Sodexo Open Golf Hospitality - News

The Great Triumvirate

12 Apr 2013 04:12:00 GMT

Muirfield has always been regarded as one of the fairest tests of golf on The Open Championship rota so it is probably no coincidence that over the years it has produced a hugely impressive list of champions.

That was a process which started when English amateur, Harold Hilton, won Muirfield’s first Open Championship back in 1892 and it was to continue over the next two decades when three of the game’s most legendary figures won the next four Championships staged over the venerable East Lothian course.

Back in the last decade of the 19th century and the first two decades of the 20th century the game of golf was dominated by Harry Vardon, JH Taylor and James Braid, who collectively were known as the Great Triumvirate and who between them won 16 of the 21 Open Championships played between 1894 and 1914. They won four titles between them at St Andrews and Prestwick, three at Muirfield and St George’s and one apiece at both Royal Cinque Ports and Royal Liverpool.

Vardon (pictured left) was the first member of the Great Triumvirate to claim the Claret Jug at Muirfield and he achieved that feat in 1896 when he carded rounds of 83, 78, 78 and 77 and then defeated Taylor by four shots in the subsequent 36-hole play-off. Braid, in turn, was sixth in 1896 but was to make a much greater impact when the Championship returned to the home of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers five years later.

The Field magazine recorded that the wind was so light during the 1896 Championship that it failed to drive the windmill which supplied the clubhouse with water. There was to be no repeat of this minor inconvenience in 1901 but the leaderboard bore a remarkable resemblance with Braid winning his first of two consecutive victories at Muirfield and Vardon and Taylor finishing second and third respectively.

The 1901 Open will go down in history as the last Championship to be won by a competitor using a gutta percha ball. It attracted a record entry of 101 competitors and they were treated to idyllic conditions and greens that were described as a “trifle keen” in The Times newspaper.

Braid (pictured right) opened with rounds of 79 and 76 and then on the second day, watched by a crowd of three or four thousand spectators, he closed with a 74 and an 80 which was good enough to finish three shots in front of Vardon and four ahead of Taylor. It was Braid’s first of five Open titles and the first by a Scot since Willie Auchterlonie won at Prestwick in 1893. He returned home to his club job at Romford in Essex with a winner’s cheque for £50 in his pocket and was then to win again at St Andrews in 1905 before recording his second success at Muirfield 12 months later.

Both the 1896 and 1901 Opens had been dominated by the Great Triumvirate and it was the same scenario in 1906 when Braid emerged victorious ahead of Taylor and Vardon. All three opened with rounds of 77. Taylor claimed the lead with a second round 72 but Braid reeled him in with closing rounds of 74 and 73 to extend an incredible sequence that had seen him finish 3rd, 1st, 2nd, 5th, 1st and 1st in six consecutive appearances in the Championship. He was to extend that superlative run by coming 5th, 1st, 2nd, 1st and 5th between 1907 and 1911 and was also a major factor when the Open returned to Muirfield for a fifth time in 1912.

Heading into 1912, the previous four Championships had gone (in order) to Braid, Taylor, Braid and Vardon but on this occasion all three members of the Great Triumvirate had to play second fiddle to the pipe-smoking Ted Ray (pictured left) who had been born within a mile of Vardon on the island of Jersey and who is sometimes regarded as the unofficial fourth member of this distinguished group.

Ray was undoubtedly unfortunate to be at his prime at the same time as Vardon, Braid and Taylor but at Muirfield in 1912 he vanquished all three of them and eight years later consolidated his own place in the game’s upper echelon when he crossed the Atlantic and beat Vardon, Jack Burke, Leo Diegel and Scot Jock Hutchison into second place at the US Open at Inverness.

The Channel Islander had been tied-12th and tied 8th behind Braid in 1901 and 1906 but in 1912 he survived three days of qualifying (contested over 36 holes a day) before claiming the first round lead with a marvellous 71. He retained his advantage with subsequent rounds of 73 and 76 and then closed with a 75 that left him four shots ahead of Vardon and a further four in front of Braid.

For once, this large and lumbering figure in a Homburg hat had emerged out of the shadow of the Great Triumvirate and, in the process, he added his name to the illustrious list of Muirfield’s Open champions.

Behind the scenes

12 Apr 2013 04:12:00 GMT

The artist impressions of inside the hospitality pavilion have arrived, showing the different style and feel of each area. The hospitality food tasting also took place earlier this week, showcasing some of Scotland’s finest produce. All in all, it’s shaping up perfectly to provide the ideal sanctuary from which to enjoy a world class sporting event this July.

