10/3/03

E–mail address: mediarelations@usga.org

Far Hills, N.J., USA – David Harrison, newly appointed Chairman of the General Committee of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R&A), has been named to succeed Neil Crichton as the Joint Chairman of the International Golf Federation (IGF), the organization has announced.

Harrison becomes a Joint Chairman of the Federation with Reed Mackenzie, President of the United States Golf Association (USGA).  As Joint Chairmen, the two will work closely with the Women's Chairman of the IGF, Vicky Whyte of Brazil, and the Joint Secretaries of the IGF: Peter Dawson, Secretary of the R&A, and David Fay, Executive Director of the USGA.

 “I have always been committed to international golf,” said Harrison.  “I relish the opportunity to work with all the IGF officers in continuing its fine work for golf around the globe.”

Harrison, a retired businessman, has extensive experience in golf administration, serving as a member of the R&A's Rules, Championship and General Committees since he was appointed in 1981. He has also chaired the R&A's Training Panel.

The Chairman of the England Junior Golf Partnership since 2001, Harrison is also President of the Association of Golf Club Secretaries. He served as President of the English Golf Union in 1992 and was on its Junior Golf Committee from 1977-1991.  In addition, he has been associated with the European Golf Association as the Chairman of its Championship Committee from 1994-2001, as well as serving on its Executive Committee from 1994-2001.

As a player, he represented England teams at boys and youths levels.  He was a two-time Royal Air Force Champion as well as a three-time Oxford Blue.  Harrison represented Hampshire County from 1955-80 and was a six-time County Champion.

He is married and has two grown children.

The IGF was founded in 1958 as the World Amateur Golf Council to encourage the international development of the game and to employ golf as a vehicle to foster friendship and sportsmanship.  Recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the official international federation for golf, the IGF comprises the national governing bodies of golf in more than 100 countries.

As one of its main functions, the IGF conducts the World Amateur Team Championships for women and men on a biennial basis.  Future championships are scheduled for 2004 in Puerto Rico and 2006 in South Africa. Since the announcement of Puerto Rico as the site for the 2004 championships, the venue of play has changed to the Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande from the Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort and Country Club. 

The club, which has two courses, hosted the inaugural Copas de las Americas, an international team event, in the summer of 2003. Greg Norman designed the River Course, which opened in 1997, and George and Tom Fazio designed the Ocean Course, which opened in 1976.  The Ocean Course is built alongside the coast of the Atlantic. This design features tree-lined fairways and small greens. The River Course, whose opening was delayed by Hurricane Hortense in 1996, is located near the Mameyes River and the El Yunque National Rainforest. The design includes tropical wetlands and protected archaeological areas.