Jumeirah Golf Estates, the outstanding host venue for The European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, has been named Monday as the ninth European Tour Destination, marking an expansion into the Middle East for the growing network of venues under the European Tour Properties banner.
The historic announcement, which comes less than a month before the climax to the fifth Race to Dubai played over the superb Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Nov. 14-17, also coincides with the launch of the second state-of-the-art European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI) located at the venue.
European Tour Properties is The European Tour’s portfolio of world-class venues that benefit from focused, year-long sales, marketing and operational support. As a European Tour Destination, Jumeirah Golf Estates joins PGA Catalunya Resort in Spain; London Golf Club in England; Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort in Provence, France, and its sister venue Golf Club St. Leon-Rot near Frankfurt, Germany; Le Golf National in Paris, France where The 2018 Ryder Cup will be played; The Dutch in Holland; Diamond Country Club in Austria; and Golf & Country Club Fleesensee, near Berlin in Germany, in an expanding collection.
Meanwhile, the Middle East’s first ETPI academy, boasting world-class training facilities for elite professional and amateur golfers alike, serves to enhance the status of Jumeirah Golf Estates as one of the region’s most exciting new all-round golf complexes. The latest ETPI follows in the footsteps of the inaugural facility at Terre Blanche, where the Albatros Golf Performance Center was officially launched as the first ETPI in March 2012.
Since its launch in 2009, European Tour Properties has grown to encompass 13 member venues – nine Destinations and four Tour Courses spanning 11 different countries — the majority of which have staged top class tournament golf at European Tour, Senior Tour, Challenge Tour or European Tour Qualifying School level, either currently or in the recent past.
Along with hosting the Tour’s season-end finale, Jumeirah Golf Estates will benefit from the global recognition and exposure which comes with becoming a Tour Destination. Jumeirah Golf Estates, which currently boasts two Greg Norman-designed championship layouts in the Fire and Earth courses, also delivers a luxury residential golf community within the complex, adjacent to a state-of-the-art clubhouse currently under construction, which is planned to be part operational in time for the 2014 DP World Tour Championship.
Tournament golf in the region has expanded dramatically in 2013 with the traditional ‘Desert Swing’ in Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai being augmented by Challenge Tour events in Oman and Dubai scheduled over the next month, with discussions at an advanced stage for a Senior Tour event in early 2014.
George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, welcomed the first all-purpose European Tour facility in the Gulf region.
He said: “Today’s historic announcement of the first Tour Destination and ETPI in the Middle East further endorses the status of Jumeirah Golf Estates as our season-ending tournament venue and as an internationally acclaimed destination, which has been widely praised by the players and public alike.
“We thank Yousuf Kazim and all the Board of Directors at Jumeirah Golf Estates for their cooperation and support, and we look forward to working closely in partnership to complete the development over the next 18 months, while the world class practice and training facilities available at the ETPI academy, along with the highest standards of biomechanical and nutritional advice, deliver all the necessary requirements for the elite European Tour professional.”
Jumeirah Golf Estates becomes first European Tour Destination in Middle East
Jumeirah Golf Estates becomes first European Tour Destination in Middle East
Ronaldo renews Al Nassr contract until 2027
RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a two-year contract extension with Al Nassr, the Saudi Pro League side announced on Thursday, which will keep the Portuguese forward at the club well past his 42nd birthday.
Ronaldo, who joined the club in 2022 after leaving Manchester United to become a free agent, has scored 93 goals in 105 appearances for the club in all competitions.
Pakistan grouped with Saudi Arabia, Iraq in AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers
- Thirty-one international teams to partake in qualifiers from Sept. 20-24
- AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 will be contested in Jan. 27-Feb. 7
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s football team has been selected in Group D along with Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Chinese Taipei for the qualifiers of the upcoming AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) confirmed on Thursday.
Thirty-one teams have confirmed their participation for the 11th qualifiers, which will take place between September 20 to 24. The draw has divided the teams into eight groups— seven groups of four and one group of three— with each to be played in a centralized league format.
“Our journey to the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 begins in Group D, sharing the pitch with hosts Saudi Arabia,” the PFF wrote on social media platform X.
“An exciting draw that sets the stage for some incredible matches. Time to prepare!“
India are in Group A with Kuwait, Australia and Mongolia while top seeds Thailand will have to contend with Korea Republic, Bahrain and Brunei Darussalam in Group B.
Four-time winners Japan are the top seeds in Group C with hosts Tajikistan, Macau and Cambodia their challengers. Group E will see Vietnam, Lebanon, hosts China and Hong Kong face each other while Group F includes Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic (hosts), Timor-Leste and Palestine.
Iran, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh are part of Group G while Afghanistan, Myanmar and Maldives are part of Group H.
The AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 will be contested from January 27-February 7.
Mbappe files harassment complaint against PSG and judicial officials are investigating
- The Real Madrid star is at odds with his former club, arguing PSG owes him $61 million in unpaid wages
- Mbappe stunned PSG in June 2023 by informing the club he would not take the option for an extra year
PARIS: Kylian Mbappe has accused Paris Saint-Germain of moral harassment in a legal filing, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Thursday.
The Real Madrid star is at odds with his former club, arguing PSG owes him €55 million ($61 million) in unpaid wages.
Mbappe is also unhappy with the way he was treated by the Ligue 1 club when the France captain was sidelined before the 2023-24 season, following his decision not to extend his club contract.
The prosecutor’s office said Mbappe is “denouncing the ‘lofting’ he claimed to have been subjected to at Paris Saint-Germain.” The word lofting is used in France to describe a practice that involves isolating a player from the main squad for sporting, administrative, or disciplinary reasons.
Mbappe joined Real Madrid last summer on a free transfer after scoring a club-record 256 goals in seven years at PSG, which won the Champions League without him this year.
Mbappe’s relationship with PSG ended amid deep tensions, and some fans booed him in his last home game at Parc des Princes. PSG felt let down by Mbappe after offering him the most lucrative contract in club history when he signed a new contract in 2022.
But Mbappe was frustrated because he felt promises to sign key players were not kept. When he signed that deal, he was paraded in front of fans holding up a jersey with 2025 on it. Mbappe was reportedly annoyed because the contract was until 2024 — with a player’s option for an extra season.
Mbappe stunned PSG in June 2023 by informing the club he would not take the option for an extra year. With his contract effectively into its final year, it put PSG in the position of needing to sell Mbappe to avoid losing him for nothing when the contract expired.
His PSG career could have ended that summer amid a tense transfer standoff.
After telling the club he would not extend, Mbappe was left off a preseason tour to Japan and South Korea and forced to train with fringe players. PSG said it would rather sell him than let the player leave for free in 2024, but he rejected a €300 million move to Saudi Arabia team Al-Hilal.
PSG left Mbappe out of the opening league game of that season but he soon returned to the lineup following talks.
Mbappe’s legal team said in April it would start an action against PSG for harassment because of the way he was treated at the time.
Krejcikova suffers injury scare ahead of Wimbledon defense
- The world number 17 suffered the problem on Wednesday during her second-round victory over Britain’s Jodie Burrage
- The injury worsened overnight and the 29-year-old opted not to risk aggravating it
EASTBOPURNE, UK: Barbora Krejcikova faces a race to prove her fitness in time to defend the Wimbledon title after the Czech pulled out of the Eastbourne Open with a thigh injury on Thursday.
Krejcikova was due to face France’s Varvara Gracheva in the quarter-finals at Devonshire Park, but announced her withdrawal just hours before the match.
The world number 17 suffered the problem on Wednesday during her second-round victory over Britain’s Jodie Burrage.
The injury worsened overnight and, with her Wimbledon first-round tie scheduled for Tuesday, the 29-year-old opted not to risk aggravating it.
Krejcikova is awaiting the outcome of a scan before deciding if she will be fit to chase a second successive title at the All England Club.
“I’m very sorry to have to withdraw from my quarter-final today in Eastbourne as I’m having some soreness in my right thigh,” Krejcikova said.
“Overnight it just didn’t get any better, it actually got worse. I think it’s better with Wimbledon in the next couple of days just to rest it and to see what’s going on and to resolve that.”
Krejcikova has endured a difficult time since defeating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the women’s singles final at Wimbledon last year.
She lost in the second round of the recent French Open and also missed January’s Australian Open with a back injury, which kept her sidelined until May.
Krejcikova made a poor start to the grass-court season with a shock loss against Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova in the first round at Queen’s Club earlier this month.
The two-time Grand Slam champion had to save two match points before beating Britain’s Harriet Dart in the Eastbourne first round.
The second seed saved three more match points against Burrage.
Jofra Archer joins England squad for 2nd test against India
- If made part of playing XI, Archer will play his first Test in 4 years
- Archer, 30, played last of his 13 Tests in February 2021 in India
LONDON: Fast bowler Jofra Archer could play his first test in four years after he was added to England’s squad on Thursday.
Archer joined up for the second test against India next week at Edgbaston. England leads the five-test series 1-0.
The 30-year-old played the last of his 13 tests in February 2021 in India.
Following his right thumb injury during the Indian Premier League, Archer played his first red-ball game in more than four years this week for Sussex in the English County Championship. He took 1-32 in 18 overs in his only bowling innings. He also batted once for 31 runs.
