THREE LOCAL GOLFERS ON THE COURSE

The “Turkish Airlines Open 2013” golf event to be held from November 7th to 10th at The Montgomerie Maxx Royal will be a meeting of the world’s best 75 golfers while Turkey will be represented by three local players: Hamza Sayın, Ali Altuntaş and Ediz Kemaloğlu.

Tiger Woods will also be teeing off at this high-profile European Tour event in Turkey, a tournament with a bumper prize fund of $7 million. Part of the new Final Series, the climax of the European Tour's big-money Race to Dubai, the Turkish Airlines Open will be played from November 7th to 10th. Being the host course of the tournament for the following two years too, The Montgomerie Maxx Royal in Antalya will be the meeting point of 75 golfers of world fame, alongside whom the local players pro Hamza Sayın, amateurs Ali Altuntaş and Ediz Kemaloğlu will be competing on the course as well.

RISING STAR: HAMZA SAYIN

The captain of the Turkish team, Hamza Sayın, recently became a professional. He is going to play on the European Tour for the first time and he will also hold the title of being the first Turkish player to achieve this.Having started golf in the Klassis Golf & Country Club in Silivri near Istanbul, he was always a successful player during his amateur career. He won the Turkish Amateur Championships in 2004 and the Federation Cup trophy in 2005. In the same year he was part of the bronze medal winning Turkish team in the Mediterranean Games. Hamza won the European Club Championship with his club Klassis, while individually he was also at the top. Being leader of the Hellenic Open, finishing third at the European Challenge Cup were the bright results of Hamza. In 2011 the title of Balkans Champion as a member of the team taking the Turkish Amateur Open bronze medal perpetuated his stable performance. This year Hamza became the first-ever Turkish player in the history of the 12th Turkish Open to step up on the stage and take the gold medal.

GREAT EXPERIENCE

Meanwhile two amateur golfers from Turkey, Ali Altuntaş and Ediz Kemaloğlu, are looking forward to playing in the tournament with the big players. Having got the wild-card, their participation will be a great experience for them. After starting golf in Antalya at the age of 16, Gloria Golf Club player Ali Altuntaş was chosen for the Turkish Golf Federation Training Group in 2011. With his performance in the Junior League, playing in the Q School this year added great value to his developing skills. National team player Ediz Kemaloğlu is another amateur. 20-year-old Ediz was part of the Balkans Championship winning team in 2012. He continued a fine season, also participating in the European Nations Cup 2013, the Italian International Amateur Championships (Stroke/Match Play) 2013, the Slovenian International Men's Championship 2013, and the Dutch Junior Open 2013. This talented player represents Istanbul Golf Club, the oldest golf club of Turkey.