Author: Felix Kachel

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Panorama

Euro 2024: Three Lions will stay at luxury golf resort in East Germany

three-lions-euro-2024
The Three Lions and their captain Harry Kana are heading to the Weimarer Land Spa & GolfResort in May to prepare for the European Championship 2024. (Photo: Getty/Instagram(@golfweimarerland))

Gareth Southgate, boss of the Three Lions, confirmed that the team around Harry Kayne will have their training base at the state of Thuringia during the 2024 European Championships next summer. At the Spa and GolfResort Weimarer Land in Blankenhain, the team want to forget the result of the last Euro and make it better this time. The spacious hotel complex around 30 kilometres from Erfurt, Thuringia’s state capital, will lay the foundations for success at the European Championships. It’s not just Southgates’ team that will be guests in Thuringia next year.

Three Lions: Perfect place for Harry Kane?

The Three Lions and Bayern player Harry Kane are staying at the golfresort during the tournament (14.06 – 14.07). For Kane, a keen golfer on the team, this should be good place to calm down between the games. The top-ranked english team is regarded as one of the top favourites for the tournament. They lost to Italy on penalties in the home final of the 2021 European Football Championship at Wembley Stadium. Now they want to do better. At the gates of the historic city of Weimar, the extensive course offers two 18-hole courses. One of the two is the hilly Goethe Course, which is dedicated to Johann Wolfgang Goethe, the famous poet and face of the city of Weimar. The hotel opened in May 2013 and offers 94 rooms and suites.

EM 2024: German Team of Julian Nagelsmann is also a guest

The Three Lions and their captain Harry Kane, are part of Group C including Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia. The host of the Euro 2024 will also be a guest in Thuringia. But the German national team and their coach Julian Nagelsmann will only stay for a few days at the end of May to prepare for the tournament at home. The opening match of the European Championship will take place on June 14th in Munich between Germany and Scotland. Ten stadiums in total, such as the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, will be part of the Euro 2024 in Germany.

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Equipment Products

Motocaddy launches new Hydroflex Carry Bag

Motocaddy releases a new bag available in three colours. (Photo: Motocaddy)

Motocaddy, the UK’s top-selling golf cart bag brand, has unveiled a new lightweight waterproof HydroFlex carry bag with updated modern styling, improved storage options and cutting-edge design to provide golfers with the flexibility they need to extend their season through the wetter winter months. Incorporating game-enhancing features, the lightweight (2.3kg) and waterproof new model offers golfers a comfortable carry bag featuring an integrated stand system that also fits perfectly onto any Motocaddy trolley.

Motocaddy: Perfect fit with the trolley

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HydroFlex Red on Trolley. (Photo: Motocaddy)

“It was always going to be hard to improve on the award-winning HydroFlex, which has been a top seller since it was launched two years ago, but we feel that the sporty styling, subtle branding and colourful trim helps to make the new bag more eye-catching and appealing than ever before,” said Oliver Churcher, Motocaddy Marketing Director.

“The new Hydroflex provides golfers with the perfect bag for winter golf when trolley bans begin and carrying is the only option. We’ve designed it as a traditional carry bag that can also fit perfectly onto any Motocaddy trolley, meaning golfers don’t have to keep changing their bag depending on the condition of their course,” he added.

Features of the HydroFlex from Motocaddy

Features include a moulded hip pad, an adjustable rear stand lock, and an easily adjustable dual carry strap with quick release connectors for comfort when carrying clubs around the course.

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HydroFlex Blue with Strap. (Photo: Motocaddy)

Easy-open Japanese YKK zips, plus thermo sealed and heat-welded seams provides 100%waterproof protection, along with a rain hood, while five full length dividers and five spaciouspockets offers ideal organisation for golfing equipment and valuables. A towel and accessory hook, internal umbrella sleeve and an external beverage pouch are also incorporated.
Available later this month in Blue, Lime or Red colourways making it even easier for golfers to match a bag with the trolley of their choice.

(Text from Motocaddy)

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Highlights Tours

Record breaking Ryder Cup in Rome

Team Europe celebrating the victory of this year Ryder Cup. (Foto: Getty)

Ryder Cup: New Records in Italy

The 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy set new records across the board, with Europe’s 16½-11½ victory against at United States attracting unprecedented levels of engagement across social media and global broadcasts.

