ESCAPE THE WINTER BY SIGNING UP FOR A WEEK IN THE NORTH AFRICA SUN

There are still a few places left to participate in the first-ever Tunisia Golf Festival.

The Tunisian Golf Festival will be played on the  Yasmine Valley and Citrus Golf Oliviers and Forest courses, all three courses are different and offer a variety of challenges to golfers of all levels. Both golf complexes are all within 10 min drive from the hotel.

During the week we will be joined by several players of the Ladies European Tour and also the Scottish PGA Tartan Tour, looking for some winter practice in preparation for the upcoming season. 

They will play with the participants and you will be able to appreciate their company and skills. Confirmed pro participants are Heather MacRae, Chris Kelly, Pamela Feggans, Tracey Boyes, Tara Dayer-Smith, Neil Fenwick, Chris Currie, Joel Hopwood, Fraser Robertson and Nicola Melville.

The famous golf trick shot artist David Edwards will also be at hand to show you some of his amazing skills during a trick shot demonstration.

In addition to competitive golf, there are plenty of social activities to engage with your fellow golfers and to get acquainted with the local culture and food. There will be cocktail parties and a prize giving gala dinner.

The base for the week is the Sentido Phenicia 4* hotel which is set on the fine Mediterranean sandy beaches of the Hammamet bay. The hotel facilities are ample with 2 outdoor and 1 indoor swimming pool with a fully equipped fitness room and Spa. 

The hotel food and beverage is on an ALL INCLUSIVE basis (ie you don't have to pay for it) with food and drink served virtually all day. 

Tunisia is a very historic country where settlements date back from pre-Roman times. The Tunisians are extremely friendly people. The food is excellent and the country has entered an era of stability and democracy which shows everywhere you look.

What's included? * Seven nights accommodation on All Inclusive in the Phenicia Hotel 4* * Five rounds competitive golf on Yasmine and Citrus Olivier & Forest * Two Cocktail Parties (Sunday 10th and Thursday 14th) * Prize Presentation & Dinner Friday the 15th * One 30 min massage and one Hammam session in the Spa * Excursion to Tunis, Carthage and Sidi Bou Said * Transfers from and to the airports, hotel and golf * Permanent ground assistance and tournament organisation

The Program? * Saturday 9th of February Arrival at the airport and transfer to the Phenicia Hotel * Sunday 10th of February Day 1 of the competition - groups go out in team format Cocktail party * Monday 11th of February Round 1 Stableford Competition - Yasmine Valley Golf Club * Tuesday 12th of February Round 2 Stableford Competition - Citrus Golf, Forest Course * Wednesday 13th of February Free day - excursion to Tunis, Carthage & Sidi Bou Said * Thursday 14th of February Round 3 Stableford Competition - Yasmine Golf Club Cocktail Party * Friday 15th of February Round 4 Stableford Competition - Citrus Golf, Oliviers Course David Edwards Trick Shot Show  Prizegiving and Gala Dinner * Saturday 16th of February Check out and Departures

The Tournament Package Price? Price per Golfer on All Inclusive based on shared occupancy: € 995 per person Price per Non Golfer on All Inclusive based on shared occupancy: € 745 per person Single Room Supplement for the 7 night: €75 per person The above prices do NOT include the flights to Tunisia, contact Menara Travel and they will arrange flights.

How to enter?

For bookings and further details, contact

Mohamed Fakir

Menara Travel Ltd, 70 Shepherds Bush Road, London W6 7PH

Tel: +44 207 371 2030 - email: info@menaratravel.co.uk

www.golf-travel.co.uk - www.menaratravel.co.uk

Or alternatively, contact Jo Maes ... jo.maes@me.com

ROSE IS READY TO BLOOM IN ABU DHABI OPENER

EUROPEAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE

Justin Rose begins his campaign for the first time in this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, where the World Number Five is looking to build on a superb 2012 season.

Rose, picture by courtesy of Getty Images(c),  was only denied by the brilliance of World Number One Rory McIlroy on his last European Tour outing, when he finished second in the DP World Tour Championship in neighbouring Dubai after a stunning closing round of 62.

And on his return to the Gulf this week, the Ryder Cup star, who also finished behind McIlroy in The 2012 Race to Dubai, is confident of getting off to a fast start on his debut visit to Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

“This is a great place to start the season on many levels,” he said. “Obviously there’s a great field assembled here, and that’s who you want to compete against. The other thing about playing in the desert is you typically get a golf course that’s in very good condition. So it’s a perfect place to start the season and see exactly where your game’s at.

