dec18 swedeboost

Sweden’s Scandinavian Masters has a new main sponsor and will become the SAS Masters. The £4,178m agreement runs until 2012, and is the largest sponsorship deal of its kind in the Nordic region.

“Many of our Scandinavian customers are passionate about golf and as a result we have entered into this commercial partnership with Scandinavian Masters.

” The investment gives us a Scandinavian platform that strengthens our brand and enables us to reach our customer segments on a broad front. We will achieve international recognition and the possibility to promote our European golf destinations.” says Mats Jansson, SAS CEO.

The first Scandinavian Masters was in 1991. Over the years it has been won by the likes of Nick Faldo, Vijay Singh, Colin Montgomerie, Lee Westwood, Adam Scott and Luke Donald, as well as Swedes Jesper Parnevik and Joakim Haeggman.

The 2008 SAS Masters will be held at Arlandastad Golf, outside Stockholm, the setting for the successful 2007 Scandinavian Masters tournament when 121,500 spectators watched Finn Mikko Ilonen triumph after a dramatic finish.

”As head sponsor, SAS will now have the possibility to develop the tournament further. A better starting lineup, more activities for spectators and improved business opportunities for our partners are on the agenda,” says tournament director Fredrik Nilsmark, who together with Jesper Parnevik took over the tournament a year ago.  

Parnevik considers SAS’ sponsorship another step toward making the tournament even more attractive.

“With SAS as our partner we have a brand that is internationally recognized. We succeeded in making the tournament even more attractive during 2007 and this strengthens our position when it comes to the challenge of organizing Europe’s most exciting golf tournament,” he says.

The 2008 SAS Masters is scheduled for August 14-17, 2008, while Bro Hof Slott will host the tournament in 2009 before it returns to Barsebäck Golf & Country Club in 2010.

The Vale Resort has had its continuous efforts to attracting tourism to south Wales recognised by being awarded Wales’ leading golf resort at the tourism industries Oscars.

Fighting off strong competition from the best in Wales, the likes of the Celtic Manor Resort and Marriott St Pierre Hotel and Country Club, the Vale Hotel, Golf and Spa Resort claimed the sought after title having impressed  thousands of travel professionals in over 190 countries around the world all acting as judges for the 2007 World Travel Awards.

Speaking following the win, the Vale Resort’s Managing Director, Stephen Leeke said how winning this award has topped off a fantastic year of success for golf at the Resort.

“We feel extremely honoured to have been awarded with such an accolade. The World Travel Awards are in existence to reward and celebrate excellence in the industry and everyone here at the Vale Resort is proud that the dedication of our customer care has been recognised by winning this award.”

The improvements and developments made to the golfing facilities at the Resort have firmly put it on the map as one of the UK’s elite golfing venues. Not only does the Resort have the capabilities to facilitate golfers of a competitive and professional level but the launch of the Vale Academy in Spring 2007 has further increased the potential for aspiring young professionals and amateurs to experience great success.

Clive Coombs, Head Pro and Golfing Operations Manager at the Vale Resort says:

“The significant steps that have been made to provide our golfers with the most technologically advanced, state of the art equipment have really paid off this season. The inclusion of the Gasp Achiever System and premier custom club-fitting specialist, Vega, to the already outstanding offering has no doubt played a part in the Vale Golf Club accomplishing it’s most successful season yet. All of our teams and many of our young professionals have triumphed this season, winning a number of trophies and international honours between them.”