A total of 271,191 people from 100 different countries attended the 44th Ryder Cup in person at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, with millions more following the action from afar on television and digital platforms.

There were 2,653 posts across official Ryder Cup Europe, Ryder Cup USA and joint Ryder Cup social channels during the Ryder Cup week, which led to more than 600million impressions and pageviews. Furthermore, early figures show views of Ryder Cup official social media channels amounted to 197.6million, with a total of 26.7million interactions, contributing to the channels gaining 500,000 new followers.  

On Ryder Cup Europe’s platforms alone, impressions numbered 347,106, 426 – a remarkable 117 per cent increase on the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris which totalled 160million.

Footage from the European Team Bus on the Sunday night particularly resonated with fans, with 14,054,985 views across all channels in the first 48 hours, total impressions of 19,188,189 and engagement amounting to 1,482,709.

Early figures also show notable increases across global broadcasts, with a rise in average viewership on Sky Sports in the UK of 38 per compared to the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits and 25 per cent up on the 2018 edition at Le Golf National, making it the most watched Ryder Cup on Sky Sports on record.

Significant Increases

Guy Kinnings, Executive Director – Ryder Cup, said: “The 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy once again underlined the global appeal and continued growth of one of the world’s leading sporting events.

“This year’s contest, played against the backdrop of the historic city of Rome, truly connected with fans around the world, and our early figures show significant increases in engagement even from the recent record-breaking editions.

“The Ryder Cup is undoubtedly a unique and special event in sport. These extraordinary numbers certainly are testament to that and to the wonderful entertainment the European and US team provided on the course, as well as the unforgettable scenes of Luke Donald and his players celebrating a memorable victory at Marco Simone. Luke was a magnificent captain and those scenes really captured what it means to play for something bigger than yourself, which is something that inspired Luke and his players throughout his Captaincy.”

Written by European Tour Group Communications

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Highlights Tours Ladies Tours

Solheim Cup 2023: Team Europe shines in spain and catches up

Day 2 of the 2023 Solheim Cup thrills Team Europe fans. Carlota Ciganda and Linn Grant lay the foundation for the title defense. (Photo: Getty)

The Solheim Cup 2023 continues with a sensation from Team Europe. Linn Grant und Carlota Ciganda pave the way for a comeback on saturday in Spain. Now only the Singles are left.

Solheim Cup 2023: Charley und Leonia start the catch-up on the fourballs

Charley Hull/Leona Maguire (EUR) def. Nelly Korda/Ally Ewing (USA), 4 and 3

After tying the first hole, Charley Hull and Leona Maguire took the 1-up advantage at No. 2 and held that lead for the rest of the match, gradually increasing it to 4 up as the match went on. Ally Ewing and Nelly Korda did not go down without a good fight, trying as hard as they could to even the match, and even closing the European gap slightly down to 3 up for a few holes. Ultimately, they  could not close it any further. Coming down to a long Ewing putt to prolong the match, the American barely missed and opened the door for Hull to win with two-putts. The Englishwoman slammed it shut on the Americans, earning her 12th career Solheim Cup match win.

“Yeah, I like it, because we’re both not really like hyper, how do I explain it, hype-to-the-crowd people, we just kind of go along with our business, not too massive fist pumps and stuff,” Hull said about why her and Maguire are such good partners. “We make a birdie, yup; we make a bogey, yup, move on to the next hole and forget about it and I feel like we both do that quite well.”

Cheyenne Knight/Angel Yin (USA) def. Anna Nordqvist/Caroline Hedwall (EUR), 2-up

Europe struck first during match 14 thanks largely to a well-rested and fired up Caroline Hedwall, making her first appearance at the 2023 Solheim Cup. The Swede made birdie off the bat, setting up what could be another European victory. Angel Yin tied it up with a birdie on 3, but the Euros went 1-up, then 2-up on Nos. 5 and 8, thanks again to Hedwall. Cheyenne Knight did her best on No. 7 to dwindle the European lead with from 80 feet out, but Hedwall matched it with a long birdie putt. With the momentum definitely favoring Team Europe, things began to change after the turn. On No. 11, Yin brought the match back within one with a monster drive and long birdie putt. Knight tied things up with a close approach on 12, then Yin sank another long one on 12 to take the lead in just three holes. The Americans held onto that lead with all they could for the next four holes, walking onto 18 still 1-up. On the final par-5, Yin hit another long drive and got it onto the green in two, almost assuring an American victory after it took both Hedwall and Nordqvist three shots to get on. Yin’s eagle putt missed just right of the hole and rolled just three feet past, good enough to earn the Americans their only point of the afternoon after the Swedes each missed long birdie putts.

