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BAHRAIN is set to make its mark again on the world stage by hosting a prestigious European Tour golf event - the biggest sporting extravaganza to be staged in the kingdom outside the annual Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.
Officials and potential sponsors visited the island last week to meet senior figures and view facilities at the Royal Golf Club and were said to have been 'very impressed'.
If a deal is struck it will come as a tremendous coup for the kingdom - in particular the fledging Riffa Views development - and follow in the footsteps of neighbouring Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar where golf tournaments have raised the states' profiles internationally.
A source in the golfing world told GulfWeekly: "They are looking to stage a tournament in Bahrain in January - the Gulf regional events known fondly as the 'golden triangle' which are so popular with players, TV companies and sponsors alike, looks set to become the quadruple of quality golf!"
The Royal Golf Club course was designed by Colin Montgomerie, Europe's Ryder Cup team captain and is considered to be one of the region's most challenging.
"Getting a PGA tour event here one day has always been a goal but nothing is confirmed as yet," said Sue Addison, the Royal Golf Club's senior marketing & PR manager.
Currently the season consists of 47 tournaments. It started last December with the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa and will culminate with the Dubai World Championship in November.
The schedule includes four major championships, four World Golf Championships and the Ryder Cup. This season boasts six new tournaments, the Africa Open in South Africa, the returning Avantha Masters in India which was cancelled in 2009, the Hassan II Golf Trophy in Morocco, the Open Calla Millor Mallorca and the Andalucia Masters, both held in Spain, and The Vivendi in France.
In 2009, the Order of Merit was replaced by 'The Race To Dubai' - the climax of the European Tour, with a bonus pool of $7.5 million to be distributed among the top 15 players at the end of the season, of which the winner takes $1.5 million.
Since 2000 the season has actually started late in the previous calendar year, but the seasons are still named by calendar year, rather than for example 2010-11, which would reflect the actual span of play.
All of the events up until late March take place outside of Europe, with most of these being co-sanctioned with other tours.
The Abu Dhabi Golf Championship teed-off in the Emirati capital on January 21. The emirate's golf championship was officially the fifth tournament of the European Tour's new season but was the first with all the big stars participating.
The Qatar Masters tournament at the Doha Golf Club followed shortly afterwards and the first round of the $2.5 million Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament - won twice by world number one Tiger Woods - took place at the Emirates Golf Club in February.
It looks likely that Bahrain could now open the party next year by attracting all the sport's big names including England's Lee Westwood - last year's player of the year and winner of the 2009 Race to Dubai.
It is understood representatives from Volvo Event Management (Golf), jointly owned by Volvo Cars and Volvo Group, with over 120 title sponsorships in golf to its name, have visited Bahrain.
