OREANDA-NEWS. Emirates, a global connector of people and sporting passions, will be sponsoring The ICONS Cup 2015 golf competition in Dubai, which will feature a host of celebrity competitors including - English Rugby royalty Mike Tindall MBE, American boxer Oscar de La Hoya and surfer Kelly Slater.

Taking place from April 22-24, former Master’s champion, Fred Couples, and European Ryder Cup captain, Darren Clarke will lead two all-star teams onto the Dubai Creek Golf Course for this free to attend event. The teams of sporting icons confirmed so far include former basketball player Ray Allen, baseball greats Ken Griffey Jr. and Greg Maddux, football player Luis Figo, and cricket legends Kapil Dev and Shane Warne. More names will soon be announced. 


As the Official Airline Partner for the event, Emirates will enjoy on site branding and hospitality. 

Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Centre, Emirates Airline said: “The ICONS Cup 2015 golf competition is an innovative event with international appeal and it reaffirms Dubai’s status as a premier destination for high profile sporting events. Emirates is a firm believer that sports, like air travel, has the power to connect people across the world. The beauty of this event is that it will bring together great players from other sport disciplines for friendly showcase of golf, in the ultimate meeting place for the world – Dubai.” 

As a strong supporter of golf, Emirates is the Official Airline of 25 golf events worldwide and a partner of the European Tour. 

Dan Hudson, Commercial DirectorWorldwide Sports & Entertainment (WWSE), the boutique sports, events and lifestyle business that created the ICONS Cup said:  “Emirates sets the global standard for luxury air travel. Its status perfectly aligns with our positioning of this event as a must-see lifestyle and sporting experience.” 

A significant departure from a standard celebrity golf event, The ICONS Cup exclusively features low-handicap, A-list athletes playing morning foursomes (alternate shot) on Day One followed by 12 singles matches (Thursday, April 23). The ICONS Cup concludes the following day with 12 additional singles matches. 

About Emirates Airlines 

Emirates, a global connector of people and passions, use its vast portfolio of international sports and cultural sponsorships to bring people together to discover, enjoy, and share enriching experiences.With a fleet of more than 230 aircraft, Emirates currently flies to 140-plus destinations in more than 80 countries.

A leading supporter of golf across the globe, Emirates is the Official Airline of 25 golf events worldwide. As a partner of the European Tour, Emirates supports nineteen tournaments that form part of the European Tour International Schedule and The Race to Dubai, including: 

·       BMW International Open (Germany)

·       BMW PGA Championship (England)

·       The DP World Tour Championship (UAE)

·       Alstom Open de France (France)

·       Nordea Masters (Sweden)

·       Lyoness Open (Austria)

·       The Irish Open (Ireland)

·       AAM Scottish Open (Scotland)

·       Portugal Masters (Portugal) 

Beyond the European Tour International Schedule, Emirates sponsors the Boeing Classic (USA) on the PGA Champions Tour in America, the Emirates Australian Open, the Australian PGA Championship (Australia-Australasian Tour), the Thai Open (OneAsia & Japan Golf Tour) and the Indonesia PGA Championship (Professional Golf Tour Indonesia, OneAsia Tour & Japan Golf Tour Organisation).