Livescoring for the 2023 Solheim Cup

“It was so difficult because they were playing great. Hedwall was, like, giving us no opportunities. Then as soon as Hedwall, like — let’s just say she makes a little bit of a mistake, not even a big mistake, Anna is right next to the pin, and so it never really created any room for error,” Yin said of the match. “I think on each side we only had one bogey. We had one bogey, they had one bogey. So that just tells you how good of golf we’re playing. We only had to make birdie to win the hole and the pars didn’t even do anything. So, I mean, it’s just tough.”

Madelene Sagstrom/Emily Pedersen (EUR) def. Rose Zhang/Andrea Lee (USA), 2 and 1

The United States took the early lead after Rose Zhang drove the green on the opening par 4 and sinking the eagle putt to take the early momentum. The lead stood for just another hole until Europe took the lead on 4. Madelena Sagstrom and Emily Pedersen would hold that lead for 13 of the final 14 holes. Not going down easy, the Americans tried to bring the match back down to a tie with a clutch Zhang birdie putt on 9 but Pedersen matched it with a birdie putt of her own to keep the European edge. The dagger for the Americans came on No. 14 when Pedersen sunk a birdie putt from off the green to take the 2-up lead the rest of the way.

“I think everyone got frustrated with yesterday morning. Nobody wanted that outcome. But at the same time, we all knew that good golf was in us and we fought back really good yesterday afternoon, and I think this morning was also a good fight back,” said Sagstrom of earning closing the points gap between the U.S. and Europe after their 0-4 fourball loss Friday morning. “I think we were happy with a 2-2 this morning and now coming out, I mean, our goal is always to grind our match out and we did a good job from the start.”

Solheim Cup 2023: Ciganda and Grant lead Team Europe

Carlota Ciganda/Linn Grant def. Danielle Kang/Lilia Vu (USA), 2 and 1

Carlota Ciganda won her 10th career Solheim Cup match on home soil alongside partner Linn Grant, defeating Lilia Vu and Danielle Kang 2&1. It was a tied match through five holes, thanks to a barrage of birdies from each team, before the Spainard put the Euros 1-up on No. 6. Kang tied it up again with a solid birdie on the par-3 10th, but Grant and Ciganda quickly fired back with a birdie each on 11 and 12, respectively. On 13, Vu stuck her approach shot 18 inches from the cup, closing the gap to 1-up again, advantage Europeans. On 16, in front of the largest crowd on the course, Ciganda drained a solid birdie that produced a roar heard across the grounds of Finca Cortesin. The match was dormie heading onto 17, but the Americans had a good look to force one more hole and potentially tie the match. However, Kang’s putt missed just right on 17, giving the Europeans their final point of the day and bringing the overall score to 8-8 with just singles matches still to play.

“Yesterday and today, but certainly today in the afternoon I knew we were doing good, because I could hear the people cheering pretty loud. So amazing feeling. I just can’t believe we’re playing here in Spain and so happy to be a part of this amazing team,” said Ciganda. “Very happy to play with Linn. She’s such a great player. Just, yeah, very comfortable, very confident. I can’t wait until tomorrow.”

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Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023: Nicolai Hojgaard – A Twin alone in Rome

Nicolai Hojgaard will be one of the rookies at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Nicolai Hojgaard will be one of the rookies at the 2023 Ryder Cup. (Photo: Getty)

The man from Denmark was only born in 2001 and at 22 will be the youngest player at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy. Nicolai Hojgaard played his way back into Ryder Cup consideration in the last minute and was nominated as one of Luke Donald’s ‘Captain’s Picks’ in the end. The Dane has two wins on the DP World Tour to show for his career. His twin brother Rasmus Hojgaard is also a professional golfer and has already celebrated success. Both set themselves the goal of going to the Ryder Cup together, but only one of them has made it. But an event from last year on the DP World Tour makes the two inseparable despite Rasmus not being nominated.

