As the Arora Group breaks ground on a full estate transformation, golf legends Gary Player, Justin Rose and EGD lead the design of a world- class course aimed at bringing the Ryder Cup back to British soil. Words Matt Nicholson

The celebrated Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa has officially entered a new era, as the Arora Group launched its multi-million- pound redevelopment with a high-profile groundbreaking ceremony on the historic 1,100-acre Bedfordshire estate.

The event, which signals one of the most ambitious luxury and sporting transformations currently underway in the UK, marks the beginning of a project that aims to place Luton Hoo firmly among Europe’s elite golfing destinations – and potentially home to the 2035 Ryder Cup.

The ceremony brought together industry heavyweights including Surinder Arora, Founder and Chairman of the Arora Group, and Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO of Accor.

Their presence underscored the strategic partnership between the Arora Group and Accor, which will see the estate relaunch under the prestigious Fairmont Hotels & Resorts brand.

Once completed, Luton Hoo will join an exclusive hospitality portfolio that includes The Savoy in London and the Fairmont Windsor Park.

For Arora, the redevelopment represents more than a commercial investment; it is a personal mission rooted in admiration for one of Britain’s most storied country estates.

Luton Hoo’s history includes hosting Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during part of their honeymoon, and its architecture and landscapes have long been recognised among the most elegant in
the country.

Now, the Arora Group is aiming to elevate that legacy with a combination of world- class hospitality, championship-level sport and destination-defining wellness and events facilities.

A VISION BEYOND LUXURY

What is planned for Luton Hoo goes far beyond a refurbishment. The project’s stated vision is to create a world-class sporting and hospitality destination that blends heritage with a contemporary sense of luxury and ambition.

At its heart lies the redevelopment of the hotel under the Fairmont brand, which Arora describes as “a complete luxury overhaul” designed to offer levels of comfort and refinement unparalleled in the region.

Award-winning design studio Kim Partridge Interiors has been appointed to lead the transformation of the estate’s interiors.

Their mandate is to honour the historic elegance of the property while reimagining its guest experience through bespoke, world-class design.

Early concepts point to a modern yet timeless aesthetic that will enhance the mansion’s architectural splendour while delivering the high-touch sophistication associated with Fairmont’s global portfolio.

Beyond the hotel, Luton Hoo’s facilities will undergo substantial upgrades,
including a full renewal of its spa and wellness centre – already considered one of the most impressive in southern England – alongside the construction of a new clubhouse and a state-of- the-art meeting and events venue.

The aim is to create a multi-faceted resort capable of attracting international visitors, major conferences and luxury travellers, as well as becoming a home for elite golf.

THE RYDER CUP AMBITION

At the centre of the estate’s sporting transformation is the creation of a new championship golf course, designed through a rare collaboration between two icons of the game: Gary Player and Justin Rose.

Both men bring world-class credentials, Player as one of golf’s greatest global ambassadors, and Rose as a major champion and Olympic gold medallist, making the partnership a bold statement of intent.

The course is being designed not just as a place for members and guests to enjoy, but as a venue capable of hosting the Ryder Cup.

The UK is widely expected to host the event in 2035, and Arora Group’s intention is clear: Luton Hoo will be in the running.

In an exclusive conversation with Golf News earlier this year, Surinder Arora revealed that the dream of hosting the Ryder Cup began the moment he first saw the estate.

“As soon as I saw it and we drove up to the main mansion, I said, ‘I’m going to buy this.’ Without even going inside,” he recalled.

The purchase was completed “cash, sold as seen,” sealing what he describes as an emotional commitment as much as a business acquisition.

Arora’s long-standing friendship with Gary Player and his admiration for Justin Rose helped set the foundation for a design team he describes as “the best team we could have.”

Their work will see the course reshaped dramatically, stretching towards the estate’s lake to create what Arora says will be “signature holes that will be amazing.” Discussions also include the creation of a Rose Golf Academy, aimed at bringing opportunities to young golfers in the surrounding communities.

SOMETHING TRULY SPECIAL AND ENDURING

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony, Surinder Arora said:

“Luton Hoo’s heritage is exceptional, and we are incredibly proud to commence the redevelopment that will bring this stunning property back to its full glory and potential.

To have the artistic vision of Kim Partridge Interiors shaping our guest experience, alongside golf legends Gary Player and Justin Rose designing our course, is a huge statement of our intent to create something truly special and enduring for the UK.”

That enduring legacy is what motivates the entire project. The Arora Group intends for Luton Hoo to become both a world-renowned hospitality landmark and a golf destination capable of standing alongside Europe’s finest. With construction now officially underway, anticipation is building not only

for the reopening of a great British estate, but for the possibility that its rolling parkland may soon stage golf ’s most historic team event.

If the vision becomes reality, Luton Hoo won’t just return to its former glory, it will step into a new era as one of the UK’s most significant luxury and sporting venues. The Ryder Cup dream has begun.

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Marking its 40th anniversary, the championship will once again welcome 24 of the continent’s best players aged 12 to 18 to compete over three rounds on the Algarve resort’s world-famous South Course from December 1-3 – the fitting finale to another thrilling season of junior golf.

Renowned as the ‘unofficial Major of junior golf’, the championship will return to Quinta do Lago for the ninth time in the past 11 years.

Open to both boys and girls aged 18 or under on January 1, 2025, juniors competed throughout the year for a coveted place in the final through a series of qualifying tournaments across the UK. Among those returning this year will be defending boys’ champion Charlie Rusbridge, from Colne Valley Golf Club in Essex.

Since its inception in 1985, the championship has been a proven launchpad for future stars. Justin Rose, who has sponsored the event since 2019, famously lifted the trophy as a junior before becoming a Major champion and Olympic gold medallist. Other notable alumni include his European Ryder Cup teammates Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, as well as Ladies European Tour standout players Lottie Woad, Carly Booth, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Melissa Reid.

