The cream of Italian golf is hoping that a return to Sicily will help inspire them to success in front of their home fans when they take part in the 2018 Rocco Forte Sicilian Open at Verdura Resort this month.
Defending champion Alvaro Quirós, European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjørn and 2012 Sicilian Open champion Thorbjørn Olesen are among the names already confirmed for the event – which will take place from May 10-13 – but they will face a strong Italian challenge headed by Matteo Manassero, Nino Bertasio and Edoardo Molinari.
Manassero has won four European Tour titles to date and became the youngest winner in European Tour history after lifting the 2010 Castello Masters aged just 17 years and 188 days.
Bertasio is currently ranked inside the top 65 of this season’s Race to Dubai after becoming an established member of the European Tour in the last three years while Molinari remains a hugely popular figure in Italian golf after a memorable career – which included representing Europe alongside his brother Francesco at The 2010 Ryder Cup.
“I think that it’s a great event to play in for everybody. Verdura is such a great place and we all love it there. It’s also a great course and if the wind blows it will be really tough. As many times as we play in Italy I’m always happy and Sicily will be great,” said Manassero.
Quirós described Verdura Resort as “paradise” on his way to a sudden death play-off victory in the inaugural Rocco Forte Sicilian Open last year, and Bertasio and Molinari can’t wait for the opportunity to return to the exclusive venue.
Bertasio said: “We’ll be staying in resort on-site which is beautiful, and I think it is a fun golf course as well.
Obviously, it needs a bit of wind otherwise it’s going to be another five-under-par cut like last year, but it’s a great place.”
Molinari added: “Sicily is always a fun week. The resort is fantastic and the weather is always great. It is a great week to go out with the family play the tournament and relax a little bit.”
The 2018 Rocco Forte Sicilian Open will again be staged on one of the most spectacular and picturesque courses on the European Tour calendar, with a composite course combining the finest holes from the venue’s two 18-hole championship courses, the East Course and West Course.
Measuring 7,217 yards, the par-71 lay-out will comprise of nine holes each from the two Kyle Phillips-designed courses and will include one of the most dramatic finishes in world tournament golf, with the final six holes running adjacent to the coast and set against the magnificent backdrop of the Mediterranean Sea.
Nestling on the coast in 230 hectares of stunning landscape, Verdura Resort – a Rocco Forte hotel and European Tour destination – is ideal for a golf break and features two outstanding 18-hole championship courses – the East Course and West Course – as well as a par-three nine-hole course, all designed by Kyle Phillips.
Complementing Verdura Resort’s outstanding golf courses are extensive golf practice facilities including a double-ended driving range and outstanding academy. In addition, guests can enjoy numerous other sports and leisure amenities including six tennis courts, an array of different watersports, a 170sqm fully-equipped gym and an award-winning 4,000sqm spa complex with thalassotherapy pools.
Situated on Sicily’s southern coast between Agrigento and the fishing city of Sciacca, an 80-minute drive from Trapani and Palermo airports, the resort features 203 rooms, suites and villas all with a sea view, as well as three new villas which offer a perfect solution for family holidays, each with its own private swimming pool.
Serving up a mixture of sunny skies, a temperate climate and breathtaking scenery, combined with a plethora of historical, cultural and gastronomic delights, Sicily has all the ingredients for a relaxing break, and Verdura Resort is the ideal base to discover this authentic part of the Mediterranean’s largest island.
For more information on Verdura Resort and to book, visit roccofortehotels.com/verdura-resort
ENDS
High-resolution images of Verdura Resort may be downloaded for editorial purposes from here.
About Verdura Resort
Since opening in 2009, Verdura Resort, a Rocco Forte hotels resort, (www.roccofortehotels.com) has quickly established itself amongst Europe’s premier contemporary exclusive golf and lifestyle destinations.
The resort is set in 230 hectares of stunning landscape overlooking the Mediterranean with 1.8km of private coastline, and offers golfing guests and families an unparalleled modern five-star experience on the largest island in the Mediterranean. The resort is located on the southern coast of Sicily between Agrigento and the fishing city of Sciacca, a 80-minute drive from Trapani and Palermo airports.
Verdura features 203 rooms, suites and villas all with sea views, and is a paradise for golfers with its outstanding facilities. Players from all over the world come to enjoy the two 18-hole championship courses and a nine-hole par-three course, with all three links-style layouts designed by world-renowned golf architect Kyle Phillips, built to the highest specifications and playable all-year-round. A member of the exclusive European Tour Properties network as a European Tour Destination, Verdura was the host venue for the 2012 Sicilian Open and had the honour of staging the 2017 Rocco Forte Open - Verdura. The resort’s East Course is ranked as one of the finest in continental Europe while its beautiful West Course, also a par-72, provides the ideal complement and features one of the most memorable finishes anywhere in the world with the final four holes set alongside the Mediterranean. The courses are matched by outstanding practice amenities including a double-ended driving range and excellent golf academy.
Verdura’s other sports facilities include six tennis courts; a 60m two-tiered infinity pool; numerous watersports, one football pitch; a 170sqm fully-equipped gym and a collection of running trails through olive and lemon groves. The resort’s award-winning 4,000sqm spa complex includes 11 treatment rooms, gym, yoga studio, a 25-metre indoor lap pool, four outdoor Thalassotherapy pools, a double-height steam room, male and female saunas and a spa bar for healthy alternatives.
Guests can sample an authentic taste of traditional Sicily with an array of dishes at one of the resort’s four restaurants and five bars – with fresh, organic produce sourced straight from Verdura’s own garden. In addition, visitors can enjoy an array of cultural and culinary experiences where they can discover the secrets of Sicilian cooking, with menus inspired by celebrity chef Fulvio Pierangelini, and taste the many famous wines of the region. There is also plenty to keep the younger members of the family entertained with dedicated kids and teen clubs providing a variety of fun-packed activity programmes throughout the year.
Verdura Resort has received widespread international recognition and won numerous awards since opening. Among its most recent honours, it was ranked fourth in Golf World’s inaugural list of the ‘Top 100 Golf Resorts in Continental Europe’ and named by Golf Digest as a recipient of an ‘Editors’ Choice Award for Best International Resorts’ in 2016, 2017 and 2018. In addition, the resort won the title of ‘Italy’s Best Golf Hotel’ at the 2015 World Golf Awards’; retained its place in Golf World’s benchmark ‘Top 100 Courses in Continental Europe 2015/16’ rankings and claimed a ‘Golden Award for Golf’ at the 2015 Voyages & Hôtels Readers Awards. It was also named ‘Best Family European Golf Resort‘ by the 2011 Tatler Travel Guide, while it was the recipient of two accolades at the 2015 Spafinder Wellness Travel Awards in the ‘Best for Couples’ and ‘Wow Factor’ categories.
About Rocco Forte Hotels
Established by Sir Rocco Forte and sister, Olga Polizzi in 1996, Rocco Forte Hotels is a collection of 11 individual hotels and resorts. All of the hotels are landmarks, both old and new, occupying magnificent buildings in exceptional locations. Led by a family who has been in hospitality for four generations, the hotels are united by their distinctive approach to service ensuring guests experience the best of the cities and surrounding areas.
Rocco Forte Hotels comprises: Hotel de Russie, Rome; Hotel Savoy, Florence; Verdura Resort, Sicily; The Balmoral, Edinburgh; Brown’s Hotel, London; The Charles Hotel, Munich; Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt; Hotel de Rome, Berlin; Hotel Amigo, Brussels; Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg; Assila Hotel, Jeddah.
Future openings: Rome in 2018, Shanghai in 2018