European Tour star Paul Waring has signed up to officially represent the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA), the international body that encourages people with disability to thrive through golf.
Waring has been one of the European Tour’s most popular golfers with fans and players alike since he started competing on the Tour in 2008. He won his first European Tour title, the 2018 Nordea Masters, in his 200th tournament.
Born in Birkenhead, Waring was on home territory when he first met and played with EDGA golfers with disability while competing in the 2019 Betfred British Masters at Hillside last May.
EDGA players Caroline Mohr of Sweden, Spain’s Juan Postigo Arce and Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor all said they were inspired by his encouragement and advice during their Pro-Am fourball.
Waring joined these players as an Ambassador for leading audit, tax and consulting firm RSM, which supports EDGA and shares its vision to welcome 500,000 new players into the game.
The former English Amateur Champion would be similarly supportive of EDGA players and volunteers during the Rolex Series Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, and the DP World Tour Championship, also in 2019. During both weeks, RSM supported EDGA to offer free golf lessons from PGA professionals to all spectators with a disability present at the tournaments.
Tony Bennett, President of EDGA, said: “When I asked Paul if he was interested in a more formal role with EDGA in our aim to grow the game for people with disability, he did not hesitate in saying he’d be delighted to help us. We are therefore thrilled to welcome Paul Waring as an Official Ambassador for EDGA.
“Right from the very first tee shots when he encouraged Caroline, Juan and Brendan at Hillside, we knew he had something special about him. Paul and the team at RSM have been highly encouraging as more of our EDGA players have competed in our tournaments staged alongside European Tour events, providing a priceless shop window for our work in raising awareness of inclusive golf internationally.”
Bennett added: “We are sure Paul’s reputation as a player and his knowledge of all layers of the sport will assist us greatly in our key aim, which is to encourage people of all ages who have a disability to consider trying golf, while highlighting the power of golf to change lives.”
Waring said: “I am delighted to become a formal ambassador for EDGA. I have had the opportunity to meet and play with a number of their players and I am extremely impressed by their talent. I am very honoured to be a part of their journey and to support the work that EDGA is doing to increase the opportunities for those with disabilities within golf. I am very excited to be a part of this development within golf.”
EDGA is a not-for-profit, volunteer-based association which is made up of the National Golf Federations from 31 countries around the world. The EDGA team provides advice, guidance and standards to all the leading golfing bodies; The IGF, The R&A, The USGA, The EGA, and works closely with the European Tour on the delivery of showcase events that involve golfers with disability.
EDGA also offers a range of training to coaches, therapists, volunteers, clubs, and golfers who wish to be more active in the disability space.
RSM is supporting EDGA’s qualifying players in tournaments attached to the European Tour, funding travel requirements and welcoming these golfers as they are meeting, practising alongside and even playing with some of the star names in world golf, while helping to raise the profile of golf for the disabled to a global audience.