“I felt like I wanted to get off to a strong start on The European Tour and not have to play catch up so much at the end of the year, trying to fit in tournaments. There’s obviously a bit of a change in schedule with the US PGA Tour starting its 2014 season this year. 
"So I feel that by starting my season a little earlier, it should hopefully give me the flexibility to tailor my schedule both ways at the end of the season, should I need to focus more on The Race to Dubai.”

Much of the pre-tournament build-up has inevitably focused on the World Numbers One and Two, McIlroy and Tiger Woods; and while Rose accepts he has not yet achieved the superstar status of golf’s two biggest attractions, he feels his game does not suffer by comparison with theirs.

“I think their status is something I’m a long way from, but I believe my game is not far at all,” he said.
“I think that’s two very different things. I’m very happy with my skill set. I’m very happy that I can close the gap, or hopefully make the gap disappear with some hard work. The status is obviously something that’s left to everybody else, but I think from a golfing point of view, what I’m excited about is that I’m very close to the very top end of the game and I still feel I have a lot more to give.”

Rose’s experience at The 2012 Ryder Cup – where he was the only member of the European Team to play all five sessions – and in particular the manner of his victory over Phil Mickelson, have also put an extra spring in his step.

“The Ryder Cup was big for me,” he said. “Just really making putts when I needed to. That was huge.

“And then backing it up [at the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final] in Turkey. Even though Turkey was a casual type of environment, it was still going head to head against the world’s best. That was again another big week for me, confidence-wise.

“Then in Dubai, just the way I went down the stretch there, where I didn’t let up. I just kept hitting good shots, and I felt like the more the pressure was on, the calmer I was and the better I played.

“So there’s three very positive experiences on which I can draw. I just know that if I keep doing what I’m doing, those chances [to win] are going to come along more and more often.”

EUROPEAN TOUR COMMUNICATIONS

REPORT FROM ASIAN TOUR FINAL Q SCHOOL DAY 1

Hua Hin, Thailand: Highly rated Bryce Easton of South Africa shot a superb nine-under-par 63 in ideal scoring conditions to share the opening round lead with French amateur Lionel Weber at the Asian Tour Qualifying School First Stage Section B today.
 Easton, a two-time winner in South Africa, and Weber were flawless in their campaign as they returned with seven birdies and one eagle at the Springfield Royal Country Club. They hold a three-shot lead over David Palm of Sweden while Andrew McLardy of South Africa was a further shot back.

At the Imperial Lakeview Resort and Golf Club, Koichi Kitamura of Japan carded an eight-under-par 64 to hold a one-shot lead over Australian amateur Daniel Bringolf.

Guy Woodman of England, who played in his first Asian Tour season last year but failed to retain his card, posted a 66 for third place.

After four rounds, the top 15% players from each venue will qualify for the all-important Final Stage which will be held at the Imperial Lakeview Golf Club and Springfield Royal Country Club from January 23 to 26.

The top-40 and ties from the Final Stage will earn their playing rights on the new 2013 Asian Tour season.

Players who play in the Qualifying School are also eligible to play in the Asian Development Tour (ADT) which will be afforded with Official World Golf Ranking points starting this season. 

TO VIEW THE SCORES AT IMPERIAL LAKEVIEW
CLICK HERE 

TO VIEW THE SCORES AT SPRINGFIELD ROYAL
CLICK HERE  

JAMES WHITE ONLY SCOT IN AUSSIE MATCH-PLAY

James White qualified for the match-play stages of the Australian men's amateur golf championship at Commonwealth Golf Club, Melbourne - but fellow Scots Gordon Steven and Graeme Robertson were not among the 64 with qualifying round aggregates of 148 and better.Fifer White from Lundin Golf made it with nothing to spare after rounds of 73 and 75. England's Nathan Kimsey (Filey) earned No 3 seed status with rounds of 71 and 68 for five-under 139 - three shots behind the leading qualifier, Brady Watt (Western Australia) who had scores of 66 and 70.  AUSTRALIAN MEN'S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP  Commonwealth Golf Club, Melbourne  LEADING QUALIFIERS  Players from Australia unless stated Par 144 (2x72) 136 Brady Watt 66 70. 137 Todd Sinnott 66 71. 139 Nathan Kimsey (Eng) 71 68 OTHER QUALFIERS (148 or better) 143 Garrick Porteous (Eng) 74 69. 144 Craig Hinton (Eng) 76 78.  148 James White (Sco) 73 75, Neil Raymond (Eng) 75 73

