VOLVO WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH SEVE BALLESTEROS, THE GREATEST EXPONENT OF MATCH PLAY GOLF OF ALL TIME
Former Champions, Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin will all be at Finca Cortesin for the 45th Volvo World Match Play Championship.
Volvo and IMG today announced a partnership between the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, Spain, and the 2009 Volvo World Match Play Championship.
The Seve Ballesteros Foundation, Spain, will be the official charity of the Volvo World Match Play Championship whereby all proceeds of fundraising activities and a contribution from Volvo will go towards the foundation’s objectives of fighting cancer, researching brain tumours and providing opportunities in golf for youngsters from a similarly disadvantaged backgrounds as the golfing great who was struck down by a brain tumour almost exactly a year ago.
A five-time winner of the World Match Play Championship, Seve's amazing career included three Open Championships, two Masters Tournaments and a total of 87 titles worldwide.
His mastery of match play is second to none and he is widely credited with the revival in Europe's Ryder Cup fortunes in the early 1980's. Ballesteros won 20 points from 37 matches against the United States and went on to play an inspirational role as Captain in Europe's retention of The Ryder Cup at Valderrama in 1997.
His love of team golf was also illustrated when he subsequently created 'The Seve Trophy' giving the European Ryder Cup players match play competition in non Ryder Cup years.
Fundraising activities around the inaugural Volvo World Match Play Championship will generate income for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation through a series of initiatives including a charity auction as part of the Gala Dinner during this year's Championship, eBay auctions giving Seve's many fans around the world and at home in Spain the opportunity to donate by bidding for lots such as golf memorabilia, unprecedented 'inside the ropes' access during the Championship and luxury leisure packages at the magnificent 5-star Finca Cortesín Golf Resort, which hosts the historic championship for the first time and even the chance to play golf and have lunch with Seve Ballesteros himself at his private golf course in Spain.
The Seve Foundation's first project, the "Seve My Hands" sculpture promoted by Miguel Alonso will be on display.
Seve will be joined at the Volvo World Match Play Championship by current Ryder Cup Captains, Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin, who have both jumped at the chance to attend the World Match Play Championship they won in 1999 and 1993 respectively and watching some of their potential team members go head to head at Finca Cortesin.
Seve commented, "The World Match Play Championship is very special to me – it is a tournament I won five times so I am particularly delighted that the event is partnering with my Foundation. I am so happy this great tournament has moved to Spain and if my health allows me, I am looking forward to being there later this month, and to spend time with my friends Colin and Corey. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Volvo and Per Ericsson for all the support and the Seve Ballesteros Foundation and I are receiving from their side."
Colin Montgomerie added, "What fantastic news to hear Seve will be attending. I learned a lot from him when he was my Captain in 1997 and will be fascinated to hear his advice on Ryder Cup matters. I am obviously looking forward to watching many of my potential team members show off their match play skills and what a wonderful inspiration for them to know the greatest match player of all time will be in the gallery watching them."
Corey Pavin, 2010 US Ryder Cup captain and the 1993 winner of the World Match Play Championship, said, "I am very excited to be heading over to Spain on a scouting mission at Finca Cortesin. Of course, I am looking forward to seeing some amazing match-ups but the news that Seve Ballesteros will be there is terrific. It is great to hear he is getting his strength back and is able to return to a tournament where he enjoyed so many victories and I am really excited about spending time with him and, of course my opposing captain, Monty."
Per Ericsson, "We are delighted to celebrate the first year of the Volvo World Match Play Championship moving to Spain by teaming up with Spain's favorite golfer, Seve Ballesteros. Having him at the tournament will make our inaugural year even more special and we hope we will be able to raise significant funds for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation."
Added Volvo's golf supremo, "As well as Seve's well-documented campaign for awareness of and research brain cancer, his work in providing golfing opportunities for disadvantages youngsters chimes with Volvo's top-to-bottom support for golf and the entire Seve Ballesteros Foundation also strikes a chord with Volvo’s strong principles in the area of corporate social responsibility."
