Belek to host Tiger at major golf event

ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News

Tiger Woods will lead the bill alongside other golf stars, including Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood at the Turkish Airways Golf Finals in Belek, Antalya. REUTERS photo

Tiger Woods will lead the bill as the top names in golf play in the latest edition of the Turkish Airways World Golf Finals in October.

The Turkish Airways World Golf Finals is one of the world’s most lucrative tournaments, with a $5.3 million purse, of which the winner receives $1.5 million and $1 million goes to the runner-up. Apart from Woods, the line-up will include Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Justin Rose, Charl Schwartzel, Webb Simpson and Hunter Mahan.

The tournament is to be played from Oct. 9 to 12, ending on a Friday so that it won’t steal attention away from the weekend of the Portugal Masters on the European Tour and the Frys.com Open on the U.S. PGA Tour, the second event in the Fall Series.

Woods’ inclusion in the event has been said to be a possible sign of a sponsorship deal with Turkish Airlines.

“As part of a three-year commitment to the new matchplay event – which debuts nine days after the Ryder Cup – it is believed Woods has built an appealing ‘relationship’ with the country’s national airline,” ESPN reported.

Turkish Airlines has made several sponsorship deals with high-profile athletes, such as Kobe Bryant and Caroline Wozniacki, and football teams FC Barcelona and Manchester United.

None of the U.S. tour players involved are likely to be at the Frys.com Open or in Las Vegas the week before. Woods made his Fall Series debut at the Frys.com Open last year, although he was still in conversation about a corporate deal at the time. Simpson lost in a playoff last year at the McGladrey Classic, which follows the Turkey event.