BYRNE AND STEWART DOING WELL AT SUNSHINE TOUR Q SCHOOL

Former Walker Cup team-mates James Byrne and Michael Stewart are thriving  at the South African Sunshine Tour Qualifying School at Bloomfontein Golf Club today (Wednesday). Northern Open champion Byrne shot a second-round 66 for a 10-under-par tally of 134 which put him in third place The Banchory man's bogey-free card was highlighted with birdies at regular intervals - the second, third, fifth, 14th, 16th and 18th in halves of 33.  Stewart is on the two-under 142 mark after a returning a 70 in which he birdied the fifth, ninth,12th and 16th in halves of 34 and 36. He had bogeys at the 15th and 17. The leading 60 and ties from a starting field of 264 will qualify after the fourth round. The top 30 and ties after the fifth and final round will earn playing rights on the South African Tour. . SUNSHINE TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL  Bloomfontein GC, South Africa  SECOND-ROUND LEADERS  Par 144 (2x72) 132 J P Van der Walt (SAf) 66 66 133 M J Daffue (SAf) 63 70  134 James Byrne (Sco) 68 66  SELECTED SCORES  138 Ron McGowan (Eng) 70 68 (T6) 138 Tim Rice (Ire) 71 68 (T13) 140 Michael Downes (Eng) 69 71 (T16)  141 Charlie Ford (Eng) 73 68 (T22) 142 Rhys Enoch (Wal) 73 69, Laurie Canter (Eng) 68 74, Michael Stewart (Sco) 72 70 (T29). OTHER SCORES 147 Peter Wilson (Eng) 75 72 148 James Watts (Eng) 75 73 152 Alan Glynn (Ire) 76 76, Guy Dawson (Eng) 82 70 154 Joe Braddon (Eng) 78 76.

MONTY NOT BITTER AFTER LOSING OUT TO McGINLEY IN RYDER CUP CAPTAINCY VOTE

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
After missing out on being recalled as Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has given his support to Paul McGinley and offered to help in any way he can. 

McGinley got the nod at yesterday's European Tour tournament committee meeting in Abu Dhabi, the Dubliner seeing off Scottish trio Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie and Sandy Lyle, and Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez to land the coveted position.

But Montgomerie, who led Europe to victory in Wales three years ago and became a late contender for the job after Tom Watson was put in charge of the Americans, said: "I'm not at all disappointed - it would have been a dream come true, but it has not happened."

"I was very flattered even to be considered again - it meant a lot to me. The selection process was such that they appointed the best man for the job.

"We all get behind Paul now and wish him well. I appointed him for the Seve Trophy and he did a very good job - as he did twice as a vice-captain (in the Ryder Cup).

"He's a very good man-manager and very good at assessing people's strengths.

"I will be there to support and fly the flag for Europe."
Montgomerie lives only a few miles from Gleneagles and is bound to be on the list of possible assistant captains for the match in September next year.
Asked if he had any bitterness about the way things turned out the 49-year-old replied: "Goodness no. It's nothing to do with that."
As for whether he might ever again be in the running for the job Montgomerie added: "Only if we keep losing and I do a Tom Watson and come back!"
Watson is back in the role 20 years on from when he led the United States to their last victory on European soil and will be 65 come the match. No captain on either side has been older than that.
Europe have won five of the last six matches and seven of the last nine.
McGinley paid tribute to Montgomerie and revealed the Scot had been quick to congratulate him on his appointment.
"He was the first man I saw, he came up and congratulated me warmly and wished me the very best of luck," he said on Radio 5 Live. "He was very, very gracious to me."
He added: "Monty has been a great captain and a great stalwart of Ryder Cups. I have played in three Ryder cups with Monty, everybody knows what the Ryder Cup means to him and how he has carried the Ryder Cup, not just as a player, but how he spoke at the meetings and the air of authority he had around it."
McGinley also revealed that Watson was such a hero of his he had quotes from the American written in his exercise books at school.
"I remember one of them was, 'desire, dedication, determination and a little bit of talent', that's what he reckoned was his secret of success," McGinley added.
"I remember I had that written on a number of my copybooks."

