European Challenge Tour returns to Russia in September

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN TOUR
The European Challenge Tour will return to Russia for the first time in five years when Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club hosts the Russian Challenge Cup from September 16-19, 2010.
With a prize fund of €175,000, the inaugural tournament will take place the week after the Kazakhstan Open creating an important double header in Eastern Europe in the penultimate month of the Challenge Tour season.
The 6,849m, par 72 Jack Nicklaus signature course at Tseleevo Golf and Polo Club, located 50km north of the Russian capital Moscow, opened in 2009 and is a mixture of parkland and links.
It will host the Challenge Tour’s first visit to Russia since Mikael Lundberg won the dual ranking Russian Open at Le Meridien Moscow Country Club in 2005.
The former Russian Open was a Challenge Tour event between 1996 and 2002, before gaining dual ranking status with the European Tour until 2005, then full European Tour status between 2006-2008.
There will be a field of 132 players for the inaugural Russian Challenge Cup, including 112 Challenge Tour players - comprising the top 100 from the Rankings plus 12 from categories - and 20 Russian invitations/amateurs.