Nicolai Hojgaard at the 2023 Ryder Cup

Nicolai Hojgaard was only 25th in the Ryder Cup rankings before the final announcement of Team Europe. He collected 942 points in the rankings by the beginning of September, while Yannik Paul, who missed the qualification in the end, had a whole 1731 points. But this ranking was only secondary in Hojgaard’s nomination, because the Dane played his way onto Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald’s note with the performance in the last decisive tournaments.

Before that, the Dane played a season with ups and downs on the DP World and PGA Tour. Placements in the top ten were often followed by missed cuts. From the beginning of June to the end of July, he had to say goodbye after the cut in three of four tournaments. Then a strong shared sixth place at the Scottish Open 2023 and a shared 23rd place at The Open 2023, his best performance to date at a major after T50 at the PGA Championship this year, came as a surprise. But Hojgaard’s biggest exclamation mark this year came at the end of August when he finished third at the D+D Real Czech Masters and followed that up with a strong shared fifth place at the Omega European Masters a week later.

The European captain obviously wants to benefit from this form at the 2023 Ryder Cup in the Italian capital: “He’s a young superstar. The world is at his feet when it comes to golf. We are seeing the beginning of what he has already achieved at such a young age. With Nicolai, it was important for me to have six players in good form and what he’s done in the last two weeks has been very special.” When the Danish golfer found out about his good fortune, he could hardly believe it. The call from Luke Donald was an emotional one for the young Dane: “To be honest, I was hoping for it, but after today it was a bit mixed. I can’t describe how this call feels!”

Nicolai Hojgaard as a Rookie to the Ryder Cup 2023

Although Nicolai Hojgaard has no experience of the Ryder Cup so far, the Northern European can look back on other comparable competitions. At the Hero Cup earlier this year, the continental Europeans faced off against the team from Great Britain and Ireland. Because his brother Rasmus was injured, Nicolai stepped in and was promptly convincing. In the duel with Seamus Power he won his singles match and contributed 2.5 points to the victory of the continental Europeans in Abu Dhabi.

Together with brother Rasmus Nicolai Hojgaard won the Eisenhower Trophy in Ireland in 2018. The pair, along with John Axelsen, took the title to Denmark at the World Amateur Team Championship with a one-stroke lead over the USA, who fielded Colin Morikawa among others. In the same year, the pair were to be less fortunate, losing the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup to the Americans.

The career of Nicolai Hojgaard so far

Nicolai Hojgaard’s success story is directly linked to his twin brother Rasmus. The two brothers share a record that is unlikely to be broken in the near future. In September 2021, Rasmus Hojgaard first won the Omega Masters in Switzerland, only for Nicolai to match him a week later and win the Italian Open with a birdie on the last hole and a one-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood and Adrian Meronk. It had never happened before that two brothers won in a row on the European Tour. For the Ryder Cup rookie, it was his first title on the DP World Tour at the time, before he celebrated his next success five months later in February 2022 at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship with 24 strokes under par.

The youngster, who is still at the beginning of his career, could bring in about four million US dollars so far and seems to be one of the European players for the future. Therefore, it should also be a nomination with a view to upcoming editions of the Ryder Cup. But now the next challenge in the Dane’s young career awaits at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club. Can Hojgaard catch fire again, as he did in Abu Dhabi, and help his team to victory in Rome?

A look inside Nicolai Hojgaard’s bag for the 2023 Ryder Cup

Since this year, both Nicolai and his brother Rasmus Hojgaard are under contract with Callaway. Like his colleague and team member Jon Rahm, Nicolai tees up with the Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond Driver. When it comes to the woods, he then relies on the Rogue ST Max model with 16.5 degrees of loft, slightly more than the 14 to 15 degrees that are usual on the Tour. As a transition to the irons, Hojgaard, like many of his Tour colleagues, chooses a utility iron, more precisely the Callaway X21.
He completes his long game with the 2021 Apex MB (Muscle Back) irons. He takes the Players irons of the well-known Apex series from the 4-iron to the pitching wedge into his golf bag.