The artist impressions allow us to give you a preview of the facilities available at The Open Hospitality…

The Premier Suites

The Gallery Restaurant

The 1860’s Club

Take a moment to watch The Open Championship hospitality video to
give you a taster of what else you can expect.

Less than 100 days away

12 Apr 2013 04:12:00 GMT

In less than 100 days, The Open Championship will return to Muirfield and the pursuit of the famous Claret Jug trophy will be the focus of the sporting world. The anticipation is building and what better way to enjoy the thrilling action than from our hospitality facilities based on the 9th fairway? Whether entertaining existing clients or winning new ones, The Open Hospitality offers the perfect opportunity to meet your clients in person and cement current business relationships.

With The Open 2013 hospitality sales ahead of last year and some packages already sold out, it’s clear to see that businesses recognise the importance and value of entertaining key clients and other stakeholder groups.

“As a business which relies on repeat orders, customer retention is key and we firmly believe that taking our clients to The Official Open Championship Hospitality provides us with the opportunity to develop our relationships in a relaxed manner and one that our clients feel comfortable in and seem to genuinely enjoy.” – 2012 hospitality client.

With only limited availability across all hospitality packages and The Champions Bistro now full on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th July, it is expected to be another sell-out year. To avoid disappointment, enquire now to find out what options are still available.

Email hospitality@TheOpen.com
or call +44 (0)844 371 0883

Fine dining at The Open

12 Apr 2013 04:12:00 GMT

After six months of creative development in the kitchens our award winning executive chefs have developed an array of unrivalled menus for The Open Hospitality. Featuring an abundance of local Scottish produce, dishes such as smoked carpaccio of Rannoch beef and Peterhead seafood platters will be on offer to hospitality guests.

The catering at The Open Hospitality is designed and delivered by leading event caterer, Sodexo Prestige. Their unique blend of style, their passion for high quality local ingredients and a reputation for first class hospitality is guaranteed to provide you with a truly memorable experience.

Ben Dutson, executive chef for Sodexo Prestige – Events, added: “We have been careful to create a bespoke menu which will allow us to cater for as many tastes as possible, yet still has an extra special feel to it.

“Whether it be afternoon tea, breakfast or four course dining with champagne and canapés all our dishes have been selected to reflect the very best of Scottish produce and offer a fine dining experience to suit everyone’s tastes.”

And as you savour the dining experience, your surroundings in the hospitality pavilion, located alongside Muirfield’s 9th hole, provides the perfect sanctuary where you can luxuriate in the unique atmosphere while watching the world’s greatest golfers compete for the sport’s oldest Major.

Sample lunch menus…

The Gallery Restaurant
The a la carte menu will feature dishes such as:

Freshly baked artisan breads, Lockerbie butter
Breads designed for The Open Hospitality by award winning ‘The Breadwinner Bakery’ of Edinburgh

***

Chilled watercress, butter milk, snow pea velouté

***

Smoked carpaccio of Rannoch Reserve beef, caper berries, horseradish jam & costal herbs

***

Slow roast rump of Border lamb, rosemary scented mash, smoked leek, kohlrabi puree & Madeira jus

***
Lemon Meringue, lemon panacotta, hazelnut sable, lavender meringue & clotted cream

***

Freshly brewed coffee and Highland fudge

The 1860’s Club
An example of one of the daily menus:

Thai infused summer squash and coconut velouté

***

Roast breast of Quail, ‘Jack by the hedge’ panacotta, crisp Scottish prosciutto ham, summer pea puree

***

Roast fillet of farmed halibut with a Connage Dunlop crust, pearl barley risotto, petit pois, girolles, roasting juices

***

Salt caramel délice, white chocolate powder, raspberry geleè, pistachio ice cream

***

Freshly brewed coffee and Highland fudge

The Champions Bistro
The chefs table will have an array of dishes for guests to help themselves too:

Peterhead seafood platter

The ‘Championship’ charcuterie

***

Roast Scottish salmon with chive hollandaise

Lemon thyme chicken with sauce Diane

Truffled new potatoes with braised rice

***

Limoncello tart

***

Freshly brewed coffee and Scottish table

For more information or to book, contact us at:
T: +44 (0) 844 371 0883 or email: hospitality@TheOpen.com

Register your interest now for official hospitality at The Open 2014

12 Apr 2013 04:12:00 GMT

We are delighted to announce that we are now taking registrations of interest for The Open 2014 at Royal Liverpool, Hoylake. The Open Championship was last held at Royal Liverpool in 2006 when Tiger Woods secured his third Open Championship victory in near-record high temperatures for the North West.

