European Tour player Alexander Levy teed-up the week when he starred in the Hero Challenge under floodlights on Tuesday evening. The Frenchman won an exciting one-hole knockout contest, with proceeds going to the Golf Foundation’s HSBC Golf Roots programme which encourages young people to enjoy the benefits of golf and helps them ‘Start, Learn and Stay’ in the game.
Other initiatives included the Mega Putt Challenge, where spectators were given three attempts to hole a 56-foot putt to win prizes, while the ISPS Handa Pressure Putt Showdown – filmed live on Sky Sports and cheered on by 250 local schoolchildren – provided a colourful and noisy spectacle much enjoyed by the watching public.
During the Pressure Putt a number of the boys and girls were selected to putt right alongside top Tour players such as Chris Wood and Joost Luiten, and sports stars Gianfranco Zola and Kevin Pietersen; with the youngsters showing the stars how it’s done!
A ‘Hit the Green’ competition and a prize daily draw all helped the golf charity to raise funds as members of the Golf Foundation team were present throughout the event to guide youngsters and 24 school groups through Tri-Golf games and putting challenges.
The on-course highlight of the week for the Foundation had to be South Korean golfer Soomin Lee’s hole-in-one at the 13th on Friday. This secured a £10,000 donation for the Foundation, courtesy of hole-in-one sponsors Hero Motocorp.
Stephen Lewis, Chairman of the Golf Foundation said: “The Golf Foundation is very grateful to the European Tour for being selected as the nominated charity this year at the British Masters supported by Sky Sports.
“Golf offers young people valuable life skills as part of a hugely enjoyable game in which life-long friendships can be made. Thank you to the European Tour for its forward-thinking approach and its support of juniors at this event and also throughout the year.”
Brendon Pyle, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said: “The funding raised will help the Golf Foundation ensure that many more youngsters will receive an introduction to golf in their schools and community groups via professionally-trained PGA Coaches and that they will also be given the opportunity to progress through the gates of a golf club to experience a warm welcome at our network of junior friendly facilities.”
Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org