The Amateur Championship, Muirfield

The 2010 Amateur will be played from June 14-19 and in 2011 the dates will be June 20-25.
The Amateur Championship will make its 11th appearance at Muirfield in 2010
and the following year the championship will return to Hillside for only the
second time.
The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, founded in 1744, moved to the
links at Muirfield in 1891 and hosted the first four-round Open Championship
the following year. Since then it has been the venue for The Open a further
14 times. In 2002 Ernie Els won a four-man, five-hole play-off to claim the
title.
The Amateur was first played at Muirfield in 1897 and young Spaniard Sergio
Garcia was the last to win the title over the classic links in 1998.
The return of the Amateur to Hillside in 2011 will be a focal point of the
club's centenary celebrations and will come 32 years after Jay Sigel beat
fellow American Scott Hoch by 3 and 2 in the final of the 1979 championship.
Other R&A Championships hosted by Hillside include the Boys in 2000 and
the British Mid-Amateur in 1996.
The 2007 Senior British Open Championship was played at Muirfield situated
approximately 6 miles from Maitlandfield House
Hotel. It was the first time the championship was staged on The Open
Championship course and the move has marked the 50th birthday of Nick Faldo,
who won two of his three Open titles over the famous links.
Seve Ballesteros has also reached the same milestone
in April 2007, Muirfield, home of The Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers,
was ready to welcome the two of the all-time greats of European golf for the 21st
edition of The Senior British Open Championship, presented by Aberdeen Asset
Management.
David Hill, Director of Championships for The R&A, said: "The R&A
is delighted that The Senior British Open was played at Muirfield for
the first time in 2007 and he tanked many of the past Open champions who
have won there for there return again and support to the championship."
Muirfield - the fourth Open venue to be used for the seniors' flagship event
after Royal Portrush, Royal Lytham & St Annes and Turnberry - has a rich
history of producing great champions, the latest being Ernie Els, who beat
Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington and Thomas Levet in a play-off at The Open
in 2002.
Tom Watson, winner of two Senior British Open Championships, also lifted the
Claret Jug at the famous East Lothian links in 1980 when he beat Lee Trevino
by four shots. He will defend the senior's title at the Westin Turnberry Resort
from July 27-30, 2006 - another course where he has enjoyed success.
Not only did Watson triumph over Jack Nicklaus to win the memorable Open Championship
in 1977, he also beat Carl Mason in a play-off for the Senior British Open
there in 2003. He reclaimed the title with another play-off victory, over
Des Smyth at Royal Aberdeen.
Martin Gilbert, Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management, said: "We
witnessed a terrific tournament at Royal Aberdeen and we are delighted to
be involved as presenting sponsor of the next two championships, at the Westin
Turnberry Resort and Muirfield." The 2007 Senior British Open Championship
will be played at Muirfield from July 26-29, 2007. It will be the first time
the championship has been staged on The Open Championship course and the move
will mark the 50th birthday of Nick Faldo, who won two of his three Open titles
over the famous links.
Email:


