Spanish star Miguel Ángel Jiménez, together with Paul Lawrie, Alexander Norén and Nicolas Colsaerts are the latest players to sign up to the European Tour’s first-ever true ‘tournament of champions’ event, the Volvo Golf Champions – Volvo’s 125th title sponsorship in professional golf – at The Links at Fancourt, from 19th – 22nd January…
They join a host of stars already confirmed including Paul Casey, Charl Schwartzel, Retief Goosen, Thomas Björn, Colin Montgomerie, Louis Oosthuizen, Matteo Manassero and the European Tour‘s Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Tom Lewis in competing for a €350,000 (Approx. US$500,000) first prize and a prize fund of €2million (Approx. US$2,700,000).
Jiménez known as "El Mecánico" for his love of fast cars is one of the game’s most colourful characters and qualifies in the elite category of players that have won more than ten titles on the European Tour. Eight time order of Merit winner, Colin Montgomerie and two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen have also earned their place this way.
Jiménez won three titles in 2010 en route to finishing ninth in the Race to Dubai and marked his 500th appearance on Tour before making a fourth successful appearance in the European Ryder Cup team. The popular Spaniard commented, “This is the first time we will have a season opening tournament specifically for winners on the European Tour and I think the Volvo Golf Champions is a great addition to our schedule. I am really excited to be playing at Fancourt and am ready for a genuine test of Links golf.”
Jiménez, who pushed champion Paul Casey all the way in the inaugural full field Volvo Golf Champions earlier this year, added, “I was disappointed not to win in 2011 so will be hoping that I can put this right as soon as possible in 2012.”
Paul Lawrie, the 1999 Open Champion, has been in great form this year winning the 2011 Open de Andalucía de Golf and most recently finished 2nd at the season ending, Dubai World Championship. He explained, “I was really pleased to be back in the winner’s circle and I want to keep building on that in 2012. There is no better place to get the season underway than at Fancourt and enjoying the great weather down in sunny South Africa!”
Sweden’s Alexander Norén enjoyed a successful summer, first winning the Wales Open, and then triumphing in spectacular style on home soil in the Nordea Masters. He said, “It is nice to qualify to play in such an elite tournament with only the winners of 2011 qualifying. I think it will be a special atmosphere as it is a limited field at a world-famous venue and I would love to start my year off with a win at such a prestigious tournament.”
Nicolas Colsaerts, winner of the 2011 Volvo China Open and semi-finalist in the 2011 Volvo World Match Play Championship in May, is hoping that his run of success in Volvo events continues. Belgium’s leading player explained, “I seem to play well in the Volvo tournaments – they are always very well organised and I have a great time so maybe that is why.”
The Volvo Golf Champions is an exclusive, limited field event with no halfway cut, open only to European Tour players who have won an event on the previous year’s European Tour International Schedule, the only exception being current Tour Members with more than 10 European Tour victories. An unprecedented gathering of global golfing talent is expected to line up at the world-acclaimed Links at Fancourt, recently voted number one course in the country and originally designed by South African golf legend Gary Player.
