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Golf for Good raises £623,120 for charitable causes during UK Swing
Golf for Good

Golf for Good raises £623,120 for charitable causes during UK Swing

The European Tour’s Golf for Good initiative has raised a total of £623,120 for local, national and international charitable causes in its first six weeks, and will continue to underpin the 2020 Race to Dubai season.

Charity UK Swing

The European Tour’s Golf for Good initiative has raised a total of £623,120 for local, national and international charitable causes in its first six weeks, and will continue to underpin the 2020 Race to Dubai season.

 Golf for Good launched at the six-tournament UK Swing, which concluded on Sunday as Rasmus Højgaard claimed the ISPS HANDA UK Championship title at The Belfry. The Dane’s victory meant he finished in number one position on the UK Swing Mini-Rankings, pipping Englishman Sam Horsfield – who won twice during the six-week period - to the top spot.

The top ten players in  the rankings were rewarded with a share of the £250,000 Charity Bonus Pool, to donate to charities of their choice. Højgaard opted to split his winning share of £60,000 between the Child Cancer Foundation and Ronald McDonald House, both in his native Denmark.

In addition to the Charity Bonus Pool, the European Tour also donated £50,000 to each UK Swing host venue to be distributed to local, national and international charities of their choice.

With Betfred offering extra charitable donations totalling £87,385 to the Graham Wylie Foundation during the Betfred British Masters, and 2018 Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn also raising £35,735 through his 210km #WentworthtoWales walk, the total sum throughout the opening six weeks of the campaign was £623,120.

In addition to the funds raised by the European Tour, each week thousands of Callaway Chrome Soft golf balls were donated to local junior academies, with approximately 10,800 balls being distributed throughout the UK Swing.

Meanwhile, a true hero of the pandemic was rewarded each tournament week with, among other prizes, a year’s Membership of the relevant host venue, a year’s supply of Callaway Chrome Soft golf balls and a surprise Zoom call from a European Tour star.

Golf for Good aims to give back in three key areas - supporting the communities where the European Tour plays, rewarding the true heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the front line workers, and promoting the many health benefits that golf offers.

Through a variety of activations and fundraising initiatives, the European Tour aimed to make an impact upon the local areas it visited during the UK Swing, and will continue in that drive for the remainder of the 2020 campaign.

See below for the full details on all of the Golf for Good initiatives and donations during the UK Swing:

‘UK Swing’ Mini Order of Merit – For players to donate to charities of their choice

PositionPlayer£
1Rasmus Højgaard£60,000
2Sam Horsfield£50,000
3Andy Sullivan£40,000
4Thomas Detry£30,000
5Renato Paratore£20,000
6Romain Langasque£10,000
7Sam Välimäki£10,000
8Adrian Otaegui£10,000
9Justin Walters£10,000
10Matthew Jordan£10,000
  £250,000

European Tour donations to venues

VenueDonation
Close House £50,000
Marriott Forest of Arden £50,000
Marriott Hanbury Manor £50,000
The Celtic Manor Resort£50,000
The Belfry£50,000
Total£250,000

Total weekly funds raised

Tournament£
Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood£137,385
Hero Open£50,000
English Championship£50,000
Celtic Classic£60,735
ISPS HANDA Wales Open£25,000
ISPS HANDA UK Championship£50,000
Total£373,120

Tournament venue’s chosen charities:

Close House Golf Club:

£50,000, Sir Graham Wylie Foundation (Official Charity of the Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood)

Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel and Country Club:

1st donation: £20,000, Blood Cancer UK

2nd donation: £15,000, Newlife

3rd donation: £15,000, Birmingham Mind

Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel and Country Club:

1st donation: £12,500, Teenage Cancer Trust

2nd donation: £12,500, Isabel Hospice

3rd donation: £12,500, Teens Unite

4th donation: £12,500, Dementia Adventure

Celtic Manor Resort/ISPS HANDA (Celtic Classic & ISPS HANDA Wales Open):

1st donation: £25,000, Invictus Games

2nd donation: £12,500, St David’s Hospice Care

3rd donation: £12,500, Raven House Trust

Thomas Bjørn #Wentworth2Wales Walk: £35,735, UNICEF and Golf Foundation

The Belfry/ISPS HANDA (ISPS HANDA UK Championship):

1st donation: £25,000, Invictus Games

2nd donation: £12,500, Matt Hampson Foundation

3rd donation: £12,500, The Cure Parkinson's Trust

Total Callaway golf balls donated

TournamentDonated toNo, of balls
Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee WestwoodHexham Golf Club City of Newcastle GC Westerhope Golf Club Morpeth Golf Club Tynemouth GC Durham City Golf Club – Junior3,000
Hero OpenAL Golf Junior Academies – Hatchbrook Golf Centre1,200
English ChampionshipHertfordshire Junior Golf Section1,200
Celtic ClassicWales Mini Masters1,200
ISPS HANDA Wales OpenLlantrisant & Pontyclun Golf Club1,200
ISPS HANDA UK ChampionshipThe Belfry Junior Golf Academy 3,000
 Total10,800

Heroes initiative: #GolfForGood: Nominate everyday heroes for unforgettable prizes

Each week of the UK Swing, the European Tour rewarded an everyday hero, each of whom were nominated by friends and family for their tireless efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood

Winning nominee: Nick Cassidy, charity worker – Newcastle Utd Foundation

Watch Nick’s surprise Zoom call with tournament host Lee Westwood

Hero Open

Winning nominee: Wayne Duke, frontline paramedic

Wayne was told about his win in a Zoo call with Tommy Fleetwood – watch here

English Championship

Winning nominee: Scott Day, factor worker – Ford Ventilators 

Andy Sullivan surprised Scott with a Zoom call moments after winning the English Championship – watch here

Celtic Classic

Winning nominee: Dewi Frelford, postman

Watch as Thomas Bjørn surprised Dewi after completing his 210km #Wentworth2Wales charity walk

Winning nominee: Heidi Price

Watch as Heidi heard about her nomination in a Zoom call with Major winner Graeme McDowell

ISPS HANDA UK Championship

Winning nominee: Dr Avraj Ghaly – NHS doctor

Dr Avraj received a surprise Zoom call from Matt Wallace

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