We are planning to go on sale with all the official hospitality packages over the next few weeks. As we have not yet gone on sale, we urge anyone looking to attend The Open next year to err on the side of caution and carry out due diligence before purchasing any tickets or hospitality for the Championship from agents or unofficial sources. If in doubt, please contact the official hospitality team on hospitality@TheOpen.com or call +44 (0)844 371 0883.

Click here to register your interest for The Open Hospitality 2014 at Royal Liverpool, Hoylake

THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP TO FEATURE IN TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR VIDEO GAME

27 Mar 2013 03:27:00 GMT

For the first time, golf fans will be able to play against some of the game’s greatest players in The Open Championship when the eagerly awaited new Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14 video game is released today.

Players can face up to nine of golf’s legends, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods, at historic Open venues such as St Andrews, Royal Troon and Royal Birkdale in the new game.

Uniquely, all nine legends have won The Open Championship and each of them has a special place in the history of golf’s oldest Major Championship. The game’s new Legends of the Majors mode enables players to go back in time to play the legends at historic events at the Masters, the US Open, the PGA Championship and, for the first time, The Open Championship.

The R&A, which organises The Open Championship, has worked closely with the developer EA SPORTS to ensure that players can experience the unique spirit and challenge of The Open Championship in the game as they bid to lift the famous Claret Jug.

The inclusion of The Open in the game will help to broaden its appeal through a new digital audience around the world and will complement the Championship’s existing digital activity through its award-winning apps and website: TheOpen.com.

Michael Tate, Executive Director – Business Affairs at The R&A, said, “The Open Championship is a truly unique event in world sport with a history which dates back more than 150 years. Bringing the spirit of The Open to a wider audience through the Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14 game is very exciting. This is a wonderful platform and I am sure golf enthusiasts all over the world will relish the opportunity to play against their heroes in The Open.”

Speaking to TheOpen.com, Tiger Woods, the three-time Open Champion, said he was delighted to see The Open included in the game. “The Open Championship is history, it’s our oldest Championship. Every great player that has ever played has played in The Open Championship. It means so much as a player to play at some of these historic venues. Lifting the Claret Jug was pretty incredible for me because it completed the career Grand Slam.

“I think it’s fantastic to be able to have an opportunity to play not only against myself but the rest of the field at our oldest Championship. You never know what the weather is going to be there at that time of year or any time of year really. It’s going to be a challenge just like it is for us for the gamers as well.”

The 1971 and 1972 Open Champion Lee Trevino said, “The Claret Jug is absolutely gorgeous. It is probably the most recognised Championship in the world today. You cannot describe the feeling to pick that trophy up.“

He also gave some advice to those looking to play him in the game: “They had better be able to play the wind and they better be able to bump and run or I am going to eat ‘em for lunch!”

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 14 goes on sale in North America on March 26 and worldwide on March 29, for both the Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3 consoles, including support for the Kinect for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation Move.

Amateur sensation Matsuyama excited about Open Championship debut

04 Mar 2013 03:04:00 GMT

Amateur sensation Hideki Matsuyama has spoken of his excitement at playing in The Open Championship for the first time.

The 21 year-old Japanese player, who has already won a professional event on the Japan Tour, took one of the four places available in golf’s oldest Major Championship at the International Final Qualifying – Asia event at Amata Spring Country Club on Friday.

Matsuyama bounced back from a bogey on 16 and a double bogey on 17 to clinch the coveted spot with a fantastic approach to the 18th green which left him with a tap-in for birdie. He finished on a nine-under-par total of 135 for the two rounds, four shots behind the winner Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand. Japan’s Daisuke Maruyama and Ashun Wu of China were the other qualifiers.

The two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion said he was thrilled to be playing in The Open at Muirfield. “I’m excited and happy because I made it. After 16 and 17, I told myself to calm down which I did. I’m glad with the way I handled myself out there. This is my first appearance at The Open and I can’t wait for it.

“I gained a lot of experience when I played in The Masters and it improved my game and maturity. I’m sure I’ll become even better after playing in The Open,” he said.

Matsuyama, who is the highest ranked Asian player at fifth in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, was determined to avoid a repeat of his late collapse last year when he dropped six shots in the last three holes to miss the play-off for the fourth and final place in The Open by two shots.

