Villar Group and US-headquartered Curley-Wagner Golf Design have officially signed an agreement for the design of the first tournament golf course to rise within the sprawling 3,500-hectare Villar City.
The signing, held on January 11, 2025 at Brittany Hotel Villar City, marks a defining step for this emerging megalopolis as it continues to establish itself as a premier urban destination. Key figures from both firms graced the ceremony, including Curley-Wagner president Brian D. Curley and manager Jim E. Wagner, while Villar City was represented by its chief operating officer Mary Lee S. Sadiasa and business development head Momar M. Santos. Notably present were Villar Group chairman Manny Villar, Senator Mark Villar, and Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc. president Paolo Villar, further highlighting the significance of this milestone for Villar City.
World-class golfing experience
Curley expressed excitement about the collaboration, emphasizing the alignment of vision between the two parties.
“It’s a great project with great people in a great location and a great country. Everything comes together so well. Every now and then, on certain jobs, I say sometimes the moons all align—and that’s happening here,” Curley said.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity, because not only is it a great team and a great vision for what’s going to happen around the golf course, but the golf course property itself is also extremely unique and offers a tremendous opportunity for us to create a world-class golfing experience that can hold tournaments, hold corporate events, and really be a shining diamond in the Villar City development,” Wagner added.
These two renowned golf architects will be bringing to Villar City their expertise in designing award-winning courses. Their firm, Curley-Wagner Golf Design, is well regarded for its innovative approach, having designed globally recognized courses across 25 countries including the 22-course complex at Mission Hills Golf Club in China.
For its project in Villar City, Curley-Wagner Golf Design aims to combine world-class design with the unique challenges and opportunities of an urban setting.
“I’m thrilled to see this partnership with Curley-Wagner Golf Design bring our vision for Villar City to life. Beyond adding just another amenity to an emerging promising metro, this golf course will elevate Villar City to a new level. This project is a significant step in turning Villar City into a premier urban destination that truly stands out on the global stage,” said Villar Group Chairman Manny Villar.
Villar City, which connects 13 cities and towns in Metro Manila and Cavite province, is an emerging masterplanned megalopolis comprising of high profile central business districts, lifestyle centers, entertainment hubs, as well as upscale residential communities. It is purpose-built to be Metro Manila’s newest core, a self-sustaining city that is poised to be at par with other global metropolises in terms of infrastructure, accessibility, and quality of life.
A unique urban golf experience
One of the standout features of this upcoming 18-hole golf course is its location.
Curley noted that besides its “nice natural terrain”, the property also offers the unique opportunity to develop a golf course within the heart of the city—a deviation from traditional golf courses often situated in remote areas. This means the golf course can be integrated well into the urban lifestyle, making it accessible and relevant to a wider audience.
This is why Curley and Wagner will be designing this golf course to cater to both professional tournaments and everyday golfers.
“We’re going to try to get a tournament-capable golf course with enough length to challenge the best players in the world. But I think one of the things that Brian and I like to do is give your everyday golfers wide generous fairways, so they can be happy out there. We want them to enjoy the experience,” Wagner explained.
At the same time, this course also promises to allow golfers to have different ways to approach each shot into the green and really get their minds moving.
“I don’t think there‘s many golf courses like that in the country, so we really want to do something different that stands out within the golf courses in the greater region,” Wagner added.
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