The cream of Austrian golf, including world No.26 and 2019 Race to Dubai 3rd place finisher Bernd Wiesberger, took to the beautiful fairways at Schloss Schönborn G.C. this week for a ‘behind closed doors’ skins competition that saw over €28,000 donated to charity.
Wiesberger was joined by Ladies European Tour players Christiane Wolf and Sarah Schober and European Tour player Mathias Schwab. The match was played as a round robin 9 hole skins format leading to head to head matches between every player. Each hole was worth €300 with players donating their accumulated winnings to a charity of their choice. All the action is set to be televised over the next three weeks on Austrian T.V. where more fundraising will take place with proceeds donated to SOS Children’s Village and its COVID-19 aid project.
As part of Covid-19 containment regulations the matches took place without spectators, with each player adhering to social distancing guidelines. In addition, all four competitors chose to play without caddies, instead using push carts from Europe’s most owned push cart brand BIG MAX, while keeping to the advice set out in the brand’s new Walk, Distance, Play Safe campaign.
Upon completion of the 27 hole competition, Bernd Wiesberger said, “It was great to get out on the course and raise money for charity at the same time. We’re very lucky that golf has returned so quickly and I hope that many people will see how we were able to walk the course, keep our distance and play safely. We were very grateful for our BIG MAX push carts to help us get around the course too. I think my caddy is disappointed we can’t take it when I return to play in the U.S. next month!”
Wiesberger and Schwab used BIG MAX’s Fold Flat AutoFold FF push cart while Wolf and Schober opted for the brand new Ti LITE model. After the conclusion of the match, each player signed their BIG MAX push cart and these will now be auctioned off for the winner’s charity.
Thomas Reiter, owner of BIG MAX, was delighted to support the event on home soil. He said, “To have played a part in raising funds at this event is very special. We have been delighted to support several charity causes through the Covid-19 pandemic and we are running our Walk, Distance, Play Safe campaign to help the game to return safely. But to be able to help raise money and promote safe golf in our home country is a real honor. Austria is going through its most successful period as a golf nation. Bernd is leading the way but players like Christiane, Matthias and Sarah show that Austrian golf is on the rise and I hope that this event will not only raise a great deal of money for charity, but also inspire more young Austrians to take up our great game.”
In addition to television coverage, the Austrian Golf Association at www.golf.at and its associated social media channels (Facebook, Instagram) will have extensive coverage.
For more information on the BIG MAX line as used by the Tour stars, please visit www.bigmaxgolf.com
