Record prize fund boost for Volvo Masters

LONDON (Reuters) – Record prize money of four million euros
has been confirmed for the season-ending Volvo Masters at
Valderrama in Spain, the European Tour announced on Monday.

The prize fund, up from the 3.75 million euros on offer
last year, equals the tournament purse at the tour’s flagship
BMW Championship at Wentworth in May.

Apart from the four majors and the four World Golf
Championship events, this week’s Dunhill Links Championship in
Scotland, with prize money of 4.14 million euros, is the only
event on the European Tour schedule offering more money.

Adding spice to this year’s Volvo Masters will be the
battle for the 2005 European order of merit title, where U.S.
Open champion Michael Campbell holds a slender lead over
second-placed Retief Goosen of South Africa.

Goosen, who trails Campbell by 136,990 euros, is bidding to
become European number one for the third time after claiming
the crown in 2000 and 2001.

Volvo event manager Mel Pyatt said in a statement: “We are
delighted it looks as if once again the Volvo Masters will be
the deciding tournament for the order of merit title, a
scenario we hoped for when first creating the event back in
1988.

“A final day battle between the leading contenders would
also be a fitting way to celebrate what will be Volvo’s 100th
professional tournament sponsorship and the 58th European Tour
title sponsorship since 1988.”

The winner of this year’s event, which takes place from
October 27 to 30, will receive a cheque for 666,660 euros, the
same amount earned by Argentina Angel Cabrera for his two-shot
triumph at the BMW Championship in May.

Britain’s Ian Poulter will be back to defend his title at
Valderrama, where he triumphed last year in a playoff with
Sergio Garcia.