The World Club Championship presented by GOLF Magazine names Diamante Cabo San Lucas as the host for 2012
January 22, 2012
Los Angeles, California -The 9th World Club Championship presented by GOLF Magazine, one of the most prestigious international amateur events in the World often compared to the Ryder Cup and the Walker Cup, will be played in Mexico in 2012 for the first time in its nine year history. The Championship Committee has selected Diamante Cabo San Lucas to host the week-long competition scheduled for October 29 - November 2, 2012.
Diamante, which means diamond, has emerged as a shining new star on the 2011 GOLF Magazine Top 100 list of worldwide courses at an unprecedented number 58. The traditional links course sculptured in the sand dunes on the Pacific Coast of the Baja Peninsula in Cabo San Lucas was designed by current U.S. Ryder Cup Captain and PGA Champion Davis Love III who worked closely with his friend and Diamante Developer Mr. Ken Jowdy to design the 7,300-yard course that combines a touch of the British Isles with the rugged grandeur of Cabo.
The World Club Championship was founded by David V Smith in 2002 with the inaugural event held at The Club of Nine Bridges, South Korea, as a way to celebrate two of golf's greatest enduring traditions: Amateur golfers and the world class Clubs to which they belong. The Rules of Golf, as adopted by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews govern play. Past Championships have been played in South Korea, China and the United States.
In order to be considered for an invitation from the Championship Committee to this prestigious tournament, Clubs must have appeared on GOLF Magazine's 2011 list of the Top 100 Courses in the World. These clubs have the opportunity to send their club champion along with a player of his choice to compete for the Jay Lee Trophy.
The Championship Committee, comprised of golf dignitaries from around the world, includes Founder David V Smith, Eddie Merrins, Tom Crow, Terry Jastrow, Kelly Miller, John Davies, George Kim and Founding Patron Jay H. Lee.
A field of 20 of GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Courses from 15 countries will be invited to participate in 2012. Durban Country Club in South Africa will return to defend its title along with second place Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, third place Seminole Golf Club in Florida and Royal Troon Golf Club from Scotland who won the Chairman's Division in the Loser's Bracket. Formal invitations will be extended to other Top 100 clubs in spring 2012.
The format for 2012 will be a combination of stroke play and match play, the same as 2011 at The Club at Nine Bridges, South Korea. All 20 teams will play a 36-hole stroke play qualification tournament with the first four teams moving into a match play championship to determine the winner. Following the stroke play event, teams will be seeded by their stroke play score. The defending champion will automatically be awarded the number one seed.
The 2012 World Club Championship will be aired on the Golf Channel and Sky TV around the world.
Past champions include Richard Caldwell, Lincoln Bolsover of Sunningdale, England (2002), Richard MacAfee, Adam Porker of Kingston Heath, Australia (2004), Chris Hughes, Matt McAlpine of Royal Portrush, North Ireland (2005), David Abell, Kelly Miller of Pine Valley, USA (2006), Marcus Ferguson Jones, Crispin Manson of Sunningdale, England (2007), Chris Lange, Bill McGuinness of Pine Valley, USA (2008), and Dan Jennings, Brad Shaw of Los Angeles Country Club, USA (2009) and Durban Country Club's Michael Hollick and Murray Gilson (2011).
For more information, visit www.worldclubchampionship.org and www.diamantecabosanlucas.com.
