Mohammed Alabbar, Chairman of the UAE Golf Association and Emaar Properties, owners of The Montgomerie, made the formal anouncement in the company of Montgomerie who helped design the 200 acre links-style course, and Troon Golf who have undertaken to manage the much-publicised project.
"It is difficult to compete with the high standard of the Emirates and the Creek but we at The Montgomerie have raised the bar a bit," he told a press conference at the Emaar chalet.
overlooking the Emirates Golf Club's 18th green. "I'm really pleased to announce the opening of this world class facility, which has been spectacularly designed by Colin. Hopefully, it will add to the profile of Dubai's high quality golf infrastructure and further boost the game in the region."
Located just a few minutes from the Emirates Golf Club, The Montgomerie is a sprawling 7,308-yard golf course that features 79 bunkers, water features and some unique natural characteristics including the world's largest green.
Add to that Troon Golf's superior playing surfaces and you have a championship course that will be both challenging and entertaining.
Commenting on the course which bears his signature, Montgomerie said: 'I'm really delighted and proud to have such a fantastic golf course carry my name. I've been closely invloved in the design concept the last couple of years and can assure you it will offer a truly unique golfing experience."
"With Troon Golf's efforts we have managed to put together a truly fantastic course," he added.
"What we have here is to try and up the standards even further. Emaar and Troon Golf have a fantastic marketing operation going and we're confident once the course is fully operational, perhaps by the middle of June, we will realise it's full potential."
Bruce Glasgow, Senior Vice President of Troon Golf Australia and David Spencer, Director of Sales and Marketing were also present at the press conference.
Glasgow admitted that the eventual objective of developing The Montgomerie was to create a new venue for the Dubai Desert Classic in the future but said it would probably not happen for a lest three more years.
Montgomerie echoed Glasgow's perspective and said: "We don't want to hurry things. Many times in the past people have rushed into projects planned for new course a bit too early and it hasn't really paid off.
"I agree that the Classic will eventually move to our course, but I don't foresee that happening in the next two to three years. We would like the course to settle down and see how it plays before we take any decisions on the Classic," he added.