He will now have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of his countrymen who have performed well at the famous East Lothian links in recent years. Isao Aoki distinguished himself at Muirfield in the 1980 Open Championship with a glorious 63 in the third round as he gave chase to eventual winner Tom Watson before finishing in 12th position. Fellow Japanese great Jumbo Ozaki finished six shots behind Champion Nick Faldo in a tie for 11th position at the 1987 Open. Shigeki Maruyama missed out by a single shot on the four-way play-off that decided the 2002 Open at Muirfield, won by Ernie Els, after being tied for the lead at the half-way stage.

Matsuyama has played twice in the Masters Tournament, finishing the low amateur in 2011. He qualified again last year having won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship for the second consecutive year. He won the Japan Collegiate Championship last year and notched up four top ten finishes including runner-up spots in the Sun Chorella Classic and the Dunlop Phoenix events.

Siddikur and Matsuyama share first round lead at The Open Championship International Final Qualifying – Asia

28 Feb 2013 02:28:00 GMT

28 February, 2013 Chonburi, Thailand: Siddikur is on track to make history after sharing the first round lead with Japanese amateur Hideki Matsuyama on six-under-par at The Open Championship International Final Qualifying – Asia on Thursday.

The Bangladeshi could become the first player to represent his country in golf’s oldest Major Championship after carding seven birdies and one bogey on his way to an opening 66. The two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion Matsuyama, who was the first Japanese amateur to play in the Masters Tournament in 2011, matched him after a round featuring eight birdies and two bogeys.

China’s Mu Hu, Australian Scott Barr and Singaporeans Quincy Quek and Zhiqun Lam were a further shot back in the two-day qualifier where the top four players qualify for the year’s third Major at Muirfield from 14-21 July.

Siddkur got off to an excellent start and was five-under-par after six holes. He said: “I’m very happy. I played very well in the beginning. I got seven birdies with one bogey so I’m really happy with the round. I’m very confident and my game is good. If I can play my game, I’m quite confident I’ll be able to qualify for The Open Championship.”

Matsuyama, who is ranked fifth in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, hopes to make amends for last year’s heartbreak when he dropped six shots in the last three holes to miss the play-off for the fourth and final place in The Open Championship by two shots.

“I’ve forgotten about that and have already moved on. I’m looking forward to the last day and if I can keep playing as I did, then I’ll be able to earn a place in The Open Championship,” said Matsuyama.

Singapore’s Quek, who is aiming to become the third Singaporean after Mardan Mamat and Lam Chih Bing to play in The Open Championship, was in the lead for 17 holes but he hit his tee shot into the water on the ninth hole for a double bogey.

“I’m happy to be on five-under with a double bogey! In two-day events, you have to make as many birdies as you can. I guess my focus tomorrow is to enjoy the round and put in a low number,” said the 26-year-old.

Australian Barr mixed his round with eight birdies and one eagle against a double bogey and three bogeys as he plots a return to The Open Championship where he made his debut at Royal Troon in 2004.

“I started to hit the ball pretty well at the start and putted pretty good. I just made a couple of soft mistakes. This is a golf course where you can get in big trouble without making many mistakes. Overall I’m happy but I hope to hold it together,” said Barr.

Scotland’s James Byrne and England’s Stephen Lewton stayed in touch with the leaders after two under par rounds of 70 but Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion Guan Tianlang struggled to a one-over-par 73.

Scores after round 1 of the IFQ Asia 2013 being played at the par 72, 7419 Yards Amata Spring CC course (a- denotes amateur):

66 - SIDDIKUR (BAN), Hideki MATSUYAMA (am, JPN).

67 - HU Mu (CHN), Quincy QUEK (SIN), LAM Zhiqun (SIN), Scott BARR (AUS).

68 - Prayad MARKSAENG (THA), Anthony KANG (USA), Berry HENSON (USA), KIM Hyung-sung (KOR), PAN Cheng-tsung (am, TPE), WU Ashun (CHN), Rory HIE (INA), Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA).

69 - Kalle SAMOOJA (FIN), Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA), Scott HEND (AUS), Hiroshi IWATA (JPN), Yuta IKEDA (JPN).

70 - Stephen LEWTON (ENG), Nils FLOREN (SWE), Kwanchai TANNIN (THA), Prom MEESAWAT (THA), James BYRNE (SCO), Jaakko MAKITALO (FIN).

