Turkish World Finals to go ahead despite despite Syria shelling

Organisers of the inaugural Turkish World Finals golf event insist it will go ahead as planned this week, despite continued violence in the region.

The eight-man competition, which includes Tiger Woods and world number one Rory McIlroy in its line-up, is due to take place at the Antalya Golf Club in Belek from tomorrow.

Turkish forces had fired across the frontier into Syria earlier this week after a shell launched from its neighbour landed in the border town of Akcakale.

It was the fifth consecutive day of Turkish retaliation against incoming bombardment from northern Syria.

But Woods, McIlroy, Lee Westwood, Hunter Mahan, Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar, Webb Simpson and Charl Schwartzel had all arrived in time for the first round of the $5.3 (Dh19.4m) million tournament, organisers confirmed.

Belek is on Turkey's south-west coast and is not near the Syrian border.

sports@thenational.ae

Follow us @SprtNationalUAE