Nick Faldo has announced a new format for the Faldo Series in 2009, which will make the six-time Major winner’s initiative more accessible to an even greater number of young golfers across the UK, Europe and South America.
Now moving into its 13th season, the Faldo Series is changing its format in the UK to include nine Faldo Series UK Championships across the region. These Championships will offer up to 80 players, boys and girls aged 11 to 21, the chance to compete over 36 holes at some of the best tournament venues in the country.
The entry fee has been reduced and at the end of each tournament five winners (one from each of the five age-categories) will qualify directly for the Faldo Series Grand Final in Brazil. Furthermore, the leading players from the annual Grand Final in Brazil will be personally invited by Nick to play in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at Mission Hills in China.
The intention is to align the UK more closely with the Faldo Series format in other golfing nations throughout the world. With support from The R&A, the European Tour and the PGA, there are now Faldo Series Championships in Iceland, Ireland, Turkey, Russia, Poland and South America – as well as a full season of events on the Faldo Series Asia. The initiative has grown into a genuinely international endeavour, offering its combination of competition and education to more than 4,000 players across the world.
Faldo commented: “Since launching the Faldo Series in the UK in 1996 we have expanded from helping 400 players a year in the UK to over 4,000 annual players world-wide in over 20 countries across Europe, South America and Asia. It’s my goal to more than double those numbers in the next few years and the new format in the UK is part of that continued growth. It allows more players from the UK to take part, at a lower cost, all of whom will be just one win away from qualifying for the Grand Final and the chance to join me in Brazil.”
Faldo continued, “I have cut back on my playing career in order to spend time on my other interests, including the Faldo Series which is a genuine passion for me. Spending one-on-one time with players allows me to forge stronger relationships and pass on even more experience, so I look forward to offering even more of my time to the Series, including two annual Grand Finals and additional time with the leading players at other times during the year.”
Faldo Series www.nickfaldo.com