Speaking ahead of the event, Rose said: “It’s incredible to see the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship reach its 40th anniversary – a true milestone for an event that has shaped so many golfing journeys, including my own. Winning back in 1997 was a huge moment in my career and gave me the belief and experience to take the next step towards the professional game.

“I’m proud to continue supporting this championship and everything it stands for. My thanks go to Quinta do Lago for once again providing such an outstanding stage for the finals, and I’d like to wish the very best of luck to every young player taking part.”

An eight-time host of the Portuguese Open, Quinta do Lago’s South Course is part of a trio of championship layouts that also includes the North Course and Laranjal. Complementing the golf are outstanding practice facilities including the resort’s golf academy which, home to both the Quinta do Lago Performance Centre in partnership with TaylorMade and the state-of-the-art Paul McGinley Golf Academy, has undergone a significant recent upgrade.

Away from the fairways, the Algarve resort is home to The Campus, a state-of-the-art training hub attracting elite athletes and world-class football teams such as PSG, Bayern Munich and Portugal’s national side.

With a choice of 14 premium bars and restaurants, stylish accommodation at The Magnolia Hotel, and the Algarve’s trademark blend of sunshine, scenery and hospitality, Quinta do Lago remains the perfect stage for junior golf’s most prestigious celebration as the Telegraph Junior Golf Championship marks its 40th anniversary in 2025.

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What does it feel like to get it done?

JUSTIN ROSE: Well, I’ll tell you what, it feels amazing to get it done. Today was obviously a great opportunity starting the day.

There were a lot of, I guess for me, storylines involved, playing with Tommy, one of my best friends out here on TOUR, clearly Scottie right there, a whole chasing pack.

But starting the day one back, clearly that’s an opportunity to have an awesome chance at winning a tournament. It kind of wasn’t going my way.

The front nine was slow for both me and Tommy so there were four of us in the mix heading into the back nine.

I stalled a little bit, but then the last five holes, I played some of my best golf, and I kind of felt like I pulled it together when I really had to, and even in the playoff I continued to hit great shots, and that just makes it so much fun as a competitor to really, really, really, when you have to hit the shots, to find them. I’ll take a lot of pride in that today.

Q. You just mentioned the last five holes especially. What were you leaning on or what were you dialing in for those approach shots into 18?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, it’s a strange balance of patience because obviously if you try too hard in anything in life it doesn’t seem to happen, so you’ve still got to let it come to you.

But being committed, but I think being brave, trying to be brave I think is what — especially on the 14th hole, I hit a hold 6-iron to that back right pin. That was a pretty clutch shot, I suppose, to sort of take that one on and to pull it off.

That sort of then gave me the little bit of momentum I needed at that time in my round. It was also the first putt that I saw disappear. I tried to tell myself out there today — the theory of large numbers, and I kind of used this in the past, but if the putts are drying up and if you keep your routine the same and if you keep doing everything the same, over time, you’re going to have your fair share go in.

I was just kind of waiting, playing a waiting game before the hole opened up and I was able to see some putts fall. Fortunately they began to fall at the right time.

Q. As a past FedExCup champion, what does it mean to capture the first win here of three Playoffs?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, it kind of puts me right back in the season’s race. I have not even looked at where that projects me, all these types of things, but back up in the realms of where I sat for a long time.

I haven’t been back to East Lake since 2019, and that’s been bugging me, and that’s obviously been a huge goal, so that’s obviously taken care of.

I definitely played some good golf this year when it’s mattered. I feel like my good has been good.

My consistency hasn’t been there, but I’ve been telling people that I feel like when I play my best golf, I’m able to compete with the best players in the world, and obviously today proved that I can win against the best players in the world.

It’s really a gratifying day for me just to know that the hard work I have been putting is not in vain, and I haven’t really — I felt so focused coming into today that I haven’t really had a chance to enjoy this yet.

I’ve got to see some loved ones; do you know what I mean? Because obviously they’re the people that sacrifice everything with me, and as soon as I see my son tonight and my family and even my team, my wider team, that’s when it’s going to really feel good for me.

Q. Speaking of loved ones, while it would have been nice to have them here in Memphis, what were they saying over FaceTime or what are the plans to see them?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, so my wife and my daughter are in Greece right now on a girl holiday, and then my son flew to Baltimore and he’s waiting for me there, so we’ll have a boys week while they’re having a girl week.

Can’t wait to spend a week with my man now. He’s 16, and obviously the girls over FaceTime had stayed up late, it was 2:00 a.m. in Greece. But yeah, they were delighted.

I felt cool, calm and collected, and as soon as you see the family, you start to choke up, but that’s what it’s all about.

Q. Winning at 45, what’s sort of the source of pride of doing it after — you’ve been a pro for 27 years now. What’s the source of pride, just the longevity of your career?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I mean, there’s a lot of sense of pride in that. I think I’m not alone in it. There’s been guys that have done it, but there’s a pretty short list of guys that are competitive in that 45 to 50 sort of age range. Historically it was a bit of a waiting room for the Champions Tour.

Obviously Phil bucked the trend; he won a major at 51. I feel like that’s good motivation. I feel like — I still feel like there is that golden summer of my career available to me. That’s what I’ve been pushing for.

Moments like getting close at Troon and then obviously getting close at Augusta, they’re signals that it’s possible. This is another really, really, really important signal that I’m on the right track with my game, and actually maybe even getting a little bit better at the moment.

Will I ever be the best player that I was when I was maybe 2018 No. 1 in the world? I don’t know, but I don’t have to be I don’t think, as long as I can find it at the key times.

Yeah, I’ve been able to do that — I’ve shown good signs, I think. But winning is winning. I think proving that to yourself, even though I’ve come close and I felt good in contention, getting over the line is still difficult, and obviously I’ve won, like, twice in six years now, but this one felt good.

