First Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup tees off in Dubai with one day amateur series championship

• 48 aspiring golf champions competed in pairs at Emirates Golf Club
• First of one day Amateur Championship series held in Dubai, to follow in 11 other countries
• Top two teams from Dubai won place in Grand Final to be held this November in Belek, Turkey, and tickets to watch Turkish Airlines Open
• World Cup Final winners to play a Pro-Am with one of the world’s best golfers

Dubai, UAE; April 20, 2013: Turkish Airlines, the national carrier of Turkey and Europe’s best airline, launched the inaugural Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup in Dubai, the first round of a global amateur championship, taking place this year in 12 countries.

Players teed off at the prestigious Al Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club for the 18 hole pairs tournament which was played in a better ball stableford format and open to ladies and gentlemen with an official handicap. The winners from each team were presented trophies by Turkish Airlines Dubai General Manager Ayse Misirli Mirza, following a celebratory lunch with the players.

An exceptional number of amateur golfers are participating globally in the inaugural Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup with 314 teams, playing in pairs, across the 12 qualifying events at some of the most renowned courses in the world.

The players at the Dubai qualifying round ranged from Turkish Airlines guests, to members of the Turkish Corporate Club and business partners, providing an opportunity to play competitively at one of the finest golf venues in the Gulf and take part in an informal networking environment.

Ayse Misirli Mirza, General Manager for Turkish Airlines in Dubai, said: “We are thrilled to have hosted the first round of the inaugural Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup in Dubai, one of the key golfing destinations in the world, and look forward to seeing the winners compete in the final later this year.”

The top two pairs at each of the qualifying rounds will participate in the grand finals, which will be held at the luxurious Gloria Golf Resort from November 3 to 8, 2013. The Dubai winners, and subsequent winners from other countries, will enjoy return flights with Turkish Airlines, transfers to Belek, and accommodation in a five star hotel and golf resort.

The next qualifying event will be in Singapore followed Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, New York, Moscow, Milan, Frankfurt, Paris and London, before concluding in Delhi on September 28.
Prizes will also be awarded at each venue for the teams that secure top-three finishes, while there will also be a longest drive and nearest the pin competition. The winners of the grand final in Belek this November will get the chance to play the Turkish Open PRO AM with one of the world’s best golfers.

This year, Turkish Airlines celebrates 30 years of flying to Dubai and now operates 14 weekly flights from the Emirate, connecting travellers to 221 cities globally, across 98 countries, the largest country network for an airline.

For more details including flight schedules of Turkish Airlines, please visit HYPERLINK “http://www.turkishairlines.com” www.turkishairlines.com, contact the call center on +971 4 444 0 999, or visit the newly opened Turkish Airlines sales office in Building 6, Emaar Square, Downtown Dubai.

Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup 2013 – Venues and dates
Thursday April 18 – Emirates Golf Club (Majlis Course), Dubai
Saturday May 11 – Sentosa Golf Club (Serapong Course), Singapore
Tuesday May 21 – Lakewood Golf Club, Tokyo, Japan
Friday May 24 – Black Stone Golf Club, Seoul, South Korea
Tuesday May 28 – CBD International Golf Club, Beijing, China
Monday June 17 – Hudson National Golf Club, New York, USA
Thursday June 27 – Moscow Country Club, Moscow, Russia
Tuesday July 2 – Castelconturbia Golf Club, Milan, Italy
Friday August 30 – Hanau-Wilhelmsbad Golf Club, Frankfurt, Germany
Saturday September 21 – Le Golf National, Paris, France
Friday September 27 – St George’s Hill Golf Club, London, England
Saturday September 28 – TBC
November 3 -8 – Grand Final at Gloria Golf Resort, Belek, Turkey

About Turkish Airlines:
Established in 1933 with a fleet of only five airplanes, Star Alliance member, Turkish Airlines is today a four star airline with a fleet of 215 aircraft (passenger and cargo) flying to 221 cities around the world, comprised of 36 domestic and 185 international destinations.

One of the fastest growing airline companies, Turkish Airlines has received several “Passengers Choice Awards” from the consumer ranking group, Skytrax. Based on 2011 and 2012 results, Turkish Airlines has been chosen as the winner of “Best Airline Europe”, “Best Premium Economy Seats” for its Comfort Class seats and “Best Airline Southern Europe.”

Turkish Airlines has also received awards for its catering and holds a coveted 4-star designation, putting the airline in a small group of top quality carriers. Turkish Airlines was also given the Skytrax designation of “World’s Best Economy Class On-board Catering” in 2010, and Skyscanner’s “Best On-board Food 2011.” Long haul Business Class passengers also enjoy the Flying Chef service on-board.

About Star Alliance:
The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognised by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award and Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, AviancaTaca, Blue1, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. EVA Air have been announced as future members. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers more than 21,900 daily flights to 1,329 airports in 194 countries.