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Kingsbarns Golf Links will host its first Major Championship as it was announced today as the venue for the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2017.
Host to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship since 2001, the 2010 Open Final Qualifying and the 2013 Ricoh Women’s British Open Final Qualifying, Kingsbarns has been widely acclaimed by players and media alike since opening 14 years ago and has fitted seamlessly into the famous golfing landscape of St Andrews.
Kingsbarns joins a stellar list of courses on the Championship rota and is universally thought to be one of the World’s best modern courses, ranked Number One in GolfWeek’s Top 100 modern courses within the UK and ranked 18th on Golf Digest’s Top 100 Best Courses Outside the United States.
Art Dunkley, Director of Kingsbarns Golf Links said, “People have said many flattering things about our course and facilities since we opened in 2000 but being selected to host our first Major Championship is the greatest accolade of all.”
Shona Malcolm, the LGU’s CEO commented, “We believe Kingsbarns will be a wonderful addition to the Women’s Open rota. Their excitement at hosting their first Major will make the 2017 edition very special and we look forward to a long relationship with them.”
Simon Sasaki, Corporate Executive Vice President, Ricoh Company Ltd. said, “We have been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since 2007 and one of the many attractions of this historic tournament is bringing the players, fans and our clients to the many wonderful venues that the LGU and IMG have secured to watch world-class golf. We think adding Kingsbarns Golf Links to the roster with its world-class course and facilities is an exciting and refreshing addition which will further enhance this great tournament.”
Paul Bush, from EventScotland added, “Bringing Major Championships to Scotland, the Home of Golf, outlines our ambition to host the biggest events in world golf and the addition of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2017 at Kingsbarns further strengthens our envied portfolio of golf tournaments in 2014 and beyond. This is also a great compliment to Kingsbarns Golf Links and shows just how established the venue has become on the global golf map.”
Turnberry’s famous Ailsa course is the venue for the 2015 Ricoh Women’s British Open, welcoming the Ricoh Women’s British Open for only the second time in the Championship’s history and Woburn will be the venue in 2016 hosting it’s 10th Ricoh Women’s British Open.
The Ricoh Women’s British Open was founded by the LGU in 1976 and is staged in conjunction with IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company, since 1984. The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and gained Major status in 2001.
Ricoh is a global technology company specialising in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services has been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women’s British Open since 2007.
