The sale of the Wentworth golf club and hotel to Irish billionaire Sean Quinn has been postponed after a second bid was tabled for the property in Virginia Water, Surrey.
Quinn's £122m offer has been topped by a £130m submission from retail entrepreneur Richard Caring. Caring is working in concert with hotelier Surinder Arora, who is a minority shareholder in the golf club. His Arora International company currently operates four hotels - at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports and in Manchester.
There were also rumours of a third offer of £132m from a mystery bidder. The club expects seller Chelsfield, which owns 60% of the resort, to clarify the situation this Sunday when it holds its annual general meeting.