Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas Celebrated 1st Annual Sandals Celebrity Golf Tournament Hosted by Access Hollywood & Maria Menounos

NEW YORK,  April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrities are golfing for a good cause this weekend at the 1st Annual Sandals Celebrity Golf Tournament, hosted by Access Hollywood & Maria Menounos to support the Sandals Foundation.  An impressive gathering of celebrities, including TV personality Maria Menounos, The Bachelor's newest married couple Jason & Molly Mesnick, Bravo's hottest housewife Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Tristan Wilds, Aimee Garcia, Jesse Metcalfe, Olympian Julia Mancuso, Antonio Sabato, Jr., Roxy Olin, Brittany Snow and Ryan Rottman, were on hand for some fun-in-the-sun during a four-day getaway at the lavish and Luxury Included® Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas all to benefit a great cause.

The four-day golf weekend kicked off on Thursday with a sunset cocktail soiree in Sandals Emerald Bay's signature pool tower.  Friday's events included a golf pairing cocktail party, followed by a chic poolside lounge party.  Saturday featured the golf tournament at Sandals Emerald Reef Golf Club – an 18-hole championship course designed by Greg Norman, a Bahamian-themed beach party and a decadent dessert buffet and awards ceremony.  Finally, Sunday CEO Adam Stewart, Access Hollywood, Maria Menounos and Jason & Molly Mesnick boarded Sandals private plane to play with the swimming pigs. Adam then hosted all of the celebrities on his private boat and provided more time for some last-minute leisure time under the sun at the magnificent Sandals Emerald Bay.  

"We are thrilled to be launching the 1st Annual Sandals Celebrity Golf Tournament at Sandals Emerald Reef Golf Club, " says Sandals Resorts chairman and founder, Gordon 'Butch' Stewart.  "I have never seen a golf course offer such dramatic vistas at every turn, Greg Norman did a truly masterful job of designing it.  I can't wait for our celebrity guests to experience the course and our incredible new resort first-hand."

While not on the course, celebrities had plenty of time to enjoy Sandals Emerald Bay's amazing amenities throughout their weekend stay. Truly bringing Sandals Resorts' Luxury Included® concept to new heights, Sandals Emerald Bay, which debuted on February 4, 2010, is a 500-acre resort set along a one-mile stretch of white sand beach on one of the Bahamas' most beautiful Out Islands.  In addition to being the first, and only, Sandals resort to offer a Greg Norman-designed golf course, Sandals Emerald Bay boasts a world-class, 150-slip marina; professionally-trained butlers in all 183 beachfront rooms and suites; gourmet dining at five a la carte restaurants; a wide array of land and water sports, including scuba diving for certified divers; daily and nightly entertainment; a lavish 16,000 sq. ft. Red Lane® Spa featuring 17 treatment rooms and premier services that embrace the best of the Caribbean region highlighted by Dermalogica skin-care products; and, of course, lots of relaxation and endless sun.

Beyond the glitz and glamour, the 1st Annual Sandals Celebrity Golf Tournament also benefits a great cause by offering guests of Sandals Emerald Bay the opportunity to play with their favorite stars.  Guests who made a minimum donation to the Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts, received exclusive access to all of the weekend's star-studded events.  The year-old Sandals Foundation seeks to harness the resources, talents, partnerships and awareness behind the Sandals Resorts brand to tackle a myriad of issues affecting the Caribbean under three broad headings: community, education and environment.

Sandals Resorts:

Sandals Resorts has earned a worldwide reputation for providing two people in love with the most romantic vacation experience in the Caribbean. Currently, there are 14 Luxury Included® Sandals Resorts located in Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia and The Bahamas. Each offers stunning beachfront locations; a choice of à la carte restaurants, from white-glove dining to barefoot elegance; all premium brand wine and spirits, including an exclusive partnership with California's legendary Beringer Vineyards; luxurious accommodations in a range of categories; unrivaled watersports including the Caribbean's largest PADI certification program; Butler Service for truly indulgent pampering; Sandals Weddings by Martha Stewart(TM); and signature Red Lane® Spas, with services and treatments inspired by the region.  In February 2010, Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas made its debut, offering 183 all-butler service rooms and suites, an 18-hole championship Greg Norman-designed golf course and 150 slip marina.

Sandals Resorts has set the industry standard for the Luxury Included® vacation and has been voted the Caribbean's Leading Hotel Brand at the World Travel Awards for 16 years in a row, and World's Leading All-Inclusive Company for 14 years in a row.  For more information, call your local travel agent or 1-800-Sandals (1-800-726-3257) or visit www.sandals.com.

The Sandals Foundation:

The Sandals Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International, with nearly three decades of real and lasting commitment to our commitments. As part of the vibrant and vital Caribbean community, the Sandals Foundation is committed to investments, which create a positive and sustainable impact on people's lives and the environment.  The Sandals Foundation funds projects in the Caribbean in three key areas: education, environment and community.

All administrative and management costs associated with the Sandals Foundation are supported by Sandals Resorts International, therefore 100 percent of all funds raised by the foundation go directly to programs benefiting the Caribbean community.

More information about the Sandals Foundation can be found at www.sandalsfoundation.org

SOURCE Beaches Resorts