Mel Reid driving from first tee at Old Course today
Picture by Cal Carson Agency
NEWS RELEASE
England’s
Mel Reid launched the countdown to the 2013 Ricoh Women’s British Open
today when she teed off on the Old Course, marking the Major Championship’s
return to St Andrews for the August 1 to 4.
In
2007 the Ricoh Women’s British Open made history as the first ladies
professional tournament to be played on the Old Course and was won by
crowd favourite and then World No.1, Lorena Ochoa. The return to St
Andrews has been much anticipated by players and spectators alike and
Reid enjoyed her sneak preview of the famous Old Course, despite teeing off in Baltic conditions with a 20mpm westerly wind creating a considerable chill factor.
She
explained, “I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to get an
early feel for the course and I am really excited about playing here in
August. I came here as an amateur in 2007 and finished T16th
so I have amazing memories of competing here and they all came flooding
back today.
"The Ricoh Women’s British Open is always played on fantastic
courses but there is no doubt that all the players are thrilled to be
returning to St Andrews this year. You can’t help but feel inspired by
history of the course and the very unique atmosphere around St Andrews.”
Last
year the Championship was hosted at Hoylake by Royal Liverpool Golf Club for the
first time and, with the field including 27 nationalities and 20 Major
Champions boasting 41 Major Championships between them, South Korea’s
Jiyai Shin won her second Ricoh Women’s British Open title. Her first
victory came at
at Sunningdale in 2008.
The defending champion earlier explained, “I loved visiting St Andrews in
2007 but at the time I wasn’t very experienced in playing links golf so
this time I think I will have a much better chance.
"Each year I have
learnt so much about playing on links courses and, at Hoylake, I managed
to put everything into practice to achieve such a special win. I hope I
can do the same this year as I think winning a Major on the Old Course
might be the very best thing you can experience in golf.”
Shona
Malcolm, the LGU’s CEO, said, “The 2007 Championship was an
unprecedented success and we have all been looking forward to the second
edition to be held here at the Old Course.
"We have many of Britain’s
best courses on our Championship rotation and we are delighted to once
again be so warmly welcomed by the St Andrews Links Trust for what I
believe will be another wonderful Championship.”
Guy
Kinnings, Global Managing Director, IMG Golf, added, ‘The Ricoh Women’s
British Open is one of the highlights of the global golf schedule. IMG
are delighted and proud to be part of the Championship and with our
partners the LGU and Ricoh and the sanctioning Tours the LPGA and Ladies
European Tour.
"This will mark the seventh year of Ricoh’s title
sponsorship and we are very grateful for their wholehearted support and
commitment to growing this great Championship year on year.”
Simon
Sasaki, Corporate Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer,
Ricoh Company, Ltd. explained, “We began our relationship with the Ricoh
Women’s British Open here at St Andrews in 2007 and, having announced
last year that we are extending our sponsorship to at least 2016, it is
wonderful to return to the Home of Golf to celebrate this wonderful
relationship.”
Mr
Sasaki added, “Together with the LGU, IMG, the LPGA and Ladies European
Tour we look forward to this year’s Championship and the years ahead as
we aim to further develop and enhance this great tournament in-keeping
with our corporate tagline, imagine. change.”
Paul
Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland added, “Scotland is
the home of golf and we are delighted to welcome back the Ricoh Women’s
British Open to St Andrews this year.
"This is the second hosting of the
tournament as part of our 10 year agreement to bring the world’s top
women golfers to Scotland every other year, and it is one of seven
leading golf events taking place in Scotland in 2013.
"The championship
at Carnoustie in 2011 was a huge success and I am sure we will build on
that and previous editions at the Old Course in August.”
The
Championship Committee also today announced two significant new
partners at the 2013 Championship. Edinburgh Audi, part of the Lomond
Group, are confirmed as the Official Car for the Championship and will
provide vehicles for the Championship Courtesy Car service.
Established
in 1998 the Lomond Group are now one of Europe’s largest Audi dealers,
with showrooms in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling and Ayr. The Lomond Group employs over 350 highly experienced and dedicated staff who sell around 8,000 cars every year.
They
are joined by Swinging Skirts, a private Taiwanese organization made up
of both men and women amateur golfers. Its members are avid golfers and
very good friends who wear skirts or kilts when they play. Their aim is
to bring a fun atmosphere to the tradition that is golf.
Their
sponsorship of the Ricoh Women’s British Open complements their title
sponsorship of the Swinging Skirts World Ladies Masters, launched in
2011 the tournament has become an official leg of both the Taiwan Ladies
Professional Golf Association and the Korea Ladies Professional Golf
Tour.
This year fans will again be able to watch the
BBC’s extensive live coverage of the Ricoh Women’s British Open in HD
(high definition) on all fours days of the Championship, underlining the
significance of the event in the BBC’s sports portfolio.
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.
The event has been co-sanctioned by the LPGA and LET since 1994 and
gained Major status in 2001.
Ricoh, the leading technology provider of Managed Document Services and Production Printing, has been the title sponsor of the Ricoh Women's British Open since 2007.Labels: Pro Ladies
