Greg Norman Announces Intentions To Compete

HOME

EVENT INFO

TICKETS
- General Spectators
- Hospitality

SPONSORSHIP

COMMUNITY

SPONSORS

PLAYERS

COURSE

MEDIA

2007 IN REVIEW

Greg Norman Announces Intentions To Compete

Fred Funk Set To Defend His Title

Tickets Now On Sale

Norman, winner of 20 PGA TOUR events and designer of the host course El Camaleón, will be competing for the first time.

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, México - Hall of Fame member Greg Norman announced today his intentions to compete in the second edition of the Mayakoba Golf Classic which will be contested February 18-24 at the Mayakoba resort.

Norman, winner of 20 PGA TOUR events and designer of the host course El Camaleón, will be competing for the first time in this historic event. Last year's Mayakoba Golf Classic marked the first time the PGA TOUR conducted one of its official events in México.

"We are extremely excited to have Greg Norman make a commitment to compete in this year's tournament," said Mayakoba Golf Classic Tournament Director Larson Segerdahl. "During the past few years, he has had a limited playing schedule and for him to add our tournament week to his plans is a bonus for all of us involved not only in the Mayakoba Golf Classic but for the game of golf in general."

While Norman is not completely retired from competitive golf, he has limited his playing schedule in order to focus more on his business, including golf course design. Greg Norman Golf Course Design is recognized as one of the foremost leaders in the industry today. Norman's last appearance at an official regular season TOUR event was the 2006 International.

In December, Fred Funk, John Daly, Nick Price and Bubba Watson committed to compete in the 132-player field.

It is important to note that players (top 64 in the World Golf Rankings) may still qualify for the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, AZ scheduled the same week as the Mayakoba Golf Classic. Also, players have until Friday before the Mayakoba Golf Classic to express their intentions to compete in the 132-player field coming to México for the four-round $3.5 million USD stroke-play competition.

Also included in the field will be four players who qualify through an Open Qualifying Tournament to be held at the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club in Playa del Carmen on Monday, February 18, 2008.

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by visiting the tournament website www.mayakobagolfclassic.com or by calling 011 52 (984) 873-4916 in México or 888-66-SHARK in the U.S. Local residents can purchase tickets at area golf pro shops within the Cancún and Riviera Maya region.

For more information on the Mayakoba Golf Classic or any other media inquiries, please contact Latin America Media Director Elisa Gaudet at or (305) 610-9558. For all other tournament-related questions please contact the tournament office at Mayakoba at 011 52 (984) 873-4916 or visit www.mayakobagolfclassic.com.

About Mayakoba

Mayakoba is situated just south of Cancún on México's prized Caribbean coast - the Riviera Maya. A mere 40-minute drive from the towering hotels of Cancún visitors will discover a completely different experience. Here, nestled in a lush natural paradise, lies Mayakoba, a truly unique resort destination. Mayakoba is comprised of five luxury hotels, each featuring a range of culinary and spa experiences. An 18 hole Greg Norman championship golf course, El Camaleón, managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, offers players an ever-changing terrain that moves gracefully from mangroves to the sea. Created to harmonize with the unspoiled tropical forest, Mayakoba is connected with a series of lagoons enabling guests to wander effortlessly from place to place through the resort using the "lanchas" (covered boats) as well as a network of trails. Mayakoba, a luxury destination like no other where you are immersed in unspoiled natural beauty and the mysteries of an ancient civilization.

About OHL

Based in Madrid, OHL has 12,926 employees and an impressive average yearly growth rate of 16.6% since 2002. In 2006, its net sales amounted to 3.3 billion Euros. At the same time, OHL is strongly committed to environmental responsibility and in 2003 produced its first Sustainable Development Report. As Juan-Miguel Villar Mir, the chairman of the board of directors and the author of the report, noted, mindful attention to the long-term health of the environment creates a "virtuous circle" that benefits the company, its clients and the globe. OHL's ecological diligence has served it well in México, where strong government regulations are enforced to protect the environment. A presence in México since 1980, OHL employs 800 people there and has built highways, bridges, hotels and hospitals. The tourism complex at Mayakoba, which will eventually include two or three golf courses and six luxury hotels, is OHL's most ambitious hospitality project to date.

About Greg Norman Production Company

The Greg Norman Production Company (GNPC), a subsidiary of Great White Shark Enterprises, is devoted to event management and sports marketing. In addition to the PGA TOUR's Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancún, the GNPC operates the PGA TOUR-sanctioned Merrill Lynch Shootout. The GNPC prides itself on producing events and marketing initiatives that not only reflect the discerning standards of its namesake, but of its clients as well. Through its myriad relationships within golf, media and event industries, the GNPC is fully capable of providing its clients with a wide spectrum of services that will seamlessly build brand equity and generate a unique marketing and or hospitality medium.

About El Camaleón Golf Club

El Camaleón Golf Course at the Mayakoba resort is Greg Norman's latest masterwork. The 7,039-yard layout is unique - not just to México but to the entire world of golf. The course bends through three distinct landscapes--mangrove jungles, limestone canals and stunning, oceanfront stretches of sand. El Camaleón incorporates a cenote, a massive underground cavern, into the heart of the opening fairway. The handsome, Mayan influenced clubhouse that rises above the 18th green will feature a fine dining room with stunning views over the course. The adjoining practice facility and driving range are of international caliber. With Mayakoba's unique system of lagoons, golfers will be able to step out of their rooms and into a boat, which will ferry them directly to the first tee. El Camaleón Golf Course is managed by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

About Golf PARa Todos

Golf FORE Everyone aims to create a fun-filled, diverse and educational program that teaches about the game of golf and its ideals. The program encourages active participation in the game as a participant and as a fan, and facilitates the integration of golf into the lives of all those within the community. Golf PARa Todos is a community program presented and created by the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

The inaugural installment of Golf PARa Todos was held in October 2007 at El Camaleón Golf Club in Playa del Carmen. A monthly program, Golf PARa Todos is open to people of all ages, backgrounds and levels of golf skill or knowledge. For more information, visit www.GolfParaTodos.org.

Media Contacts

The Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancún is dedicated to assisting the media in covering this historic event. For more information on press releases, press conferences or attending the event, please contact the Mayakoba Golf Classic's media directors: Lee Patterson (USA) or Elisa Gaudet (Mexico and Latin America).

Lee Patterson
Media Director
Greg Norman Production Company
(704) 553-4790

Elisa Gaudet
Founder, Executive Golf International
Latin America Media Director
NYC office: (646) 678-5747

Schedule of Events

Wed

Pro-Am Competition

Thu

First Round*

Fri

Second Round*

Sat

Third Round*

Sun

Final Round*

*Broadcast: GOLF CHANNEL

full tournament schedule

El Camaleón Golf Club

El Camaleón is aptly named for its diverse layout and ever-changing landscape, which bends through tropical jungles, dense mangroves and oceanfront stretches.

about el camaleón