Ross (left) and Tim at New Giza
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Golfing legend Peter Thomson – five times Open champion - celebrates the 50th anniversary of his 1956 victory at Hoylake by announcing that his design company has won the contract to a course in the hills overlooking Egypt’s Pyramids.
With partners Ross Perrett and Tim Lobb, Thomson (78 in August) is developing a desert layout at New Giza, 20km from Cairo, combining residential properties, a five-star hotel, restaurants, shopping and sporting facilities.
Set on jagged desert hills and utilising a deep cut quarry with sheer cliffs, the course is set to be one of the most spectacular in the Middle East.
Says Thomson: "New Giza (open for play in 2008) is an iconic site to build a golf course. The striking combination of rugged desert, views of the Pyramids and a world class golf course will give it instant recognition."
TPL will also design the new course at El Ein Bay, the luxury Red Sea resort boasting the closest beach to Cairo.
Added Lobb: "We have a wonderfully dramatic landscape with the Pyramids for a backdrop, so it is a very special site. The movement of the land is fantastic and there will be outstanding views across the desert. There is also a deep quarry with sheer sides which we will restore and make a unique feature – it will be a very exciting course to view and play."
Thomson dominated the Open during a seven-year spell from 1952, winning it four times (three times in succession) and never finishing worse than second. His fifth victory came in 1965.
