Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) today unveiled the Trophy for the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship to be held this week from Thursday January 19, through Sunday January 22, at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
The elegant silver and gold trophy incorporating a falcon, the national symbol of the UAE and of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, was specially commissioned from the renowned British silversmith Edward Asprey. Weighing in at 5.3 kilos, the 69cm high trophy was completed in just seven weeks, including over 400 man hours of work. Handcrafted at the Sheffield workshops of British Silverware Limited, the Trophy production was overseen by the company’s senior silversmith, Tony Martin, who has over 40 years of experience having been involved in the making of many famous sporting trophies including the US Masters Trophy, The Grand National Trophy, The Cheltenham Gold Cup and most recently the Burghley Horse Trials Trophy.
Ahmed Hussein Director of Product Development Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority commented, “The trophy is the result of superb craftsmanship bringing together the sports of golf and falconry, which has such a strong link with our national heritage.”
While the Trophy will remain in Abu Dhabi, the Championship winner will take away a half-size replica.
The inaugural Abu Dhabi Championship, the most prestigious tournament ever to be staged in Abu Dhabi, has attracted four of the top ten players in the world, Vijay Singh, Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia and Chris DiMarco together with the incomparable American John Daly, Danish Ryder Cup star Thomas Bjorn, Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez and young guns Paul Casey and Ian Poulter.
For more information on the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, go to www.abudhabigolfchampionship.com
About Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA)
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), established by Ruler’s Decree in September 2004, is a statutory body with wide ranging responsibilities for building the Emirate’s tourism industry. Its Chairman is HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan. Director General is HE Mubarak Al Muhairi.
The ADTA’s mandate covers three main areas: destination marketing, infrastructure and product development and regulation, and, licensing and classification. While the ADTA assumes a leadership role in the international promotion of Abu Dhabi, it also represents the interests of, and coordinates with, a wide range of stakeholders – including the hotels, Etihad and other airlines serving Abu Dhabi, the destination management companies, exhibition and conference venues, golf courses, the retail trade, Government ministries and departments etc.
Owing to a thoroughly modern infrastructure of highways, telecommunications systems, five-star hotels, restaurants and entertainment complexes, Abu Dhabi has become an active tourist centre. Traditional Arab hospitality, inviting weather, well established infrastructure and crime-free environment have also contributed in recent years to creating an ideal atmosphere for the development of business and leisure tourism.
About IMG
IMG was founded by Mark H. McCormack in the early 1960s. The company is the world’s premier sports and lifestyle management and marketing firm, with an international staff of approximately 2,200 people in over 60 offices in more than 25 countries. TWI, IMG’s television division, is the largest independent distributor and producer of televised sports, managing a library of more than 150,000 hours. TWI annually produces and distributes 6,500 hours of original programming to more than 200 countries covering 200+ sports, as well as being a global leader in digital sports and entertainment.
IMG’s experience in golf and golf tournaments is unique. In addition to managing the top two men players in the world and the top woman player, IMG has been staging golf events for forty years and currently runs over twenty professional golf tournaments in ten different countries. IMG opened a regional office in Dubai in November 2005. Establishing a presence in the Middle East reflects the company’s strong commitment to the region.