JAMES BYRNE LYING SECOND IN SOUTH AFRICA'S SUNSHINE TOUR Q SCHOOL

FROM THE SUNSHINE TOUR WEBSITE
J P van der Walt became the first player in three years to shoot 66 at Bloemfontein Golf Club during Sunshine Tour Qualifying School, which earned him the clubhouse lead with a massive 12-under-par, 36-hole total.
“It was solid golf out there. I got off to such a flyer, four-under after five, that it began to feel like I couldn’t miss a putt. My iron play was superb – my first missed green came 10 holes into the round, and that meant plenty of chances to score,” he said.
The 265 QSchool contestants must play two rounds at Bloemfontein and two at Schoeman Park Golf Clubs, after which there is a cut to the top 60 and ties, who play a final round at Schoeman Park. Van der Walt showed his class by racing around both tracks in 66 blows each, pulling two strokes clear of Scotland’s James Byrne.
To be in the lead is new territory for the Western Province local, who has spent the last two years grinding on the Sunshine Tour. The experience has taught him to trust his game and stay patient, but two 66s have added that special edge – confidence.
“I’ve been focusing on consistency in my game, and I’m really happy that I could post two good scores on these courses. After shooting low rounds the last two days it lets me know what I am capable of, and that gives me the confidence to stay patient and succeed,” he said.
The 27-year-old had hoped to win QSchool at the start of the week, but since posting 12-under has started to hone in on that achievement. He’ll need to keep his head down, because this year the field has great depth and victory will be no small task.
“I’m in a really good position now. It feels like my game is there and I can give this a proper shot. I haven’t been in the lead too much, but my plan is to stick with my routines. I’ve put a lot of effort into my game and I feel like this is the year I’ll start competing properly,” he said. 

LEADING TWO-ROUND TOTALS
+Play not finished for the day
Par 144 (2x72)
132 J P Van Der Walt (South Africa) 66 66
134 James Byrne (Scotland) 68 66
SELECTED SCORES
142 Rhys Enoch (Wales) 73 69, Laurie Canter (England) 68 74

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE     

NEWS RELEASE FROM ENGLAND GOLF

International quartet seek to end barren spell in Jones Cup
Four full England internationals, three of whom are at college in the United States, will represent England Golf in the annual Jones Cup Invitational at Ocean Forest Golf Club at Sea Island, Georgia, on 1^st – 3^rd February. 
The quartet will be Seb Crookall-Nixon (Workington, Cumbria), Jack Hiluta (Chelmsford, Essex), Ben Stow (Rushmore, Wiltshire) and Ben Taylor (Walton Heath, Surrey) and they will seek to win this US title that has continually eluded English players.  
Crookall-Nixon, 19, the English under 16 champion in 2008 and 2009, has been capped at every level, making his full England debut in last year’s Home Internationals, just months after recovering from a serious road accident.  He also reached the quarter finals of the English Amateur Championship in his home county of Cumbria and is currently at the University of San Francisco. 
Hiluta, 23 (image © Tom Ward Sport Photography), completed his studies at the University of South Alabama last year and has also been capped at all levels for England, making his full debut in last year’s international with France at Rochester & Cobham. He made a fast start to 2012 by winning the Spanish Amateur and also represented England in the European Men’s Challenge Trophy and the Home Internationals and finished ninth on the Titleist/FootJoy England Golf Order of Merit. 
Stow, 21, currently at the University of Kentucky, has been a full cap for the past two years after making his debut in the 2011 Home Internationals. He was the leading individual when helping England to victory in last year’s European Men’s Challenge Trophy in Iceland while he finished seventh in the Scottish Open Stroke Play, eighth in the European Amateur and ninth in the Brabazon Trophy.   
Taylor, 20, the only member of the quartet to play in last year’s Jones Cup, finishing third, debuted for England in the 2011 Home Internationals in Ireland. In 2012, he finished third in the Lagonda Trophy, fifth in the Brabazon Trophy, was a quarter finalist in the English Amateur and represented GB and I in the St Andrews Trophy. He is at the Nova Southeastern University in Florida. 
In the Jones Cup, a field of 84 top amateurs from the US and around the world, will compete over 54 holes of stroke play for this prestigious title which was inaugurated in 2001 as a biennial event but which is now played annually.
Lynne Fraser
Marketing and PR Manager
Email: pr@englandgolf.org
Tel: 01526 354500