Sergio Garcia, bidding to win his first World Match Play Championship was also thrilled to hear the news, "I am so happy to hear that Seve will be involved in the Volvo World Match Play Championship and also to hear that he is feeling well enough to attend. I think all the players, especially me, are going to be very inspired to know that Seve, the master of match play and a multiple winner of the tournament, will be involved." He continued, "I think it is very exciting for Spanish golf to have attracted such a strong international field for the first World Match Play to be held in Spain and I am really looking forward to the week."
Said Javier Reviriego Bóveda, Director General of Finca Cortesin Golf Club, "Everyone at Finca Cortesín is excited by the imminent arrival of the Volvo World Match Play Championship two weeks tomorrow and having invested considerable financial and emotional capital in the project, this is exactly the sort of challenge a world class golf resort such as ours aspires to."
"To be judged in the most high-profile sporting environment in Spain this year and by 16 of the finest players in world golf is exactly the reason we bought into the Volvo World Match Play Championship vision, and I can tell you that the golf course is coming into the most magnificent condition in time for the ultimate test," continued Reviriego.
"We look forward to offering our unique and unrivalled brand of hospitality to the players and their families, our partners Volvo and IMG, invited guests and the many, many spectators we hope will attend," he concluded.
Guy Kinnings, Director of Golf, IMG, EAME, said, "This is one of the strongest fields we have ever gathered for the World Match Play Championship and we are delighted that Volvo will be able to celebrate the inaugural year of their partnership with such a strong line-up. The quality of all 16 players speaks for itself with 10 out of the leading 13 players on the Race to Dubai Rankings in the field, three of the World's top 10, 11 of the World’s top 30 and 15 of the 16 players ranked within the World’s top 50. Moving to Spain is obviously a big move after 44 fantastic years at Wentworth but, with the help of our partners Volvo and Finca Cortesin, the transition has been seamless.
"It is gratifying that the players have been so supportive and are looking to going head –to-head at Finca Cortesin. We are also very happy to have the opportunity to honour Seve Ballesteros at the 2009 Volvo Word Match Play Championship as well as welcoming back two other past champions, our 2010 Ryder Cup Captains, Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin."
This, the 45th edition of the World Match Play Championship is not only Volvo's debut alongside partners IMG and Finca Cortesín but also Volvo's 120th title sponsorship in professional golf having hosted the 21st and final Volvo Masters at Club de Golf Valderrama in 2008 and the 15th anniversary Volvo China Open in April this year.
The championship will be held in outside the UK for the first time in its long and distinguished history moving from Wentworth Club as 16 of the world’s best players go head-to-head in classic mano-y-mano match play golf over the magnificent 7,439-yard course at Finca Cortesin designed by Cabell B Robinson.
Win a groundbreaking new Champion's League-style format in the group stages, which also sees every match during that phase going the entire 18 holes with points regardless of win, lose or draw, the winner of each group will qualify for the semi finals which, along with the final, will be played over 36 holes in traditional and compelling match play golf, considered by many to be the purest form of the royal and ancient game.
The names of the four groups each bear an important historical significance to the revamped Volvo World Match Play Championship, bringing together a traditional past and a powerful future.
The 'McCormack Group' is named in honor of the founder of IMG, Mark H McCormack whose brainchild the World Match Play Championship was almost half-a-century-ago.
The Ballesteros Group requires little explanation, in recognition of the reputation, achievements and fortitude of the man who never lost a World Match Play Championship final.
Meanwhile the names of the two other groups, the 'Larsson Group' and the 'Gabrielsson Group' have been coined in appreciation and the memory of Volvo's twin founders, Gustaf Larsson and Assar Gabrialsson who began the now global Volvo automotive brand in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1927.
For further information and a full list of players competing in the 2009 Volvo World match Play Championship, please visit www.volvoworldmatchplay.com and for more information on the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, please visit www.seveballesteros.com
Source: IMG Golf
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