The world’s best golfers, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and One Direction’s Niall Horan were in the media spotlight at The 145th Open when they were interviewed by Sky Academy junior reporters at golf’s oldest Championship.
Sky Sports presenters Charles Paterson and Luke Shanley had the difficult task of selecting four names from over 200 primary school pupils from across Glasgow and South Ayrshire, who took part in Sky Academy’s studio skills sessions, to report from The Open.
Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships at The R&A, said, “The junior reporters have been given a fantastic opportunity to be part of The 145th Open and report from one of the world’s great sporting events. I know they thoroughly enjoyed interviewing the guests and players at the Championship and I’m sure they will take away some fantastic memories.”
The Sky Academy uses the power of TV, creativity and sport to help young people build practical skills and experience and is targeted to reach one million individuals in the UK and Ireland by 2020.
Mia Sterini and Lee Mitchell from Ayr Grammar, and Lucy Baxter and Ryan McCourt from St Rose of Lima RC Primary, Glasgow were chosen following a series of studio skills tests and visited Royal Troon earlier this week.
Irishman Shane Lowry, who won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last year, was first to face questions from both Baxter and McCourt during his live press conference ahead of the first round of The 145th Open. The US Open runner-up revealed that one of his superstitions is to keep in his pocket a marker with a shamrock detailed on it during each round.
Popstar Horan discussed his first golf experiences and what good friend Rory McIlroy thinks of his swing technique, while First Minister Sturgeon revealed that she was rooting for home favourite Colin Montgomerie during her interview with Sterini and Mitchell in the Sky Sports studio overlooking the 18th tee at Royal Troon.
Ahead of the summer holidays 2,000 Scottish school children also came face-to-face with the iconic Claret Jug in morning assemblies. This formed part of an outreach programme designed by The R&A and the British Golf Museum delivered by Glasgow City Council and South Ayrshire Council, respectively the Partnership City and Host Region of The 145th Open at Royal Troon.
R&A www.RandA.org