The build-up to the British Challenge presented by Modest! Golf Management has begun with players and officials acknowledging their excitement about returning to one of the UK’s leading golf resorts. The tournament, staged for the first time at St. Mellion Estate last year, will see Europe’s emerging superstars follow in the footsteps of golfing legends by teeing it up at the revered Nicklaus Signature Golf Course in August.
Coinciding with the peak of the UK’s golf season, the British Challenge will be one of the year’s most eagerly anticipated golfing events, especially as it returns to the south west of England during the height of the summer. As Jamie Hodges, Head of Challenge Tour, explained, St. Mellion Estate’s unique location accompanied by the famed Cornish welcome will make for a thrilling week of world-class golf.
“We are delighted that the British Challenge presented by Modest! Golf Management will be returning to St. Mellion Estate in August,” he explained. “We enjoyed a memorable visit last year as Scotland’s Euan Walker secured his maiden victory in dramatic style on the Nicklaus Signature Golf Course and we are looking forward to working with the team again.
“Our thanks must go to the promoter, Tom Hayward, for his continued support of the Challenge Tour, as well as to Niall Horan, Mark McDonnell and the entire team at Modest! who we are looking forward to working with again. We are also grateful to everyone at St. Mellion Estate for all their help and hospitality. Through our collective partnership and teamwork, our members will be treated to a first-class tournament on the stunning coastline of the south-west of England.”
Last year’s event saw elite golf return to the south west and the prestigious 36-hole venue after a 15 year hiatus. With the number of tickets booked exceeding 3500, and the final attendance figure for the four day tournament surpassing 4000, including players, partners and staff, the atmosphere and support at the resort was incredible. The stage is set for the tournament’s return, as St. Mellion counts down the days to this year’s highly anticipated event.
Euan Walker, who birdied the final two holes at St. Mellion last year to secure his maiden Challenge Tour title, said the venue brought out the best in his golf. “Winning at St. Mellion gave me a lot of belief in the way I can manage my game and control the ball accurately under pressure. I’m looking forward to playing there again this year and hopefully bringing a similar level of ball striking to the event.”
He continued: “The Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at St. Mellion was one of the most difficult courses we faced on the challenge tour last year. The level of accuracy required was higher than any other week of the year. This was particularly apt for tournament golf, as the utmost focus was needed on every hole. The tournament therefore could only be decided by quality golf shots, which was great for a challenge tour event as the players at the top of the leaderboard were those who controlled the ball the best.”
The opening of the Nicklaus Signature Golf Course was marked 35 years ago with an epic exhibition match between a US team featuring Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, and the formidable UK duo of Nick Faldo and Sandy Lyle. With multiple Major winners on both sides, it set the tone for what was to follow. More recently, St. Mellion Estate was listed in the top 20 resorts in the UK and Ireland by Golf World.
Set in 450 acres of stunning Cornish countryside, the golf courses at St. Mellion Estate have established a reputation for golf at the highest level. With a significant anniversary to celebrate, David Moon, Director of Golf at St. Mellion Estate, said The British Challenge was no exception.
“First and foremost, it was an absolute pleasure to see the next set of superstar golfers tackle one of the finest European courses on the Challenge Tour,” he said. “It is, after all, a course with a long association with the European Tour and one where many of the legends of the game made a name for themselves. But it’s been equally heartening to hear the admiration with which the next generation of Tour players describe The Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.”
He continued: “This year’s tournament will not only mark the return of British Challenge to the South West and the 14th European Tour event to be held at St. Mellion, but it will also coincide with the 35th anniversary of The Nicklaus Signature Golf Course – the first European course personally designed by Jack Nicklaus. As you can imagine, we intend to celebrate in style what will be a momentous year for St. Mellion Estate.”
St. Mellion Estate will host the British Challenge presented by Modest! Golf Management from 3-6 August, 2023. For further details about commercial and partnership sponsorship opportunities, contact Regan Bush, Marketing Manager at St. Mellion Estate on 01579 351351 or regan.bush@st-mellion.co.uk.
To register for a free ticket to the event, please follow this link.
