“Today’s developments remind us just how difficult it is for the world’s best players to get into this tournament,” Premier Brown said. “YE Yang has certainly earned his spot having beaten Tiger Woods, the world’s number one player, in a face-to-face final round match-up. It was exciting golf and we look for much of the same here in Bermuda in October.”

Mr. Yang is set to play in Bermuda alongside Open Champion Stewart Cink, U.S. Open Champion Lucas Glover and Masters Champion Angel Cabrera. Mr. Cabrera won the Bermuda Grand Slam pink jacket in 2007 when the tournament was hosted at the Mid Ocean Club.

This year the tournament moves to the Port Royal Golf Course for the first time – one of Bermuda’s public golf courses. Port Royal was officially re-opened last month after a multimillion dollar reconstruction project.

Premier Brown said: “With the eyes of the golfing world on Bermuda for two days in October, we hope the new Port Royal makes the same impression on all of them that it has made on all of us. Port Royal is now a world-class golf course and one of the finest public courses on the planet. I can’t wait to see how she looks on television – particularly in Asia where I expect many will be watching Mr. Yang.”

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf is broadcast around the world on television in 100 countries.

The Bermuda Department of Tourism is a sponsor of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

Should a qualifier decline to attend the Grand Slam the foursome will be completed through the Major Champions Points List composed of past major Champions who compete in the current year’s majors.

Tickets and corporate hospitality for the 27th PGA Grand Slam of Golf may be purchased by calling either 800-PGA-GOLF (800-742-4653) or (561) 624-7601.

The couple are relocating to New York for work and personal reasons. 64-year old Douglas is set to play Liberace in Scott Soderbergh’s biography of the flamboyant pianist, and also star in the sequel to the 1987 blockbuster Wall Street.

The celebrity couple have rented out their home in Warwick Parish and taken their children out of Warwick Academy.

Michael Douglas has strong ties to Bermuda. He is a shareholder in the Ariel Sands hotel and his mother, Diana Dill, was born in Bermuda in 1923.

They moved to the island in 2002 and supported local organisations such as the Bermuda Musical and Dramatic Society, Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, Masterworks Foundation, National Dance Foundation of Bermuda, and the Bermuda International Film Festival. Douglas is a keen golfer and is a member of the Mid Ocean Club and Riddell’s Bay Golf & Country Club.

The 2009 event will be held at the Port Royal Golf Course October 19 to 21, currently undergoing renovations and expected to open in January next year.

Premier Brown said, ‘We are so proud to extend our valued partnership with the PGA of America and the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. We’re especially proud to have an event as prestigious as the Grand Slam at Port Royal – a spectacular public golf course that belongs to the people of Bermuda and speaks loudly to our country’s commitment to the game.’

For the last 2 years the event has been held at the Mid Ocean Club.

The news comes as a big blow for Bermuda who had hoped to bring the star to the island. Woods qualified for the event last year, the first time it had been held in Bermuda, but withdrew for personal reasons.

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf tournament will be held at the Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda on October 14 – 15 2008. Tickets are available from www.pga.com.

Defending champion Woods will be replaced by Jim Furyk.

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf is an annual 36-hole stroke-play competition that brings together the winners of The Masters, the US Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship. Securing the event would be a massive publicity boost for the island as it is televised live to almost 90 million US homes.

The Mid Ocean Club looks the favourite to host the event, although Tucker’s Point is also in the running. Dr Brown expects to clinch the deal next month at this year’s tournament in Hawaii.