2016 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open launched

22 September, Mauritius: Speaking at the launch James Benoit, CEO at AfrAsia Bank said: “Looking back at the success of the 2015 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, I am delighted to be a part of this tournament again and I have absolute certainty that the 2016 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, held at the Four Seasons Golf Club Mauritius will be another great success. The AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open is a key element that forms part of our wider sponsorship portfolio primarily because we are directly contributing to the development of our island as an international financial and lifestyle destination; as well as the tournament giving us a unique platform to engage with our customers whilst promoting a sport that is a rising global trend.”

The 2015 edition of the tournament attracted some of the best golfing talent from the three Tours. These included title holder George Coetzee, Chinese teen star Guan Tianlang, big hitting Kiradech Aphibarnrat, the 2013 Asian Tour No. 1, Hennie Otto who has won 12 times on the Sunshine Tour,Thomas Levet, and Thomas Bjorn who have both won 12 and 15 professional titles respectively.

The Four Seasons Golf Club Mauritius at Anahita was designed by world renowned golfer Ernie Els. The course is set against lush mountains and fringed by crystal-clear lagoons. With large fairways, five sets of tees and 18 challenging holes ensure thrills and satisfaction for all levels. Six stunning ocean-side holes culminate in a final shot that is amongst the most spectacular in the world.

Speaking on behalf of the three Tours, Grant Wilson the COO at the Sunshine Tour said, “We are looking forward to the second edition of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. The play-off between South African George Coetzee and Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olsen, made for some spectacular golf, which was a fitting finish to the inaugural tournament. Owing to the success of the 2015 tournament we are expecting an exciting field of players for 2016, who also want to experience the magic of playing golf in Mauritius.”

Offering a lucrative prize fund of EUR 1 million, the 2016 tournament field of players will be made up of at least 40 professionals from each of the participating Tours plus qualifiers and local invitees, who will compete in a 72-hole stroke play championship over four days. After the first two rounds, the field will be cut to the top 65 and ties. The final result will count towards the Tours’ Orders of Merit, European Tour’s Race to Dubai and the Sunshine Tour’s Chase to the Investec Cup. The Tournament will also count towards Official World Golf Ranking points.

“The 2015 tournament marked the beginning of something special in Mauritius. We are privileged to have hosted this exceptional tournament, and are looking forward to welcoming the players, their families, and golfing fans back to Mauritius to experience the magic that the island has to offer,” said Christophe Curé, President of the Mauritius Golf Federation. “Mauritius boasts of some of the world’s best golf courses, designed by world renowned designers. This coupled with the perfect golfing conditions all year long, and the Mauritian hospitality make Mauritius the perfect golfing destination,” concluded Christophe Curé.

Sponsors and main partners for the event include AfrAsia Bank, Anahita, CIEL, Heritage Resorts, Villas Valriche, Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority, Air Mauritius and Jaguar.

To watch the launch video, click here