16  April 2007 - Durrat Al Bahrain announced today that Ernie Els, the world renowned golf champion, will design a championship golf course as part of the Durrat Al Bahrain development. The 18 hole Ernie Els Signature golf course is set to become one of the region's leading golf destinations.

Situated within Durrat Al Bahrain, Bahrain's largest planned mixed use residential, leisure and tourist destination, the golf course will cover 96 hectares of land and be set against the impressive back drop of Durrat Al Bahrain's marina and the stunning crystal clear waters of the surrounding sea.

Ernie Els Design, the company which will design the course, will create an environment that will offer much more than just a golf course for Durrat Al Bahrain residents and course members.  The golf precinct will consist of a club house, a driving range, a hotel complex and 1400 beautifully designed luxury residential villas and apartments.  With its innovative design, including water ways and green space, and with many of the villas fronting onto the course itself, an entire lifestyle community will be created.

Commenting on the agreement with Durrat Al Bahrain, Ernie Els said, "We have been speaking with the people at Durrat Al Bahrain for two years about becoming involved in the project, so I am pleased to officially join the team.  I've been very impressed with the whole lifestyle ethos of Durrat Al Bahrain and its ambition to create an entire city community in the south of Bahrain.  This approach will be firmly planted in all of our design to help create a world leading golfing destination for Durrat Al Bahrain and for Bahrain."

Jassim Al-Jowder, Chief Executive Officer, Durrat Al Bahrain, added, "We're extremely honoured to be working with a world champion like Ernie Els.  His passion for creating classic golf courses with distinction is very clear.  We believe that by working with Ernie we will create a world class course and lifestyle choice that will attract players, residents and ultimately international championships to Durrat Al Bahrain.  The project will help to attract additional investment into Bahrain's economy and tourist sector, as well as creating employment opportunities."

-Ends-

About Durrat Al Bahrain
Durrat Khaleej Al Bahrain Company, which is equally owned by the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain and Kuwait Finance House - Bahrain, is developing the Durrat Al Bahrain Project.   The $3 billion project is Bahrain's largest planned mixed use residential, leisure and tourist destination.  When fully completed in the latter part of 2010, it is expected that Durrat Al Bahrain will accommodate about 60,000 permanent residents and about 4,500 visitors daily.

The Project is developed on 21 square kilometers and includes beaches, sea fronts, a golf course and a marina.  Upon completion, the project will be equivalent to the area of Manama, capital of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The main developers and architects of the project are: Atkins, a leading engineering consultants and designers; K. M. Bovis, a joint venture of Al Mudir Company Kuwait; and Bovis Land Lease, responsible for the development and management of the project.

For media contacts:
Nabeela Mohammed 
Financial Dynamics
Phone: 17 537 072
Fax: 17 534 620

© Press Release 2007