The 2010 edition of the World Corporate Golf Challenge World Finals was held in Eden District (South Africa), from 4th to 9th May. The courses played were Oubaai and Fancourt and 21 countries participated in the event.
The beautiful Eden District region, that includes the Garden Route and Klein Karoo, was the host and the Venue Sponsor of the 15th edition of the event’s World Finals. The Time/Fortune Group were the Media Partners and Srixon and Glenbrae the Official Sponsors. Fancourt and the Hyatt Regency Oubaai were the Host Resorts.
Teams representing companies from all over the world had guaranteed the participation in the competition in their National Finals. The countries represented were Argentina, Australia, Chile, Colombia, England, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, Wales and Zimbabwe.
The players had the opportunity to visit some of the varied local places of interest and also to have a practice day on each of the golf courses – Oubaai, a «links» designed by Ernie Els (that lives nearby...); and the Montagu Course in Fancourt, Gary Player’s «ex-libris».
The first day of competition, 8th May, was held in Oubaai and it was a tough job for the players, especially due to the wind. Nevertheless, the scores of the teams were excelent – the competition is played with the «Stabledord» system, with ¾ handicap, and only the best three scores per team on each hole are considered.
At the end of the day, a total of seven countries scored 100 or more points, with the leaders being Italy and Spain, with 103 points. Portugal and Chile had 102, Australia 101, and Guatemala and United Arab Emirates 100.
One of the highest moments of the day was the -hole-in-one- that Manav Sardana, from India, made at the 14th hole, the first of his career and also the first to be registered in a WCGC World Final.
Obviously, the second day was going to be decisive and everything was possible.
In the Montagu Course, the players had the chance to understand why Fancourt is one of the best known golf resorts in South Africa. A long and very technical course, it was a real challenge to everyone and a wonderful venue to decide the title of World Champion.
Unfortunally, the last two formations were not able to finish the 18th hole, due to darkness, so only the points of the first 17 holes were considered.
The winners were the representatives of Portugal - Jose Rodrigues, Jose Ressurreição, Antonio Tavares and Miguel Tavares -, who had a score of 97 points to a total of 199.
They finished tied with India, who was on 10th place after the first day, and at Fancourt reached 104 points. Since there was not possible to held a «play-off» between the two teams, due to darkness, the team with less playing handicap points - Portugal - won the competition and became the new World Corporate Golf Challenge World Champions.
World Corporate Golf Challenge is an event that was created in 1993 in the United Kingdom and that was internationalized in 1996. For this World Final a total of 23 companies, in five different continents, played the biggest corporate golf championship.
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