I felt like I had to hit the shots, I had to step up again and again and again in the playoff. I felt ready for it. I felt calm.

I felt collected. I think that’s when you learn most about yourself. I feel excited about where I’m at at 45 and I feel like there’s a good bit of runway ahead.

Q. Standing on 14 tee, what did you feel like your chances were and what was sort of that feeling that clicked in on the next five holes?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, standing on the 14th tee, I didn’t really think my chances were great, but I knew I had just to give it everything.

Like I said, it was a bit of a mix of okay, the time is now, you’ve got to be brave and take on every shot possible, but also you’ve got to be committed and calm with it. You can’t just get yourself in a flat spin and think, right, that’s not how it works.

But really, I guess just the two shots on 14, hitting a 6-iron in there, holing the putt, and you kind of know that 15 and 16 are chances, so in the back of your head you sort of know if you play those holes right, you can make a little run, and that’s exactly what happened.

Then obviously dropping the putt on 17, I was like, okay, I’m right in there, so obviously that piggy-backed with Tommy’s bogey, but then I realized that J.J. must have birdied because I was looking at Tommy a little bit, and then I realized J.J. had actually birdied 17 to get to 16-under, so I was like, ugh, so that was a surprise.

Then gave myself a great shot at it on 18 in regulation. Hit a good putt. Had exactly the same putt in the first playoff hole.

Hit it slightly differently, still managed to miss it somehow even though it was looking great at halfway. I’m kind of just talking nonsense now, but I guess all I’m trying to say is that there was a lot going on, but I felt like I kept stepping up and hitting great shots when it mattered, and yeah, super delighted to get over the line.

If I’d have imagined myself in a different situation having lost in another playoff, for example, there would have been pride in how I played, but there would have been double — it would have double down on the frustration maybe of Augusta.

This feels really good.

Q. Was the possibility of this even in your mind when you were sick earlier in the week or at that point were you just thinking about trying to get through it?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, it was a weird one. Monday night started to not feel 100 percent. Tuesday I came out and did some practice, didn’t actually get on the golf course, didn’t feel like playing nine holes was actually going to be helpful, so I just walked a couple of holes.

I think we walked 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and by the time I did that, I was like, just get me to the car. I was hoping to sleep it off. Woke up Wednesday morning kind of even worse. My resting heart rate was like 80, and it’s normally mid 50s.

I remember pushing myself through a pro-am earlier this year in Philadelphia and actually ended up withdrawing from the tournament by Saturday. So I tried to learn that lesson and I pulled out of the pro-am, unfortunately, on Friday, and — sorry, on Wednesday, and was able to get a lot of rest in that day and sleep.

By the time Thursday came around, I felt pretty reasonable.

In hindsight, a couple less days in the heat, a couple less days on the golf course maybe helps give you that mental freshness come Sunday. That’s definitely possible.

Certainly wouldn’t have projected myself to be sitting here right now when I was thinking Wednesday morning how the week was going.

Q. Did you feel drained at all during the playoff because of being sick earlier or were you just on adrenaline at that point?

JUSTIN ROSE: No, obviously I came out and shot 64 on Thursday, so once that was behind me I was fully into the week.

I’ve been very disciplined this week on my recovery, on my hydration, on my diet. I think all the players are this week.

We realize how much it takes out of you, and we’re also realizing Baltimore is a pretty big week, big golf course, hot. East Lake is hot.

So I think a lot of players are very disciplined at the moment just trying to sort of wash, rinse, repeat. There’s not a lot of fun going on right now.

There’s a lot of ice baths, a lot of good hydration, nutrition, so that’s what I’ve been focusing on this week. Maybe tonight I might break a couple rules.

Q. Walking off the course, where does this one sort of rank in your mind in your career in terms of the dramatics and the thrill of the whole — of the way it played out?

JUSTIN ROSE: This one felt quite stoic in the sense of determination, execution. There were a few different agendas playing with Tommy, playing in great spirits in that group, and then kind of turning into the playoff and being that dynamic as it always is with USA, Europe, obviously Ryder Cup around the corner.

But I just felt like I stayed really calm with it all and felt very much just one foot in front of another, so all of the other stuff that was coming at me, I feel like I really deflected a lot, and because I did such a good job of deflecting a lot, I think I deflected a lot of the emotion and the joy of the actual winning moment, so it was quite — in some ways quite a calm win, even though I think when I look back at it, it was fireworks.

There were some great shots and birdies and putts and a lot to look back on.

I’m going to enjoy watching this one back, if I’m honest, but in the moment I was pretty flat lined.

Q. Were you surprised by the fact that it was so calm?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, a little bit. A little bit. But I think it’s a testament to how good I felt under pressure or how I had to control my mind under pressure.

Sometimes when you hole the putt to win, you have that moment where you can let it go. I had holed the putt and then I’m waiting for J.J. to essentially miss the putt to win, so there’s not that massive spike of adrenaline moment.

It’s like that relief moment. Sometimes when you win by someone missing a putt, it sort of — it’s a different way to win, right, rather than holing the 30-footer across the green to get it done, and the elation of that moment can set you off.

Q. Justin, with the playoff being on the same hole, how much of a mental challenge was it for you and J.J. to try to figure out what to do again and again and again and how to approach the same hole three different times?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, so I’ve never really played that hole the way I played it today. Never hit driver off that hole.

I’ve never been able to cover the left side. For some reason I’ve been hitting it quite far this week and the wind was just perfect.

It was down from the right-hand side, and it meant I could just cover the left-hand side. I felt like it was playing perfect for me today with the driver. I

f I held the driver up a little bit, I probably wasn’t going to run out, and if I turned the driver over, I was going to make the carry, which obviously that angle that I was able to create to the back left pin was very advantageous.

Then obviously they changed the pin to the back right. That sort of advantage was negated a little bit. But funny enough when they changed the pin was when I won the first time around on that pin placement.

