Worldwide Golf

RYDER Cup star Paul Casey has confirmed his participation at The Invitational hosted by Abdullah Al Naboodah and adds his name to the already world-class line-up at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club on Monday, January 25^th.

Casey won three times in the space of five months last year to reach a career-high third place on the Official World Golf Ranking before a rib injury derailed his season.

Casey won the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship in January on The European Tour before winning his first US PGA Tour event at the Shell Houston Open in April. He then won the flagship tournament of The European Tour, the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May before his injury – sustained at The Open Championship - forced him out of action until October.

The Englishman is now back to full fitness and finished in a tie for 10^th place at the SBS Championship on the US PGA Tour earlier this month.

Casey joins the likes of Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Ross Fisher in the field to become the seventh player in the top ten of The European Tour’s final 2009 Race to Dubai ranking and the fifth player inside the top 20 on the Official World Golf Ranking to compete in the most prestigious Pro-Am in the region.

Garcia, currently ranked 13^th in the World and 10^th in the final 2009 Race to Dubai ranking, will be flying into Abu Dhabi for the first leg of The Tour’s Middle East Swing, the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, in style in his Hawker 4000 aircraft. The prestigious aircraft manufacturer, Hawker Beechcraft, has now become a Premier Partner of The Invitational, along with Dubai Duty Free, Delwood and Atom.

The Spaniard joins a host of leading European Tour players in The Invitational, including Europe’s 2009 Golfer of the Year, Westwood. World No.4 Westwood returns to Dubai on the back of one of the most consistent seasons of his career. He capped a stunning victory in the Dubai World Championship in November, by adding The Race to Dubai title with two wins and 11 additional top-ten finishes to collect €2,750,000 and take his season’s earnings to a record €4,237,762.

In total, 50 Professionals and 50 amateurs will combine in a betterball stroke play competition in teams of two – one Pro and one amateur – with the Pros playing for a charity prize fund of AED500,000.

Al Naboodah Director of Golf and The Invitational Tournament Director, James Bowring, commented: “It’s great that Paul Casey has joined the party and that we’ve got so many leading players competing who are right on the top of their game. The sponsors and the spectators are going to be treated to a wonderful day of world-class golf played in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. It’s going to be a special day for them to be able to play a part in enjoying this unique tournament.”

For more information on The Invitational hosted by Abdullah Al Naboodah at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club on January 25, please visit:

www.theinvitational.com