71 - Darren BECK (AUS), PARK Ju-hyuk (KOR), JOO Heung-chol (KOR), Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA), LAM Chih Bing (SIN), Niall TURNER (IRL), Daisuke MARUYAMA (JPN), Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA), Tomohiro KONDO (JPN), Javi COLOMO (ESP).

72 - Kodai ICHIHARA (JPN), Miguel TABUENA (PHI), BAEK Seuk-hyun (KOR), Jonathan MOORE (USA), Chawalit PLAPHOL (THA), Ben FOX (USA), Grant JACKSON (ENG), Yosuke ASAJI (JPN).

For the draw and full hole-by-hole scores from IFQ Asia visit TheOpen.com.

Notes to editors:

IFQ

International Final Qualifying (IFQ) events for The Open Championship were introduced in 2004 and are held on five continents to give more players from around the world the chance to gain direct entry into golf's oldest Championship.

International Final Qualifying for The Open continues at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club in South Africa on 5 and 6 March. It is followed by IFQ America at Gleneagles Country Club in Texas on 20 May and IFQ Europe at Sunningdale in England on 24 June.

The 142nd Open Championship will be played at Muirfield from 18-21 July, 2013.

The Open Championship is golf’s oldest Major. Played since 1860 on British links golf courses, it is the game’s most international Major Championship with qualifying events on every continent. For one week each year, the pursuit of the famous Claret Jug trophy is the focus of the sporting world, followed globally by millions of fans.

Organised by The R&A, The Open delivers an annual economic benefit of up to £100 million to its host region, while the Championship’s commercial success supports the development of the game, worldwide.

18 months to go but already The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool is creating a stir

06 Feb 2013 02:06:00 GMT

The decision to accept reservations more than eighteen months prior to the Championship is prompted by customer demand, with North West golf fans eager to secure the only official hospitality packages approved by The R&A.

The Open Championship was last held at Royal Liverpool in 2006 when Tiger Woods secured his third Open Championship victory in near-record high temperatures for the North West. An official attendance of 230,000 spectators was recorded, the second highest total in Open Championship history.

Announcing the move, The R&A’s Director of Marketing, Robin Bell said: “Our official hospitality programme gives our corporate customers the location they want, on course, close to the action, and they have the additional comfort of knowing that their advance purchase is secured by us and tailored to meet the highest standards of customer service.”

Two fine-dining restaurants at Royal Liverpool will be housed in a new £2 million fairway-edge, double-deck pavilion overlooking the 16th hole and will share this prime viewing location with a complex of exclusive-use suites. Additionally, a bistro style restaurant will be sited in the busy tented village and is designed to meet the needs of smaller businesses and golf fans treating themselves to a packaged day out at golf’s oldest Major.

Official Hospitality Programme packages include priority parking, fast track entry, Open Championship TV with rolling leaderboard information, golf simulator access, air-conditioning and private washroom facilities.

Official hospitality for The Open Championship at Muirfield goes on sale a year in advance

06 Aug 2012 08:06:00 GMT

St Andrews, Scotland, 18 July 2012: The Open Championship Official Hospitality Programme for Muirfield 2013, the only ticket and on course hospitality inclusive packages approved by The R&A, has gone on sale a year in advance.

The decision to put the Muirfield 2013 programme on sale on the eve The Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes (19-22 July 2012) is in anticipation of high demand and to ensure that the official programme is first to market in the best interests of corporate customers and dedicated golf fans.

Announcing the move, The R&A’s Director of Marketing, Robin Bell said: “Our official hospitality programme gives our corporate customers the location they want, on course, close to the action, and they have the additional comfort of knowing that their advance purchase is secured by us and tailored to meet the highest standards of customer service.”

The top two fine dining restaurants at Muirfield will be housed in a new fairway-edge, double-deck, pavilion overlooking the 9th hole and sharing this prime viewing location with a complex of exclusive- use suites. Additionally, a bistro style restaurant in the busy tented village is set up to meet the needs of smaller businesses and golf fans treating themselves to a packaged day out at golf’s oldest Major.

The facilities at Muirfield benefit from a £2m investment comprising a new double-deck pavilion, enhanced event TV and leaderboard information, a commitment to sourcing local produce and higher hospitality staff levels.

The Open Championship Official Hospitality Programme for Muirfield 2013 offers ticket and on course hospitality inclusive packages that range in price from £250 to £699 per person and feature priority parking, fast track entry, Open Championship TV with rolling leaderboard information, air-conditioning and private washroom facilities.