Starting today

One of the world's most famous golf tournaments begins in Egypt today

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Site of the action, the Sharm course

Starting at 7.30am in Sharm El- Sheikh, the Al-Ahram-Jolie Ville European Challenge Tournament represents the first time an official European golf tournament takes place in Egypt.

Egypt will also be the sixth non- European country to host the tournament.

The event ranks as a challenge tournament, carrying prize money worth $125,000. One hundred-and-sixty professional golfers from 24 countries began flocking to Sharm El-Sheikh on Sunday to take part in the four-day event, all competing to up their rankings at this event, which for the first time will be broadcast live worldwide by Egyptian TV's satellite channels. The tournament will also be aired on Golf Channel (US, Japan), Channel 5 (UK), Eurosport and CNBC (Pan European).

In this edition, the four champions of the last four rounds will take part: Mark Cayeux, winner of the Kenyan round; South African Michael Kirk, winner in Zambia; Alessandro Tadini of Italy, the Costa Rican round winner; and Miguel Fernandez of Argentina, the winner of the Panamanian round. The winners of last year's edition will also participate.

The tournament is being played parallel to the national day of the South Sinai Governorate. The occasion will allow golf fans to indulge in the festivities which will include a dazzling three-day folklore festival with performances from across the country.

The tournament, to be played on the 6,000-square-metre course belonging to the Mövenpick Jolie- Ville Golf Resort, is being held under the auspices of Al-Ahram Organisation, the South Sinai Governorate and the Neama Company for Golf and Tourism Investment.

As always, the top 15 players on the Challenge Tour Rankings at the end of the season will qualify for the 2005 European Tour and, as with last season, the first three events will be staged in Central America.

Egypt was among 54 countries which established the International Golf Federation in 1958. In 1921 the country organised the Egypt Open that drew internationally-acclaimed players. The cup of that tournament still adorns the headquarters of the Egyptian federation, bearing the names of those who won it.

Egypt's most famed golfer, Mohamed Moussa, died in 2000.