Record entries for Matchplay Championship

The UK's largest amateur tournament, the Matchplay Championship, has received a record number of entries for 2012/2013.

The tournament - rapidly becoming one of the most sought after titles in amateur golf - will celebrate its 10th anniversary in May next year as the finalists head to Dubai.

The will experience world-renowned hospitality and compete at the Els Club, an immaculate venue designed by four-time major winner and 2012 Open champion Ernie Els.

The tournament - inaugurated in 2003 - introduced a singles event for the first time in 2012 which, along with the spectacular location of the Grand Final, has contributed to 6,000 entries for the 10th staging of the tournament.

The Matchplay Championship is open to all men and women with handicaps less than 28 and 36 respectively, who compete in men's singles, men's pairs and mixed pairs.

The initial knock-out stages of the tournament are followed by a better-ball stableford competition in the regional final at the Marriott Forest of Arden. Forty players will progress to Dubai to contest the Grand Final, which will be filmed by Sky Sports cameras.

"The event is completely unrestrictive, welcoming all standards of golfer to compete on a fair playing field in handicap competition," said John Woosey, the tournament's Managing Director.

"Club golfers have really embraced the tournament over the last ten years and the opportunity to win a once-in-a-lifetime prize to Dubai for an entry of just £25 per person."

This year, the tournament announced the luxurious JW Marriott Marquis Dubai - the word's tallest dedicated hotel with ten restaurants, four lounges, entertainment venues, a spa and a health club - as its official partner.

"We are proud to become a partner of this internationally-recognised tournament," said the hotel's General Manager, Rupprecht Queitsch.

"We cannot wait for the players to experience everything that our iconic hotel has to offer."