Emirates puts golf back in Africa

The Dubai-based carrier, which serves 15 destinations in Africa, is driving its way into the tournament as Official Airline for the second year running.

The competition is being held at the East London Golf Club in South Africa from January 15-18th. Top class golfers including 2007 US Open Champion Argentinean Angel Cabrera, Ireland's Darren Clarke and South Africans Retief Goosen and James Kingston will compete for the more than US$ 500,000 in prize money. A Pro-Am event tees off today, prior to the main four-day competition.

Salem Obaidalla, Emirates' Senior Vice President, Africa, West Asia & Indian Ocean, said: "Golf is fast becoming a lifestyle preference for many of our passengers. As we continue to expand our presence in South Africa, the sponsorship of premier golf events such as the Africa Open will allow us to support the development of the game, as well as to connect with our customers by sharing their passion and interests."

Grant Wilson, the Sunshine Tour's Chief Operating Officer, said:

"The event has generated much excitement amongst The Sunshine Tour players, as well as a contingent of international names who will help add a keen edge to the fixture. This is the second year the Africa Open has been held and it is attracting a formidable field."

For the tournament, Emirates has lined up a range of activities designed to engage spectators and corporate guests. Emirates' VIP guests will have an exclusive opportunity to team up with golf professionals in the Pro-Am tournament. In the Nearest-to-the-Pin contest, players will pit their skills to win 2 Emirates return tickets to Dubai.

Emirates is the Official Airline of 12 golf events around the world, including the Dubai Desert Classic, Dubai Ladies Masters, the Malaysian Open, the Volvo Asian Masters, the HSBC Champions, the Hong Kong Open, the Africa Open, the Hero Honda Open, BMW Asian Open, the Australian PGA Championship, the BMW International Open in Munich and the Austrian Golf Open.

The multi-award winning airline currently operates a daily flight from its international hub of Dubai to Cape Town and a triple daily service to Johannesburg. Both routes are served by a Boeing 777-300ER, equipped with the industry-leading entertainment system, ice.