European number one, Lee Westwood, has thrown his weight behind the 2010 National Golf Club Challenge charity golf event, in aid of Help for Heroes.
Lee has not only agreed to show his support by becoming a patron of the event, he has also given permission for the Challenge Trophy – being commissioned by Wedgwood, creators of the stunning World Golf Championship trophies – to bear his name.
Presently fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking, Lee won the inaugural European Tour Race to Dubai, the Portugal Masters and the Dubai World Championship in 2009. Firmly establishing himself among the current golfing greats.
In speaking of his support for the Challenge, Lee said: “Together we have the chance to change the lives of those who have sacrificed and endured so much so we might live full and free lives. Many brave men and women have suffered often the most horrendous injuries in the line of duty and these heroes deserve our wholehearted support in July.”
Lee went to say “I am honoured to become patron to the challenge and deeply humbled to be asked by Wedgwood to name the National Golf Club Challenge Trophy ‘The Lee Westwood Cup’ continuing Wedgwood’s long tradition of naming their stunning trophies after some of the most iconic golfers the world has ever seen.”
Wedgwood (and Waterford Crystal) now part of the WWRD group, have enjoyed a long association with professional golf, producing among others, the stunning World Golf Championship trophies for the USPGA.
“In designing the World Golf Championship trophies, not only did we want to create beautiful trophies that would be worthy of these great tournaments, we also wanted to create iconic pieces to which some of the great contributors to the game of golf, pioneering players who have represented all that is good about the game, would be pleased to lend their name.”
commented Gerry O’Keeffe, manager for Sports and Special markets at WWRD.
“From great players of the past to great players of today,” Gerry continued. “Lee Westwood exemplifies the professionalism of the modern day game displaying all the hallmarks of the truly great sportsman, the perfect candidate to carry on the tradition and lend his name to another great trophy.”
The Stunning ‘Lee Westwood Cup’ will be hand thrown and turned out of blue Jasper and hand decorated with white bas-relies golfing and military figures forming the main design features. The trophy will be mounted on two blue jasper plinths and all edges hand gilded in 22 carat gold.
The trophy, now in the design phase, will go through an intensive sixteen week process from design through modelling to construction.
The National Golf Club Challenge, to be held on the 24th and 25th July, will bring hundreds of golf clubs, and thousands of golfers together on the same weekend as part of a nationwide charity golf event.
Stacey Jeffries, event director, commented “The ‘Lee Westwood Cup’ will stand as a magnificent symbol of the UK golfing community coming together to benefit our injured armed forces.”
The format for the National Golf Club Challenge is simple; the Challenge will coincide with each participating golf club’s monthly Stableford event. With each club turning the day into their own charity golf event, raising much needed funds for the Help for Heroes charity.
The competing clubs will submit their aggregate scores from their 10 best scoring players. This will determine the top 6 golf clubs against standard scratch, who will then be invited to compete in the National Final for some outstanding tournament prizes, including golfing holidays to Egypt.
The Grand Final, sponsored by YourGolfTravel.com, will be held on 11th and 12th October at The Belfry, one of the world’s leading golf resorts, and four times host to the Ryder Cup.
The National Golf Club Challenge www.nationalgolfclubchallenge.org.uk or www.ngcc2010.com.
The Help for Heroes charity www.helpforheroes.org.uk