Nicolai Højgaard’s wedges ??❤️#TeamEurope pic.twitter.com/WNRQQxYbEG — Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) September 12, 2023

In keeping with the Ryder Cup, the Dane had a special version of the Callaway Jaws wedges forged. The three wedges bear various allusions to Team Europe and, of course, the venue of the Ryder Cup in Rome. With 50 degrees, 56 degrees and 60 degrees, Hojgaard covers the entire width of the “usual” wedges and additionally leaves many possibilities of use around the green open with different sole grinds.
The Odyssey Toulon putter makes it into his bag with the Chicago Blade design and, together with the Callaway Chrome Soft X, completes the Ryder Cup rookie’s equipment choice.

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Highlights Tours Ladies Tours

Solheim Cup 2023: Sweden’s Stark & Grant keep Team Europe alive

The morning in Andalusia saw exciting duels at the Solheim Cup 2023! Two Swedes thrill the spectators. (Photo: Getty)

The Solheim Cup 2023 stays vivid. Ahead of the Fourballs Team Europa keeps the hopes alive with a stunning performance by two swedish players. The intermediate 5:7 promises suspense for the rest of the weekend.

Solheim Cup 2023: Ciganda & Pedersen make the start for Europe

In the first match of day two, Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen were fired up from the start, notching the lead with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 5 and 6 to go 2-up. Jennifer Kupcho tied the match with her putt at No. 8, after struggling with her putter through the first seven holes. Europe regained the match lead on No. 10 after Ciganda’s birdie putt was short enough for a conceded par to win the hole. With Europe 2-up heading to the 15th tee, the U.S. team attempted a comeback after a clutch birdie putt on No. 15, but it was two no avail, as Ciganda and Pedersen came out on top, 2 and 1, to add another full point to the European total.

“I think it’s important because you don’t want to give too much to the Americans,” Ciganda said about how important it was carrying over the momentum from yesterday’s afternoon matches. “I mean, they are tough to beat. They are really strong and they are really good, so we can do this, but we have to play good golf, and we have to be very present and hopefully that’s enough.”

The European duo of Anna Nordqvist and Leona Maguire led the majority of the front nine in their match with Lexi Thompson and Megan Khang. But the Americans kept things tight, never letting their opponents pull clear by more than two holes. Maguire’s bogey putt at No. 9 pulled the Americans back within one, and another European bogey at No. 10 brought the match back to even. The U.S. Team grabbed its first lead when Thompson put her birdie putt to tap-in range, going 1-up with the conceded par. The back-nine was all Team United States taking the 1-up lead and holding it for six of the last eight holes, securing the win for the Americans.

Livescoring for the 2023 Solheim Cup

“I think this week is just purely adrenaline,” Kang said when asked if the crowds help keep her going. “If you feel like you’re tired, you forget about it because the crowd’s right there picking you up. You have your partner looking at you going like, Let’s go. Lexi is literally like, Come on, we can do it. I’m like, I can do it. My little legs can keep up.”

Korda and Corpuz show their skills

The American duo of Nelly Korda and Allisen Corpuz got off to a hot start on Saturday morning, with Korda winning the first two holes with birdies to build a 2-up lead. They extended the advantage to 3 up when Corpuz dropped a par putt at No. 7 after Celine Boutier drained a long bogey putt, forcing the Americans to win the hole outright. Korda and Corpuz extended the lead to 5 up with a par at No. 13, but Hall won the 14th with a 15-foot birdie putt to stay alive. Two holes later, Korda sealed the 5-and-3 victory with a 25-foot birdie putt, punctuated by a big fist pump.

“I think Nelly is really calm, which is kind of what I need,” Corpuz said about how her and Korda compliment each other. “I play pretty low energy. Obviously she has the experience as well. So just knowing that having someone like her by my side has helped me a lot to get comfortable.”

Solheim Cup 2023: A stunning swedish pair

It was the Swedish twosome of Maja Stark and Linn Grant that would strike first going 1-up on the first hole where it would be held for the first three holes. The Americans, Danielle Kang and Andrea Lee, kept the pressure on the Swedes tying the match up on 4 where it stayed until 8. Grant sunk a clutch birdie putt for a quick one hole lead before the U.S. tied it right back up again. Finding themselves 1-down on 12, Kang sunk a winning putt met with roars from the U.S. fans and praise with Captain Stacy Lewis and Vice Captain Natalie Gubles. Back and forth the match went with Europe taking 1-up leads on 13 and 15 before Stark took the air out of the Americans sails with a go ahead birdie putt on 17. With the Americans looking to force a tie, Grant was not going to let that happen sinking her own birdie putt to clinch the point for Team Europe.

