With a blend of past champions, celebrity crossover, and expanding international visibility, the Apes Hill golf course is set to be a key stop on golf’s Legends Tour calendar while reinforcing Barbados’ push into high-value sports tourism.
Past winners will join regional cricket stars in the spotlight when the Staysure Legends Tour tees off on April 22 at Apes Hill, running until April 26 as Barbados continues to expand its presence on the golf stage.
The Legends Tour, the official professional golf circuit for men aged 50 and over, previously known as the European Senior Tour, brings together former major champions, Ryder Cup players and leading professionals. A distinctive feature of the tour is its “alliance” format, which allows amateurs and celebrities to play alongside professional golfers.
Details were outlined during a press conference hosted by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. at the venue, where organisers pointed to a stronger, more diverse field this year.
“We do also plan to have some cricketers involved…,” Legends Tour chief executive officer Phil Harrison revealed, building on previous editions that featured regional players. The long-term goal is to broaden the event’s appeal. “We’ve talked about bringing celebrity elements into the event… to try and elevate the event.”
The tournament is also drawing back familiar faces, including past champions, while welcoming new entrants to the over-50 circuit.
“We’ve got a great field this week… four major champions playing,” said Harrison. The champions of note were Paul Lawrie, Henrik Stenson, Michael Campbell, Ian Woosnam. “It’s wonderful to be back in Barbados… certainly wonderful to be back here at Apes Hill.” He added that if players were surveyed, “this would come out as the favourite destination.”
The Barbados stop is the third event of the season, with a prize fund of $1.2m (US$600 000), as the tour continues its international schedule and strengthens its presence in the Caribbean.
From a tourism perspective, officials said the event is delivering measurable returns and helping to position Barbados as a premium sports destination.
“This year, this event has for us over 300 visitors,” Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. representative Kamal Springer noted. “Barbados wants to be able to host elite events in the country… because we want to attract an audience that would want to travel for this type of event.”
Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. representative Kamal Springer.
(Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla/Barbados TODAY)
The global reach is equally significant. “This tournament achieves 95 hours of coverage across the globe… it reaches 153 million households,” he said, adding that it allows Barbados “to target very specific markets” while tapping into millions of subscribers worldwide.
At the course level, organisers say the competition continues to evolve, with new players raising the standard.
“We’re especially excited to welcome a new group of players… bringing fresh energy and an added level of competition,” said Director of Golf at Apes Hill Jody Addison, pointing to the balance between returning legends and first-time participants.
Director of golf at Apes Hill Jody Addison.
(Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla/Barbados TODAY)
Tournament host, the Welsh professional and long-time Barbados resident, Ian Woosnam, highlighted the unique draw of the setting as players prepare for the opening round.
Ian Woosnam host of the Legends Tour.(Photo Credit: Lauryn Escamilla/Barbados TODAY)
“You look around, it’s so beautiful,” the 1991 Masters champion and former world number one said. “Even if you play bad golf, it’s going to be beautiful anyway.”
(LE)
