21st July 2000

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Over 150 of the world's top young golfers are heading for Northern Ireland this week as the World University Golf Championships tee off at Castlerock Golf Course.

It's the first time the championships have been held in the British Isles, and competitors have come as far afield as Malawi and Mongolia to take part.

And the prestige sports event has received the personal backing of the Prime Minister, Tony Blair who has sent a special message of support to the organisers and competitors.

The event will be officially opened on Monday by UK Sports Minister and former Ulster athletics star Kate Hoey, who said:

"I am delighted to be able to open this prestigious event. It is a great honour for Northern Ireland and the University of Ulster. It is important that across all sports and at all levels our athletes have an opportunity to compete against international opposition and events such as this provide students with that chance. I hope that they fully enjoy the experience."

"I know that golf is very popular in Northern Ireland as it is throughout the UK. This area in particular has some of the best links courses in the world and Castlerock is a fitting venue for an event of this calibre. I have very happy memories of Castlerock where I spent many summer holidays as a child."

Ms Hoey said she was very pleased to see the Championships being hosted in Northern Ireland. She continued:

"I am also very pleased to see the University of Ulster's commitment to sport. It has been selected as the base for the UK Institute of Sport in Northern Ireland and in hosting these championships it becomes the first university to have had two world university championships having hosted the World University Cross Country Championships in 1980. Its students have a commendable record in team and individual sport in national and international competition and long may it continue."

"I would like to pay tribute also the BUSA, British Universities Sports Association and FISU, Federation Internationale Du Sport Universitaire for the work they have put into the championships."

The University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gerry McKenna said this week that the University was very much looking forward to the competition:

"We are delighted to be in a position to welcome visitors from around the world to the area for such a prestigious event. It promises to be an exciting competition and we are sure that our guests will enjoy their time here. It is an excellent opportunity for us to show off the University, Coleraine, Castlerock and the surrounding area. We hope that local people and summer visitors will take the opportunity to come along and witness some high quality competitive golf."

In the past competitors have included current European Tour professionals such as Ignacio Garrido of Spain. The University of Ulster hosts the Championships for the British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) and it is the latest in a series of prestige sporting events to be organised by the University.

Tournament Director, John Hanna said: "This is a very prestigious tournament and the University is honoured to be hosting the competition for BUSA. The game of golf is very strong in Northern Ireland, we have some of the best links courses in the world, and we are looking forward to an exciting competition over 72 holes."

The Championships were also welcomed by local Ryder Cup Golfer, Darren Clarke, who said: "It's great to bring international attention back to the North West again. We have some of the best golf courses in the world here and to focus attention on that is great. The tournament will give the students the experience of playing on links courses. Castlerock's always been renowned for its greens and I'm sure it will be no different when the tournament comes around. The course plays very difficult if it's windy, especially off the back tees, so it will be a stern challenge."

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk