MEDIA RELEASE
GC golf courses to benefit from Mitsubishi World Masters’ international scope
Golf courses from Hope Island to Robina will see a massive influx of international, national and local players this weekend as the Mitsubishi World Masters Golf Championship rolls into town.
The seven day event, which runs from 23-29 October, is open to all male and female amateur golfers over the age of 35 with an appropriate handicap.
Now in its 16th year, the Mitsubishi World Masters has gained an international following, with the 2011 event seeing up to 1,000 visitors fly in from around Australia, as well as countries such as New Caledonia, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Vietnam and Poland.
Participating courses such as Lakelands, The Colonial, Royal Pines, the Glades, Robina Woods and Hope Island will all experience massive patronage during the event, and will contribute substantially to their ongoing international profile as world-class professional golf courses.
More broadly, it is estimated that the competition will inject an extra $1.5 million into the Gold Coast economy over the course of the week, with entrants staying a total of 4,700 room nights at various hotels and consuming up to 17,850 meals from local restaurants.
There is over $120,000 in prizes presented across the week. Upwards of 250 prizes are awarded for the golfing competition with the biggest prizes reserved for the Mitsubishi World Masters final night gala dinner where 10 lucky golfers will take home prizes including a New Zealand golf holiday, a five night stay at the Novotel PhanThiet, or a brand new Mitsubishi SX Lancer.
The Mitsubishi World Masters is organised by Go Golfing, who are responsible for a number of high-profile amateur golf tournaments around Australia.
Peter McCarthy, tournament director of Go Golfing, says the Mitsubishi World Masters’ international reach is a true testament to the competition’s successful event history.
“Every year for 16 years we’ve worked hard to deliver a professional, competitive and enjoyable event for Australian and international golfers—I think the volume and the geographic reach of this year’s competitors is a testament to the product,” Mr McCarthy says.
“While commercially the competition has been a major success, being able to put the spotlight on some of the Coast’s most prestigious courses is a welcome upside.
“Competitors who play all the courses will essentially cover 108 holes of golf, which is a fantastic way of experiencing the best of what the city has to offer.
“There are the obvious economic benefits from the competition, but on an ongoing basis the spotlight that it puts on the Gold Coast and its golf courses has significant effects on tourism for the area.”
Adding to the international scope of the competition, sponsor Oasis Shopping Centre in Broadbeach is running a competition for the duration of the event, where anyone spending $50 or more in the shopping centre will go into the draw to win a trip to Queenstown, New Zealand, worth $5,000.
Mr McCarthy says the centre’s support, now in its fourth year, is a major coup for the competition.
“The Oasis is a Gold Coast shopping and dining institution, and to have them on board with the Mitsubishi World Masters truly helps to cement the significance of the competition within the local area,” he says.
The 2011 Mitsubishi World Masters Golf Championship will start at 8am on Sunday 23 October with an optional round of golf at Robina Woods.
Each day will see competitors playing on a different course, with another optional ‘skins’ round being held on Wednesday 26 October at Hope Island.
For more information about the Mitsubishi World Masters, please visit: http://www.gogolfing.net.au/tournament/24/Mitsubishi_World_Masters
ENDS
For all media enquiries contact James Blaxland on 0439 860 521
