BARBADOS SHONE on the world's sports stage last week as the island staged the World Golf Championship Barbados World Cup, which was seen by more than a billion viewers around the world. Jack Warfield, the PGA Tour vice-president of Championship Management, said there was "tremendous interest" in the event which was televised worldwide. ESPN, the biggest sporting network in the United States, and ABC, one of the largest news networks, covered the event extensively. According Noel Lynch, the Minister of Tourism, the event was expected to bring exposure that the island could not possibly pay for. He noted that it came just three months before the island hosts the final of the Cricket World Cup, another event that will bring unprecedented exposure. "As a sporting nation, Barbados has already distinguished itself at the highest level in many areas," he said. "Golf is a relatively new addition to our range of outdoor sports, but we are hoping to reap real economic benefit from hosting such a prestigious event." Local and visiting fans were on hand at the Sandy Lane Country Club to see some of the world's leading players display their skills on the challenging course. (PS)
|