But the pin placement for the third time around in the playoff was sort of similar to day one or day two, I can’t quite remember, but I had a putt in that back section of green that I had under-read, and I actually walked over to exactly where — you could see the old cup mark, so I tried to get a feel for that part of the green and then the part of the green that I was actually putting on in the playoff, and that was definitely helpful, and holed a really good slippery left-to-right putt there.

I was able to sort of, I guess — changing it played into my hands eventually. But J.J. is obviously such a great player.

You’re never waiting for him to make a mistake. He’s so solid off the tee. But he obviously had to fit a 3-wood into probably the tighter bit of fairway, so probably a harder tee shot for J.J., especially being a left-to-right player. But I’m glad it worked out in the end.

Q. Two years ago you tied the course record here and now winning at TPC Southwind. What about this course fits your game so well even after the renovations?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I think it’s the kind of golf course that, like I said, even though I’m hitting the ball pretty far this week, it’s the type of golf course that doesn’t demand a ton of length off the tee. It’s all about fitting the ball in the fairway.

There’s a lot of strategy, a lot of doglegs hitting to the corners. Obviously Bermuda rough I think is such a great way to play, and I think the rough was thicker this year than we’ve had it in years past.

Yeah, it’s a thinking man’s golf course from that point of view, and it really — fairways and greens get rewarded here a lot. But I have been able to go low here. I’ve had a 61 here. This week was able to fit in some pretty good scores.

I think it’s also the greens are pure. I putt well on Bermuda, I guess, and I’m pretty comfortable reading them.

There’s not a ton of slope on them. But fairways and greens, I respect that, and that’s how I like to play my golf.

If you look at the tournaments I’ve won through my career, it’s been on the type of tracks that there’s a little bit more strategy involved than just sending it.

Q. Going back to the playoff, you had a longer tee shot than J.J. each of the three times. What was your strategy on that, and were you trying to get to a certain number with your approach shot?

JUSTIN ROSE: What I liked about the tee shot was just the way the angle was and the wind was, that if I pulled it I was going to go further left where the carry is longer, but typically if I pulled it on the wind, it was going to carry further, and if I pushed it a little bit up into the wind, it was going to land shorter. But the way the hole sets up, that was a good miss profile for me.

Yeah, I wasn’t trying to hit to a specific number per se, but yeah, if I hit a good tee shot, it was going to leave me sand wedge in my hand, so that was obviously a green light trying to make birdie. You’re trying to close it out.

Q. How did you keep from falling backward into the water on that one shot —

JUSTIN ROSE: Oh, thank God. I don’t know. It was close. It was nearly a Woody Austin moment for sure.

Yeah, just pure embarrassment kept me from falling in the water, I think, 100 percent.

Q. Justin, you’ve played golf all over the world. You’ve won tournaments all over the world. How would you describe the fight you brought to this Sunday in Memphis?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, that was an amazing last 90 minutes really. Seemed to be the way it got this week. When I got myself a few back, something good would happen. Never stopped believing.

The 6-iron I hit into 14 was a clutch shot; back right pin, had to hit the perfect golf shot in there. That set up the birdie that I needed just to give myself a chance.

Played unbelievable golf coming down the stretch. I had so much fun with it. 18 was playing perfectly for me today. If I pulled it, I carried it, if I held it up — I hit a couple good putts in regulation and in the first playoff hole as well. Obviously J.J. dropped a bomb on me, I topped him. It was a lot of fun today.

That’s why I practice. That’s why I play. I’ve been saying for some time now, obviously Augusta, when I bring my best, I know I’m good enough to play and to compete, and to now win against the best players in the world. Very gratifying day for me and a lot of hard work coming to fruition.

Q. At 45 years of age, what did you learn about yourself today? Everyone calls you meticulous, precise and prepared, but what did you learn about what’s inside of you at this age of your career?

JUSTIN ROSE: Yeah, I’ve always known I’ve had that. I get nervous with the best of them. I feel nervous at times. But I know when it matters, I’ve still got it. I kind of feel better and better and better as it gets more important. That’s good to know.

It’s hard stuff to practice, hard stuff to teach. Nice to know that hasn’t left me at this ripe old age. Listen, I don’t want to keep saying that because I’m actually — I feel like I’m moving well, the body is feeling good, I’m training well. Yeah, I feel like there could be a good run of golf still. I can’t let the age kind of become too much of the story.

But today is huge for me. I can’t wait to share it with Fooch. We’ve been together a long time. Amazing caddie. We’ve been through our ups and downs. He feels the good and the bad as much as I do. To share it with — we kept it quite poised there. Obviously there was a lot of cheering for J.J., USA, and you’ve got to respect where you’re at, but Ryder Cup is right around the corner, so I completely understand. But yeah, this is going to be a fun one for us to celebrate.

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The improvements at North Hants Golf Club, home club of former world #1 and 2025 Masters runner-up Justin Rose, plus host venue of the Hampshire Hog, the Hampshire Rose and Open Championship Qualifying, will enhance its standing still further among England’s top 100 golf clubs.

The most notable change is to the bunkering, with every single hazard on North Hants’ classic 18-hole heathland course now upgraded following a masterplan drawn up by international golf course architects Mackenzie & Ebert.

FEATURE HOLE

The layout’s strategic challenge has been improved with some new bunkers and others either repositioned or removed throughout the golf course, with a magnificent new feature bunker created on the 10th which is set to make it one of Hampshire’s most talked-about golf holes.

Several green-side bunkers have been converted into finely-maintained grass runoff areas, with the intention of providing golfers at North Hants with one of England’s highest-quality short game challenges.

In total the course now has 55 bunkers, a reduction of 21 from the previous layout. The club’s General Manager, Rob Climas, said: “We have reduced our total sand area by 18%, but there are seven brand-new bunkers out there which will improve the strategic challenge.

