Heritage Resorts - Stories 2018 - Issue 2 - Magazine - Page 24
|GOLF
GOLF IN MAURITIUS
DYLAN FRITTELLI GRASPS
HIS SECOND VICTORY ON THE
EUROPEAN TOUR
IT’S AN IMPORTANT WIN.
IT SEEMS THE PURE AIR OF
BEL OMBRE WAS BENEFICIAL TO
SOUTH AFRICAN GOLFER DYLAN
FRITTELLI, WHO WON THE AFRASIA
BANK MAURITIUS OPEN 2017 ON
HERITAGE GOLF CLUB’S CHAMPIONSHIP
COURSE. HE WON HIS SECOND WIN OF
THE SEASON ON THE EUROPEAN TOUR
BY BEATING INDIAN GOLFER ARJUN
ATWAL, IN AN ANTHOLOGY PLAY-OFF
WITH A BIRDIE ON HOLE NO. 18. THE
FRENCHMAN, ROMAIN LANGASQUE,
COMPLETED THE PODIUM IN 3RD
POSITION.
THIS VICTORY, IN THE HEART OF THE
LAVISH HERITAGE BEL OMBRE ESTATE,
IS WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD AS
IT ALLOWED DYLAN FRITTELLI TO
BREAK INTO THE TOP 50 ON THE
OFFICIAL GOLF WORLD RANKING. A
PROFESSIONAL GOLFER SINCE 2012,
2017 MARKS HIS BEST YEAR SO FAR.
HIS WINNING HAND WILL OPEN
THE DOORS TO THE BIGGEST GOLF
TOURNAMENTS IN THE WORLD.
This positioning is enforced by the fact that golf is
actually one of the first sports disciplines practised
in Mauritius. The Royal Navy built the first golf
course in 1902, while the island was under British
rule. Since then, Mauritius has constantly finetuned its know-how to offer the best courses
and competitions of international standards. For
Heritage Resorts, co-organiser and host of the
AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open 2017, the challenge
was technical, logistical and human, requiring the
mobilisation of more than a thousand people six
months before the first tee off.
GOLF TOURISM
The efforts of the local tourism stakeholders reflect
the island’s ambitions to become one of the best
golfing destinations in the world. “With the upcoming
editions of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open and
our golf offers that continue to improve, the island
will welcome more players in the coming years.
Since the first edition in 2015, the Heritage Golf
Club has noted an increased enthusiasm for golf
with our guests. This is a trend that will undoubtedly
increase over time, along with the popularity of the
tournament, through its rebroadcast around the
world,” said François Eynaud, Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of Veranda Leisure Hospitality Group (VLH).
The island already hosts more than 60,000 guests
a year who come to try their drives and adjust their
putts on the Mauritian courses.
SECOND GOLF COURSE IN BEL OMBRE
A recognised golfing region in Mauritius, Bel Ombre
will soon host a second 18-hole championship
course. The design was entrusted to South African
Louis Oosthuizen, who is currently the 23rd best
golfer in the world. This new course will feature
alongside the lush course designed by Peter
Matkovich, which continues to seduce golfers
around the world, both amateur and professional.
The next edition of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open
will take place on Anahita’s beautiful golf course,
situated on the southeast coast of the island.
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