Els Club to hold second Major event for members

Dubai: The Els Club's second annual Major series, meant exclusively for the club's members, will tee off on September 26 with the top 16 qualifiers taking part in the Club Championships and Handicap Cup in January next year.

The 2010 winners will have the opportunity to meet Ernie Els during the Dubai Desert Classic, which will be held between February 1 and 7. According to 2009 Major Series Champion Ronan O'Reilly, the competition is the highlight of his golfing year.

O'Reilly said: "It was such a thrill to be the fortunate winner of the inaugural Major series at the Els Club. To get the opportunity to meet Ernie Els and have him congratulate me on my success was a wonderful experience. The Major series is keenly contested by every member of the club, and I will be practising hard over the coming weeks in an attempt to defend my title."

A total of 72 members will take part in each Major event. Chris Brown, director of Golf at the club, said: "Each year we add new elements to the Major series tournaments to provide our esteemed members with a challenging ... competition.

"With new sponsors and additional course facilities, we are delivering a bigger and better tournament that further establishes the Els Club as a premier brand offering for golfers in the Middle East."