“Using state-of-the-art construction processes, we can now be assured of high quality and consistency across all bunkers which will be presented in harmony with our traditional heathland golf course.”

IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Beyond bunkering, a comprehensive computer-controlled irrigation system now monitors moisture levels throughout the entire 18 holes, enabling the club to deploy water precisely wherever needed.

As befits a golf club which has won multiple sustainability awards, the new irrigation system is more efficient and is able to significantly minimise water wastage whilst improving playing surfaces including the new runoff areas.

To put the finishing touch to its upgraded golf course, the club will be installing all-new course signage including newly designed tee markers throughout the property.

MASTER GREENKEEPER

The club’s Golf Course Manager Sam Evans is one of only 15 Master Greenkeepers working in English golf today, and one of only 90 in the world.

“Sam has been with us since 2020 and is a key member of our senior team, managing our course and our 11 full-time greenkeepers” said Climas. “However, with these major courseworks now complete, 2025 will be Sam’s most important year yet as he and the team prepare to present our new-look golf course to the world.”

“I am so excited that we can now take our golf course to a higher level” said 36 year-old Evans. “With our old bunkers, every time we had 5-10mm of rain we were losing 40 man-hours getting our bunkers playable again.

That’s 40 hours not rolling greens, cutting fairways, approaches and tees, and ultimately not maintaining the rest of the facility to the standards we want.

“Rain events of that level happened 24 times last year at North Hants, so that’s nearly 1,000 man-hours lost simply to get the bunkers back in play.

“The new rubber crumb base we now have in all of bunkers is going to be a complete game-changer, freeing up time to complete other tasks.

The greens will be even better to putt on, and all playing surfaces around the greens will be dramatically improved.”

ARCHITECT CHALLENGES

Course architect Tom Mackenzie said: “In re-bunkering North Hants we sought to stiffen the challenge for elite players: it is now a far better tournament course than before.

At the same time we have given the club’s members and visiting golfers who don’t hit it as far as the pros a fairer crack of the whip.

“By converting some greenside bunkers into grass runoff areas, we have added some doubt to the minds of the better golfers, whereas higher-handicappers will be delighted that they haven’t ended up in the sand!

“North Hants now packs a much bigger punch than its length would suggest” Mackenzie continued. “The golf club has done some extraordinary work to bring the golf course back to where it should be, and it can now be considered as one of the great heathland courses of southern England once again.”

“Our 580 members cannot wait to experience the rejuvenated golf course, which Sam and the team have managed so expertly” said Jeff Wollen, who was Club Captain in 2024 when the refurbishment programme began.

“The end of the coursework also means that we can finally have the golf course re-rated, as like many modern golf clubs we have now moved away from having gender-specific tees.

“Instead, five newly colour-coded sets of tees now give people the option to play North Hants at a variety of yardages, from full-length tees suitable for national tournaments, to our shortest layout at just over 5,000 yards. In the process we have created seven new forward tees for this purpose.”

Wollen finished: “Our members have played a major part in this project; not only by supplying funding, but also by displaying such patience as we implemented the courseworks in a six month period over the winter. Their reward will be a much-improved playing experience.”

“This large scale investment will help North Hants to realise its true standing among England’s top 100 golf courses” said Rob Climas.

“The combination of the new irrigation system and the upgraded bunkers has taken an English classic golf course to the next level.

“Our improved playing surfaces and revised strategic challenge will, we hope, inspire many to come and re-visit us, or perhaps to come and try North Hants for the first time!”

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Eight years after losing out to Sergio Garcia at Augusta National, Rose was beaten on the first extra hole by Rory McIlroy, who holed from short range for birdie after Rose’s attempt had narrowly missed.

“It hurts,” admitted Rose, whose 10th birdie of the day on the 18th hole in regulation had completed a superb closing 66.

“What are you going to do about it, though? I think I’ve already kicked on in my career when I finished second to Sergio here, played some of the best golf of my career, got to world number one.

“What do you choose to dwell on, you know what I mean? There’s no point in being too despondent about it and you look at all the good stuff that got me into this situation.

“You can’t skip through a career without a little bit of heartache. It’s not going to happen. If you’re willing to lift the big championships, you’ve to put yourself on the line.

“You have to risk feeling this way to get the reverse. It nets out.

“For me, it’s just about fulfilling my childhood dreams, really, and giving everything I’ve got and no regrets.

“I think that’s what it’s all about for me is just trying to look under every stone, push myself as hard as I can to be the best I can be, and I think that’s what being professional is.”

RUNNER UP

Rose also finished runner-up to Xander Schauffele in the Open Championship at Royal Troon last year and remains determined to compete at the highest levels at the age of 44.

“It doesn’t get any easier for sure,” Rose added. “I think as you go through your career, you kind of think, ‘oh, well, hopefully experience kicks in and certain things become easier’.

“But no, I feel like I’m having to be more disciplined and make more sacrifices now than I ever have. That, I would say, is what I’m trying to do. I’m willing to put in that work.

“The reason I’m willing to put in that work is for these occasions, these moments. Standing ovation on 18 when I finished, I took a moment, not knowing the result, but just soaking that in.

“That was obviously a nice moment because it was still what might be, what could be, but you’re still living the dream.

“Like one day, I won’t be competing this way at this tournament. So you know, for now, the hard work is totally worth it, to get these little moments, they are very special.”

One minor consolation for Rose is that his performance at Augusta has lifted him into the automatic qualifying places for this year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage, where Europe will aim to retain the trophy Rose and McIlroy helped win in Rome in 2023.

The post Justin Rose has ‘no regrets’ after Masters play-off defeat appeared first on Golf News.

McIlroy shrugged off the crushing disappointment of two late double bogeys in the space of three holes in his opening 72 to card an eagle and four birdies in a second-round 66 which drew a standing ovation from the patrons around the 18th green at Augusta National.

