcia felt the same.

He said: “It is something you don’t really think about. We play in so many different places and so many different Tours and I think at the end of the day the game is a global game, so I think that is the way I look at it. The Asian Tour is playing in a lot of spots now. I see it as a positive and something nice and it just shows how global our game is.

“And I am sure there are other places they want to go, and they have to find what fits best for everyone. But it’s good to see and you never know maybe they will add one or two more here.”

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Patrick Reed signs up for Asian Tour International Series’ St Andrews Bay Championship

Golf Digest Middle East — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 05:46:11 +0000

Patrick Reed. Asian Tour

Patrick Reed has confirmed he will be gunning for the inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship title.

The appearance of the 2018 Masters champion further bolsters the line-up for the $1.5 million event which will be the 12th leg of the 2023 Asian Tour season and the sixth stop on The International Series.

In what promises to be a memorable week at Fairmont St Andrews from August 24-27, Reed will join fellow Masters champion Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann, alongside a host of players from the LIV Golf roster.

Organisers also announced that South Africans Dean Burmester and Branden Grace, Australian Matt Jones, Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra, Colombian Sebastian Munoz, New Zealander Danny Lee and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger will be gracing the fairways of the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews.

Reed has been a permanent fixture in the top-50 in the Official World Golf Ranking since 2014 and is in an elite group of players who have posted top-10 finishes in all four Majors.

He’s been one of the most consistent players at this year’s Majors. Following a share of fourth at Augusta National in April, Reed was joint 18th at the PGA Championship, tied for 56th at the US Open and equal 33rd at last month’s Open Championship.

Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Commissioner & Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’ve had some strong fields at our International Series events thus far and the St Andrews Bay Championship is no exception. It’s wonderful to have such prominent players compete more regularly on the Asian Tour since the establishment of The International Series and this definitely validates the Asian Tour’s growth into a global Tour.

“I know this will motivate and inspire our Asian Tour members to raise their games. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them to test themselves against genuine world-class players at a world-class venue.”

Winner of nine tournaments worldwide, Reed achieved his highest world ranking of sixth in June 2020.

In the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational series, he was in the top-five three times, including a runner-up spot in Bangkok, and finished fourth in the Individual Champion standings. In the 2023 standings he’s currently fourth having had four top-five finishes.

Callum Nicoll, Director of Golf & Estates at Fairmont St Andrews, said: “We’re delighted to see such a strong field shaping up and very much look forward to welcoming so many outstanding players to Fairmont St Andrews.

“Set among 520 acres of stunning Scottish coastline with views of St Andrews Bay, the Torrance Course at Fairmont is a worthy venue for such an historic tournament.”

Sculpted by European Ryder Cup legend Sam Torrance, the 7,230-yard layout has previously hosted the DP World Tour and European Seniors Tour as well as being a venue for Open Qualifying.

Part of the Asian Tour’s 2023 ‘UK Summer Swing’, the St Andrews showpiece will be preceded by the International Series England, at Close House in Newcastle.

The Asian Tour’s elite-level International Series comprises 10 events, featuring elevated prize funds and welcoming top golfers from every continent and Tour.

Following the first four International Series events of 2023, American Andy Ogletree leads the way in the overall standings with Japan’s Takumi Kanaya, Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent and Australian Wade Ormsby in pursuit.

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Stars including Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann sign up for Asian Tour’s International Series St Andrews Bay Championship

Golf Digest Middle East — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 04:46:14 +0000

Sergio Garcia. Asian Tour

Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann will be aiming to maintain their major momentum when they line-up in the Asian Tour’s inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship.

Spaniard Garcia and Chile’s Niemann both made the cut in last week’s US Open at Los Angeles Country Club and are looking to continue their good form in the second half of 2023.

Garcia’s fellow former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa and Chile’s Mito Pereira have also confirmed their places in the starting line-up at Fairmont St Andrews from August 24-27.

The $1.5 million St Andrews Bay Championship will be the 12th leg of the 2023 Asian Tour season and the sixth stop on The International Series.

“As our first tournament in the country that gave golf to the world, the St Andrews Bay Championship promises to be a momentous week for us,” said Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Commissioner & CEO. “It’s fitting, therefore, that we should have Major champions such as Sergio and Charl and players of the calibre of Joaquin and Mito to grace this auspicious occasion.”

Garcia, who tied for 27th in Los Angeles last week, has appeared regularly in Asian Tour events over the past two decades and has the distinction of having won titles in no fewer than six different countries — China, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Part of the Asian Tour’s 2023 ‘UK Summer Swing’, the St Andrews showpiece will be preceded by the International Series England, at Close House in Newcastle.

The Asian Tour’s elite-level International Series comprises 10 events, featuring elevated prize funds and welcoming top golfers from every continent and Tour.

On his International Series debut in February, Garcia tied for fifth in Oman, alongside Niemann.

Callum Nicoll, Director of Golf & Estates at Fairmont St Andrews, said: “We’re thrilled that established stars such as Sergio, Charl, Mito and Joaquin will be competing in this historic and world-class event at Fairmont St Andrews.”

