JACKLIN TO DESIGN 36-HOLE CYPRUS PROJECT

Tony Jacklin is boosting his increasingly impressive profile as a course designer with the announcement that he is to design a second golf complex in Cyprus.

Jacklin, who remains the only post-war British or European golfer to have won both the Open and US Open, has been asked to replace the existing 18 holes at Secret Valley with two completely new 18-hole golf courses, thus forming a 36-hole golf complex integrated within the recently redesigned Venus Rock Golf Resort.

Venus Rock Golf Resort, which is destined to become one of Europe’s largest leisure-integrated residential resorts, is located in a stunning river valley, with a reservoir at its head, only a 15-minute drive from the international airport and main town of Paphos. Next door is Aphrodite Hills, south-eastern Europe’s first and, currently, only golf-integrated residential resort. Nearby are two similar quality-integrated resort developments spearheaded by Dolphin Capital Investors, the leading investor in the residential resort sector in south-eastern Europe. The Jacklin Design Group will work on the project in collaboration with Austrian architect, Hans-Georg Erhardt.

Speculation has been mounting that the growth of the Jacklin Design Group may signal the end of his competitive playing career and that next week’s Open at Carnoustie could be his last. The 63-year-old is particularly delighted that The Concession, the Florida layout he masterminded in partnership with Jack Nicklaus, was recently named Golf Digest’s Top New Course of 2006.

“I’m thrilled that The Concession has proved such a hit,” enthused Tony, “and I’m looking forward to creating a fantastic experience at Venus Rock. As I’m playing competitive golf less often now, I’ll be able to spend my time working with Hans-Georg Erhardt and the team at Aristo Developers to create something very special in Cyprus – a first-class golf complex that everyone can enjoy.”

Aristo Developers, a Paphos company which is part of Dolphin Capital Investors, are the owners and operators of Venus Rock Golf Resort. It will be Tony Jacklin’s second Cyprus project for the group, following the announcement made two months ago concerning the first.

Mr Theodoros Aristodemou, CEO of Aristo Developers, said: “We are very much looking forward to teaming up with the Jacklin Design Group at Venus Rock. We are confident that the Jacklin brand will vitalize the region and mobilize enormous support and interest in Aristo’s and Dolphin’s collaborative efforts to create one of Europe’s largest premium-banded residential resorts.”

Jacklin Design Group and Hans-Georg Erhardt will replace the present 18 holes at the existing Secret Valley golf complex with two new courses using new and existing land to form the new Venus Rock Golf Resort. And the good news is that construction will be phased so that 18 holes remain in play for members and visitors at all times.