The thrilling effort lifted McIlroy to six under par and a shot behind the man who denied him a fifth major title in last year’s US Open, Bryson DeChambeau, with Justin Rose setting the halfway target on eight under following a 71.

FALDO IN AWE

“It’s fabulous stuff,” three-time Masters champion Sir Nick Faldo said of McIlroy’s round on Sky Sports.

“To go on after yesterday and the two doubles, I felt he’d basically gone back to zero and starts again. This is going to be won at 10 or 12 under, he’s got plenty of time; he’s got three rounds to get to that score.”

McIlroy needed a fast start on Friday to get back into contention but could only cover the front nine in 35, before kickstarting his challenge in style with stunning approach shots to the 10th and 11th setting up tap-in birdies.

The four-time major champion then enjoyed a massive slice of luck on the 12th as his tee shot bounded over the green into the bushes, only to kick back towards the putting surface from where he two-putted for par.

There was no luck involved, although plenty of risk, on the 13th as McIlroy went for the green in two from the pine straw, his iron shot just carrying Rae’s Creek and setting up an eagle attempt from 10 feet he duly converted.

“I was between a four and a five iron and when the ball was in the air, I was like, you idiot, what did you do?,” McIlroy said. “I was glad I hit the four iron and it covered that little corner there.”

The par-five 15th had cost McIlroy one of his double bogeys on Thursday but it was a different story in round two, the world number two safely finding the green in two and two-putting from 90 feet for birdie.

“Overall I’m just really proud of myself with how I responded after the finish last night,” McIlroy said.

“I just had to remind myself I played really good golf yesterday and was not going to let two bad holes dictate the narrative for the rest of the week.

“Once I left the property I tried to leave what had happened here. I rushed home to see (daughter) Poppy before she went to bed and I feel like I did a good job of resetting.

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST

“I had a good conversation with Bob Rotella (sports psychologist) about not pushing too hard too early, just tried to stay really, really patient and that was rewarded with a nice little stretch in the middle of the round.

“I don’t think I proved anything, if anything just backed up the belief I have in myself and the belief that I’m as resilient as anyone else out here.”

Rose, who finished runner-up to Jordan Spieth in 2015 and lost a play-off to Sergio Garcia in 2017, recorded four birdies and three bogeys in his 71 and was relishing the prospect of taking on the likes of McIlroy, DeChambeau and defending champion Scottie Scheffler over the weekend.

“That’s the company that I expect to keep, and that’s where I have tried to be my whole career,” Rose said.

“That’s where I’ve been for a lot of my career. I’ve been a top-10 player in the world for a decade or more so this is nice to be back in that mix, a hundred per cent.”

Canada’s Corey Conners was alongside McIlroy on six under par, with Scheffler, Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt McCarty all on five under, but five-time major winner Brooks Koepka missed the cut after making a quadruple-bogey eight on the 18th.

The post Rory McIlroy makes second-round charge as Rose still leads appeared first on Golf News.

McIlroy ran up double bogeys on the 15th and 17th as he stumbled to a potentially ruinous 72 in his 11th attempt to claim a green jacket and complete the career grand slam.

In stark contrast, Rose had the course record of 63 in his sights after picking up his eighth birdie of the day on the 16th, but had to scramble for par on the next and bogeyed the last to card an opening seven-under-par 65.

That gave the former US Open winner a three-shot lead over defending champion Scottie Scheffler, 2024 runner-up Ludvig Aberg and Canada’s Corey Conners, with Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau another shot back.

It also ensured the 44-year-old ended the first round in the lead for the fifth time in his career, breaking the record he had shared with six-time champion Jack Nicklaus since also shooting 65 in 2021.

“Typically day one they set the course up quite difficult so I went out there trying to be patient and just got off to a flyer,” said Rose, who birdied the first three holes, made another hat-trick of gains from the eighth and also birdied the 15th and 16th.

“From that moment I felt I was definitely on the front foot. The ball was going exactly where I was looking and began to feel there was a good round in me. Just 18 I guess came unstuck but for the most part it was a great day.”

Rose, who lost a play-off to Sergio Garcia in 2017, will be well aware that Scheffler had earlier made an ominous start to his bid for a third Masters title in four years courtesy of a bogey-free 68.

“I would have felt pretty good about it,” Scheffler said when asked if he would have taken a 68 before teeing off.

“I had a feeling the golf course was going to get pretty firm. The areas to hit your irons out here are pretty small and they get even smaller when the greens are firm.”

CHIP INTO CREEK

McIlroy looked on course to at least match Scheffler’s score when he reached four under par with a two-putt birdie on the 13th, but missed from short range for another on the next and then ran up a double bogey on the 15th after chipping from over the green into the water at the front.

That was precisely what Nicklaus had warned was keeping McIlroy from winning more major titles when he had revealed earlier that he had approved the Northern Irishman’s plan to tackle Augusta National over lunch last week.

“We went through it shot for shot, he got done with the round, I didn’t open my mouth and I said ‘I wouldn’t change a thing,’” Nicklaus said in a press conference following the honorary starters ceremony.

“The discipline to do that is what Rory has lacked in my opinion. He’s got all the shots, he’s got all the game.

“He certainly is as talented as anybody in the game, but if you go back through his history in the last few years he gets to a place and all of a sudden a seven or an eight pops up and that keeps him from getting where he needs to go.”

McIlroy also double-bogeyed the 17th after hitting his approach over the green and three-putting from 20 feet, but at least saved par on the 18th after a wayward drive.

Hatton, who recorded four birdies and a solitary bogey on the 17th in a 69, branded Augusta National “unfair at times” after weekend rounds of 79 and 80 in 2022, but was ninth last year and was asked if he was starting to warm to the course.

“Do I like any golf course?” he joked. “It’s just so hard. It’s like, you love being here and it’s very special, but at any moment you can just hit a shot and it just does your head in. I just need to keep hitting perfect shots.”

