A NEW course at The Oxfordshire is scheduled to open next year.

The extension will see a nine-hole par three venue added to the existing facilities at the club near Thame.

It will be designed by renowned American golf achitect Rees Jones, who designed the 18-hole championship course at The Oxfordshire.

Surveys of the land are still being finalised, but it is hoped construction will begin before the end of the year, to be completed in 2013.

The club believe the addition will prove popular with golf days, which can now be extended to 27 holes, or for those who do not have enough time to play the 18-hole course.

Tim Pettifer, general manager of the club, said: “The nine new holes that are to be added will make the course even more exciting, and both members and non-members will benefit from this new stage in our development.”

The news coincides with the announcement Chris Hollins has taken over as club president.

The BBC sports presenter played first class cricket for Oxford University and is best known for winning Strictly Come Dancing in 2009.

The 41-year-old takes over from chat show legend Sir Michael Parkinson, who had held the honourary post from 2003.

  • A POOR final nine holes saw Eddie Pepperell tumble down the leaderboard in the M2M Russian Challenge Cup.

An opening round of 69 put the 21-year-old, from Abingdon, among the early pacesetters at Tseleevo Golf Club on the European Challenge Tour.

He followed it up with cards of 74 and 75 to slip out of contention, before a disastrous back nine in the final round.

Two double bogeys and three bogeys led to a six-over-par round of 78, which left Pepperell down in a share of 45th place.

He will be hoping to bounce back today, when the Kazakhstan Open begins.