Stretching to 7,320 yards, the Torrance Course at Fairmont, set among 520 acres of stunning Scottish coastline with views of St Andrews Bay, is sure to provide a tough test.

Sculpted by European Ryder Cup legend Sam Torrance, the layout has previously hosted the DP World Tour and European Seniors Tour as well as being a venue for Open Qualifying.

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Asian Tour breaks new ground with International Series event on Scottish soil

Golf Digest Middle East — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 09:29:12 +0000

The Asian Tour is set to make history by staging an event for the first time in Scotland at Fairmont St Andrews in August 2023.

The inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship — part of the Tour’s International Series — will take place at the venue’s Torrance Course, a 7,320-yard layout set among 520 acres of stunning Scottish coastline with views of St Andrews Bay, from August 24-27.

Designed by former Ryder Cup legend Sam Torrance, the course is marked by its deep bunkers, large greens and links design. St Andrews has long been regarded as the Home of Golf, where there is recorded evidence of the game being played as long ago as 1552, and Fairmont St Andrews has previously staged many notable international events including on the DP World Tour, the European Seniors Tour, on six occasions between 2009 and 2014, as well as Open Qualifying.

Fairmont St Andrews owners Caleb Chan and Dr Peter Lam both hail from Hong Kong and their decision to host the event comes on the back of the recent victory of Taichi Kho — who became the first Hong Kong player to win on the Asian Tour in just his third professional start on Tour. His victory in the World City Championship in Hong Kong also earned him a berth in this summer’s Open Championship.

Fairmont St Andrews. Asian Tour

Callum Nicoll, Head of Golf and Estates at Fairmont St Andrews, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be staging another world class event at Fairmont St Andrews, and to be making history as the first Scottish host for the distinguished Asian Tour. The Torrance course offers a challenging test for the players this summer, blending the principles of links golf with a more modern style. Contouring the hotel and set against the backdrop of the picturesque east coast of Fife, the Torrance will test the short and long game whilst the risk-reward design provides numerous options both off the tee and for approach shots to the green.

“The elevated nature of the International Series with generous purses, strong global fields and the reward of a place for the Series winner in next year’s LIV Golf League all makes for a very exciting tournament in the summer.”

Following immediately after the International Series England in an Asian Tour ‘UK summer swing’, the 156-strong field will compete for a minimum of $1.5 million prize purse on the modern links layout in the sixth installment of the International Series 2023 schedule.

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour, said: “There are few greater experiences in golf than playing in Scotland. It is widely known that Scotland’s golf fans are among the most knowledgeable fans anywhere in the world and our players are really looking forward to teeing it up at a venue that is linked to the origins of the game as we know it. It is a true privilege.

“This is testament to the global vision of tThe International Series, and we are grateful to the dedicated team behind the scenes which has enabled the Asian Tour to grow from strength to strength over a short period of time.”

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DP World Tour returns to St Andrews for Hero Open

Matt Smith — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 10:45:09 +0000

By Matt Smith
It seems like only a couple of weeks have passed since the world of golf descended on St Andrews for the 150th Open Championship.

OK, it actually was only a couple of weeks, but the DP World Tour has returned to the Home of Golf for the Hero Open — on the Torrance Course at Fairmont rather than the Old Course this time around.

This is the Tour’s third visit to the links of Fairmont St Andrews, also the venue for the AXA Scottish Championship in 2020 and the Scottish Senior Open on six occasions. Incidentally it was also a Final Open Qualifying Venue earlier this summer before the big one on the Old Course.

One man hoping to make an impact is Ryan Fox, who is having something of a stand-out season. Following his five-shot victory at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in February, the New Zealander has registered seven top-10s in 15 appearances this year, including three runner-up finishes, taking him to fifth on the DP World Tour Rankings. A second win of the season would see Fox overtake Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick in the standings and into third position, behind leader Rory McIlroy and Will Zalatoris.

Grant Forrest. DP World Tour

One man looking to spoil that particular party is Scotland’s defending champion Grant Forrest, who produced a brilliant birdie-birdie finish to win his maiden Tour title on home soil last year, one shot ahead of England’s James Morrison. Fellow Scots Calum Hill, who had won his maiden Tour title a week earlier, and David Law also finished in the top five. Forrest’s victory saw him become the first Scot to win in his homeland since Paul Lawrie at the 2012 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles and the 29-year-old enjoyed an encouraging preparation for his title defence as he finished tied third in last week’s Cazoo Classic at Hillside Golf Club.

There are no shortage of Scots aiming to emulate Richie Ramsay and make it back-to-back Scottish winners on Tour. Long-standing multiple DP World Tour winners Stephen Gallacher, Marc Warren and Ramsay are joined by a younger generation of Scottish starts including defending champion Grant Forrest, Ewen Ferguson, Connor Syme and Hill. Also hoping to make it another Scottish success story for the second year running is Liam Johnston, who graduated from the Challenge Tour at Ras Al Khaimah alongside Robert MacIntyre, Law and Forrest in 2018.

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