The post Justin Rose leads as Rory McIlroy suffers nightmare finish at Masters appeared first on Golf News.

Meet the Man Who Wants to Bring the Ryder Cup to Luton Hoo

Interview Matt Nicholson

It’s been more than two decades since the Ryder Cup was last staged in England. In 2002, Sam Torrance captained Europe to a 15½-12½ victory over the United States at The Belfry, the fourth time the famous North Warwickshire venue hosted the biennial contest.

It remains to be seen whether England’s wait to host the prestigious contest will extend beyond 30 years. As it stands, Camiral Golf & Wellness Resort (formerly PGA Catalunya) in Spain is reported to be in pole position to host the event in 2031, although there has yet to be an official announcement.

One man that will be hoping to see the Ryder Cup return to England is Surinder Arora, the founder and chairman of Arora Group, owners of The Buckinghamshire Golf Club.

Four years ago, the company bought Luton Hoo, and Arora has big plans for the venue. Work will soon commence on building a new course, one that will be worthy of hosting the Ryder Cup.

That’s the dream: Luton Hoo, Ryder Cup venue 2031. He might settle for 2035, but the ambitious billionaire businessman, who moved to England from India when he was 13 years old, is ploughing on with his bold plans for the property regardless – and he has a lot of good support, too, in the shape of golfing legends Gary Player and Justin Rose.

Matt Nicholson caught up with Surinder Arora at his Heathrow offices to talk about his love of the game, and what golfers can look forward to seeing at Luton Hoo in the not-too-distant future and something special in the pipeline at his Fairmont Windsor Hotel in Berkshire.

When did you discover your passion for the game?

It was really when I moved to Wentworth in 1999. A parent at my daughter’s school persuaded me to play a game on the Edinburgh course. He gave me a shot a hole. We played two games, and I never won a single hole. He said, ‘Surinder, you’re so bad – you’ll never beat me!’ That’s what got me going.

Did you beat him?

I went and had a few lessons. Within eight or nine months we were kind of level. I remember the first time I was winning when we got to the 18th on the West.

I was one up. I said, ‘Come on, let’s double the bet.

I’ll give you a shot.’ I lost the hole, but I reminded him that he said I’d never beat him, and that I had just had to give him a shot. It was all about bragging rights.

What’s been your most memorable golfing moment?

I remember it clearly. I always used to say to my son, Sanjay, that one day I want to go to the Masters.

Six years ago, when it was my 60th birthday, he made a plan. He put all these dummy appointments in my diary.

Then, a couple of days before the Masters, we sat down for dinner and he said, ‘Dad, I’ve got a surprise for you. We’re going first to the Masters. First class.’

That’s not a bad birthday present…

When we got there, he’d planned for us to have dinner with Gary Player at a place near Augusta. Gary’s been a good friend for many years.

I watched the Masters on Thursday, had dinner with Gary that evening, and I played golf with him the next morning at one of the local courses.

I was standing on the first tee pinching myself, wondering whether it was all real. I never thought anything like this existed.

I remember thinking if I’d come ten years earlier, I would have gone back to England and looked for 600 acres of land and I’d have built my own Augusta National of Europe.

What about your most memorable round?

Playing with Padraig Harrington in the BMW PGA Pro-Am at Wentworth. It was about 15 years ago. I was playing off about 20. I’ve got some funny habits, and Padraig kept giving me tips.

It was one of those days. I went out in 40 and came back in 41. Maybe one day I can get to a ten or twelve handicap, I thought. I’ve never done it again, but I love the game.

What is it you enjoy the game so much?

It’s just such a great game, regardless of your age. My dear friend, KP Singh, the owner of DLF, he’s 95 and he plays four times a week.

Look at Gary – approaching 90, and he’s out on the golf course every day. Then you see youngsters. My four-year-old grandson is having lessons. That’s the beauty of this amazing game.

Has the game influenced your personal and professional life?

It’s had a big impact on both in a positive way. You meet such wonderful people, young and old, and then there’s the etiquette.

I really miss it now if I don’t play. On a good day, I can play off 16. I just love the game. It’s about the people you play with and the people you meet.

Let’s talk about your work. What was your vision starting out?

When I started, I wanted to build a four-star hotel. I wanted to offer five-star service at three- and-a-half star prices.

If you can do that, you can beat your competitors. That was the vision, and we did that against the big boys. Within 12 years, we became the largest family-owned hotel company in the UK.

Tell us about how you acquired Luton Hoo?

About a year after coming back from that Augusta trip, Knight Frank rang and asked if I was interested in buying it. I said no.

Then, one Sunday, Sanjay took his wife and my grandson to Whipsnade Zoo, which is around the corner, and then went to Luton Hoo for afternoon tea.

The next day, he said, ‘I’ve got an appointment, and you’re coming with me!’ We jumped in the car and went to Luton Hoo.

As soon as I saw it and we drove up to the main mansion, I said, ‘I’m going to buy this.’ Without even going inside.

We bought it cash – sold as seen. To become the custodian of such a beautiful estate, it’s amazing. That’s when the dream of hosting the Ryder Cup started.

Is that dream still alive?

Yes. The only problem was that the previous owner got the planning permission 20 years earlier to build the golf course, but with no bunkers.

You can’t host any championship if you don’t have bunkers. So, that’s the challenge.

We’ve been working really hard with the local authority, local planners, and Historic England.

The dream is to create something really special that not only creates hundreds of jobs, but puts central Bedfordshire on the world map.

People still talk about The Belfry, which was the last time the Ryder Cup was held in England. This is what we want to try and do.

Who will be designing the course?

We have put together an amazing team. We’ve got European Golf Design, with Jeremy Slessor and Dave Sampson.

I’ve also got Gary Player and Justin Rose. Normally you wouldn’t get two of the greats working together like that.

