“It’s great to be back in the UAE” – Jamie Hodges, Challenge Tour Director - video Dailymotion

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00:00It's brilliant. It's obviously a part of the world that the Champions League has a strong

00:11history with, but it's a part of the world that we haven't been back to in a number of

00:14years. So it's very exciting to be able to return to the UAE. For the players, it's obviously

00:20wonderful news to have not just two weeks back to back in Abu Dhabi, but two weeks on

00:25two of the best courses in the region. So it's great news for us as a tour and the players

00:32are obviously absolutely delighted with the quality of the two venues that we've chosen

00:36and are privileged to work with over the next two weeks. I think in recent memory we've

00:42had a number of grand finals, both in Dubai and Ras al Khaimah. For myself working in

00:47some of those, it's lovely to be back here. These are regular events in terms of they're

00:51not season ending events, but they're just as important. They play a critical role in

00:56a time of the season where it's difficult for us to play in most of Europe. So it sits

01:02very nicely in our schedule and gives the guys an opportunity to play and let's face

01:06it in a part of the world that a lot of them come and train in anyway. So it's great that

01:10we're back here and it's part of a long-term plan that we've got with the Emirates Golf

01:14Federation to help grow golf in this region.

01:24We have a 10-year agreement between the European Tour Group and Emirates Golf Federation and

01:29an element of that partnership is two Challenge Tour events. That gives us as the Challenge

01:35Tour an opportunity to play in a part of the world that we love, to play on courses that

01:39our players are desperate to play in. And for the Emirati players through the exchange

01:43of invitations, it gives them an opportunity to play not just these two weeks in conditions

01:48that they know, but it gives them an opportunity to play across Europe in different conditions,

01:53different environments, different courses, and really experience life as a pro golfer.

01:58And the purpose of it is to really provide those players with the next opportunity on

02:03their development. And it'd be really exciting and interesting to see how they progress.

02:13For more UN videos visit www.un.org

“It’s great to be back in the UAE” – Jamie Hodges, Challenge Tour Director

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