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Hunter Valley Uncorks Its Finest Hotel Vintage

March 20, 2006

New South Wales' Hunter Valley wine region is about to uncork the finest vintage of its hotel crop when Accor's Grand Mercure Apartments, The Vintage opens its doors on 20 April. The Grand Mercure is the first new internationally-branded hotel to open in the Hunter this millennium, and will initially offer 44 fully self-contained deluxe apartments.

The Grand Mercure is part of The Vintage, an exclusive $450 million integrated residential, golf, leisure and conference development located at Rothbury, two hours drive north from Sydney.

The Vintage estate also offers guests access to a world-class 18 hole golf course designed by Greg Norman (ranked by Golf Australia as the highest ranked public-access course in NSW), a leisure complex complete with Clubhouse; health and fitness centre; day/night tennis courts; 25m heated swimming pool and spa, and a pedestrian, cycle and buggy network linking the entire community.

Luxury Resort Opens In Exuma, Bahamas

March 16, 2006

EXUMA, BAHAMAS -- Grand Caribbean Resorts, Ltd., a Bahamian-based resort management company, is pleased to announce the opening of Grand Isle Villas, a new seaside residential resort. Grand Isle Villas, located in beautiful Great Exuma, Bahamas, is a new community of 72 luxurious ocean and golf course villas located within the 500-acre Emerald Bay Resort.

Grand Isle Villas is the perfect Caribbean getaway. The resort offers activities including golf on the incredibly beautiful Greg Norman designed golf course, sailing, swimming, charter fishing or exploring the many nearby uninhabited cays. Complimentary waters sports are also included and pampering at the nearby spa can be arranged. Grand Isle Villas also provides guests with a personal concierge who will arrange dining, either privately in your villa or at one of the several nearby restaurants. Villas are pre-stocked with guests food and beverage preferences prior to their arrival.

Great Exuma, part of the Bahamian Family Islands, is the largest island in a chain of 365 cays. Although the island is quiet and remote, it is easily accessible from Ft. Lauderdale and Miami International Airport.

Marriott Announces Doral Sweepstakes

March 13, 2006

ORLANDO, Fla. -- On the heels of the 2006 Ford Championship at Doral, Marriott Golf announced the Doral Golf Getaway Sweepstakes, offering one lucky winner four nights of luxury accommodations and five rounds of golf for two, including a round on the famed Blue Monster Golf Course, where Tiger Woods recently won the Ford Championship for the second year in a row.

The contest is free and open to the public at http://www.marriottgolf.com.

As part of the Doral Golf Getaway Sweepstakes, anyone registering will be entered in a contest to win four nights of accommodations in a luxurious guest room (1 king or 2 doubles) at Marriott's Doral Golf Resort & Spa, in Miami.

The winner will also receive one round of golf for two, with cart, on each of Doral's five championship golf courses, including the Blue Monster Course; the Great White Course -- recently refined Greg Norman design; the Gold Course -- designed by golfing legend Raymond Floyd; the Red Course -- host of the 2001 LPGA Office Depot Championship; and the Silver Course -- former host of the PGA Tour Qualifying School.

The contest runs from March 7 - September 7, 2006.

Player Of The Month

March 8, 2006

With a victory at the Nissan Open and a runner-up finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Rory Sabbatini secured his first PGA Tour Player of the Month honor. Sabbatini earned more than $1.5 million in February, with nine of his 12 stroke-play rounds in the 60s.

A total of 11 players have won the Player of the Month twice. They are Greg Norman, John Daly, Steve Elkington, Nick Faldo, Fred Funk, Steve Jones, Justin Leonard, Mark McCumber, Mark O'Meara, Corey Pavin and David Toms.

Fantastic Finishes At Doral: 1990

March 2, 2006

This was one day where Greg Norman could do no wrong.

Seven shots off the lead, the Aussie overpowered a benign Blue Monster with a sizzling 10-under-par 62 that got him into a four-way playoff. He needed just three more swings to end it, chipping in for eagle at No. 1 on the first extra hole.

That's 19 holes in 12-under par.

"That's why it's called golf," Norman said after hoisting his first Doral trophy. "What goes around comes around."

What seemed a race between Paul Azinger and Fred Couples wound up a mass sprint, with eight players within a stroke of the lead heading into the stretch.

Azinger and Mark Calcavecchia had chances to win, only to bogey No. 18 after poor drives. Norman almost came up short himself, but coaxed home a 25-foot par save at the 18th.

The Aussie wasted little time in the playoff. A booming drive and ripped 4-iron put him three yards behind the green. Showing his delicate side, Norman's deft chip landed softly and rolled into the cup.