I’ve known Gary for 25 years now, and Justin is such a gentleman. It’s not just about building a golf course for a competition.

I’ve spoken to Justin about also doing a Rose Golf Academy for young people around the area. I feel we have the best team.

Will the new course be on the existing layout?

When you drive around, you’ve got the stables on the right – that’s where the golf shop and everything else is.

You’ve got three or four holes in the middle, and then you’ve got the rest of the course on the left as you’re looking from the road.

We’re trying to remove those middle courses and return that back to parkland, which was a huge tick in the box for Historic England.

We’re taking it all the way down to the signature holes by the lake. It’s going to be amazing.

When will the work commence at Luton Hoo?

After Easter this year. We’re not going to wait. We’ve got to see if we can get the Ryder Cup in 2031 or 2035. We’re still going to keep pushing for 2031.

What makes the service at The Buckinghamshire and Luton Hoo different?

When I was opening my first at a hotel, I got a very experienced General Manager, who had 25 years in the Forte Hotel Group, Guy Morris.

I remember telling Guy one day that I wanted to be different from other hotel companies. I wanted us to treat our staff like family and our guests like royalty.

You recently appointed Gerry Ivers from Queenwood. Are you looking to grow your portfolio?

I’ve always said that we look at anything and everything. We have acquired Fairmont Windsor Park.

It was about 20 odd acres, and now we have nearly 250, so we can build a lovely golf course there, attached to the Fairmont. That would be built by the same team as the Ryder Cup one for Luton Hoo.

 

You’ve invested over £11 million into transforming the clubhouse at The Buckingshamshire. Are any other investments planned?

I’ve given the go ahead for a drainage project. We need to replace 14 holes, so we’ll get all 18 done.

We’re taking no shortcuts. There’s also a bit of extra work to be done on the 17th and 18th holes, which will happen this year. Sanjay has an amazing golf club.

What’s the joining fee at The Buckinghamshire?

They are just raising the fee from £20,000 to £25,000, but it’s so close to London.

The type of clientele they’ve got now is incredible. For me, it’s my passion – and it has the Arora Group branding on the doorstep!

If you could change one thing about the golf industry, what would it be?

That’s a tough one. There’s nothing I would say I’d change. Hopefully we’ll get more people putting cash into golf rather than just saying, ‘What return can I get?’ That would be great for the game.

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur looking to invest in golf?

There are always different returns. You’ll never get the returns that you can make in tech, for example.

Choose what your passion is, like we have. Then make sure, to the best of your ability, to keep in the black rather than the red

The post THE INTERVIEW: SURINDER ARORA appeared first on Golf News.

Rose’s team had won the first two sessions 3.5-1.5 and Saturday afternoon’s foursomes 4-1 to lead 11-4 going into Sunday’s singles, with just a further two required for victory.

Matthieu Pavon, whose perfect record partnering fellow Frenchman Romain Langasque had accounted for three of Continental Europe’s four points, was five under through eight holes but found himself two down as Tommy Fleetwood set the tone for Great Britain and Ireland.

HOW IT UNFOLDED

Laurie Canter put the first point on the board with a 5 and 4 win over an out-of-sorts Langasque and when Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton each moved two up with two to play, victory was assured.

Fleetwood had the honour of formally finishing the job when Pavon was unable to escape from a bunker at the 17th, securing a 3 and 1 win which was soon matched by Hatton.

Rose beat Julien Guerrier 3 and 2, while Paul Waring continued his impressive week by hammering Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen 4 and 3.

Niklas Norgaard beat Matthew Jordan and Continental Europe took three points from the final four games to finish, with wins for Antoine Rozner and Matteo Manassero, while Continental captain Francesco Molinari and Rasmus Hojgaard each halved their matches.

FUTURE RYDER CUP CAPTAIN

Rose, widely touted as a future Ryder Cup captain, said: “I’ve loved the challenge, loved the experience of it and the lads have made me look incredibly good at it.

“The way they’ve played was first-class. We tried to go out and be relentless, play wave after wave, had a big lead coming into today and I think everyone thought we could get the job done.

“Match play is a momentum game for holing the key putt at the right time. The margins are always smaller than maybe the scoreboard looks but I think it was an incredible way for us all as individuals to start the season.”

Ryder Cup star Fleetwood, who won all four of his points across the week to embellish his formidable record in team events, said: “It obviously feels great, what an unbelievable group of lads we had this week and an unbelievable captain, so just a pleasure to be a part of it.

“Everybody just played so well. I always find it very motivating and inspiring being around the lads in a team environment, you want to get the best out of yourself. Happy that we got it done this time and sure we’ll enjoy it later.”

The post Justin Rose hails ‘relentless’ GB and Ireland side after Team Cup success appeared first on Golf News.

The four-time LETAS champion was two shots back at the 36-hole mark and produced a round of 66 (-6) with a stunning eagle on the 18^th to be in the playoff alongside 2023 graduate England’s Hannah Screen.

The duo headed back up to 18 for the playoff and both made birdies on the first and pars on the second. On the third hole, Briem made her par putt to clinch victory.

Briem said: “It feels fantastic to get my first win as a professional, especially here at the Rose Ladies Open.

“Every tournament has its own story and this one is mine. I’m so happy to have another win.

 “In regulation play, I considered hitting a three-wood after the tee. But I drove it and had a distance I didn’t like at all. But I still finished with an eagle, and it was incredible.

Briem, who had three consecutive wins on LETAS back in June, has now confirmed her LET card for the 2025 season.

She said: “It’s been an amazing season so far and it’s so incredible that I’ve achieved my aim of getting my LET card.”

Sweden’s Isabell Ekstrom finished third on 12-under whilst fellow Swede Kajsa Arwefjall finished fourth on 11-under.

In her professional debut England’s Mimi Rhodes, fresh off her Curtis Cup success, finished tied fifth alongside Gabriella Cowley.

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