“It’s unbelievable,” Stark said about getting to play on this stage with her good friend Grant. “It’s so much fun, especially getting that confidence growing with Suzann putting us together. I mean, two rookies, that’s got to be a little hard for her to be out in the first group yesterday. I think there were a lot of nerves involved yesterday on the first few holes and then getting to play with her again it’s just amazing and I knew that we could do it. It was just, yeah, letting loose and just doing it.”

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Amateur Tours

Europe’s Junior Ryder Cup team with two german talents finalised

The Junior Ryder team is official. Two talents from germany are among them. (Photo: Getty)

The six automatic qualifiers comprise three boys – Englishman Kris Kim, Ireland’s Sean Keeling and Germany’s Peer Wernicke – and three girls – Spain’s Rocio Tejedo, Swede Meja Örtengren and Germany’s Helen Briem. The automatic qualifiers earned their place on the European Junior Ryder Cup team through a season-long ranking system, which was organised by the European Golf Association.

Junior Ryder Cup: Captains Picks

Six players were then selected by Gallacher: Scotland’s Connor Graham, Ukraine’s Lev Grinberg and Italian Giovanni Binaghi for the boys, while Sweden’s Nora Sundberg, Spain’s Andrea Revuelta Goicoechea and Italian Francesca Fiorellini were selected for the girls.

Gallacher said: “I would like to congratulate the players selected to represent Europe in the 2023 Junior Ryder Cup. They have all performed brilliantly over the past year and their selection is fully justified.

“I’ve been to several of the qualification events this year and I’ve been blown away by the standard of golf on show. We’ve got a very strong team and it is going to be a fiercely contested tournament against the United States.

“It is a tremendous honour to be their Captain and I am looking forward to working with and showcasing the most exciting future talent in Europe.

“We are relishing the prospect of taking on the United States in Rome and playing the final day single matches at Marco Simone will be a memorable experience for both sets of players.”

The Participants

Kim, winner of the recent 96th Boys’ Amateur Championship at Ganton, topped the male Junior Ryder Cup Order of Merit to secure his place in Rome, and he will be joined by Keeling who finished second on the rankings.

Keeling finished third at the Portuguese International Amateur Championship, before reaching the third round of matches in the Spanish Amateur Championship.

The third and final automatic qualification spot was taken by Wernicke after an impressive campaign which included a third place finish at the Spanish International Amateur and a runner-up finish at the German Boys Open.

For the girls, Tejedo topped the Order of Merit thanks to a sensational season, which included two victories at the Portuguese International Ladies’ Amateur Championship and German Girls Open. Tejedo also won the European Girls’ Team Championship with Spain, in addition to third place finishes at the Spanish International Amateur Championship and French International Girls Championship.

Tejedo, currently sitting third in the European Golf Rankings and 37th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, will be joined in Rome by her fellow automatic qualifiers, Örtengren and Briem.

Örtengren has tasted success twice in 2023, firstly winning the French International Girls Championship before adding the European Ladies’ Team Championship in Finland, whilst Briem became the first German to win The R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship in its 104-year history to secure the final automatic qualification spot.

New Record

Gallacher then selected the talented trio of Graham, who will become one of the youngest players in Walker Cup history after being selected in Great Britain and Ireland’s team for the matches against the United States in September, Grinberg and Binaghi.

Grinberg, at the 2022 Soudal Open in Belgium, became the second-youngest player to make a cut in the DP World Tour’s history at the age of 14.

He also picked Sundberg who won the Spanish International Amateur Championship and the stroke play qualifying at the European Girls’ Team Championship earlier this year, Goicoechea who finished second in the French International Girls Championship, and Fiorellini, meaning there will be two Italians taking part in the Junior Ryder Cup on the eve of the country hosting the Ryder Cup itself for the first time.

The first two days of the Junior Ryder Cup will be played at Golf Nazionale before the decisive singles matches are held at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, the Ryder Cup venue, on the eve of the 44th edition of the biennial contest between Europe and the United States.

Categories
Panorama

Project Ukraine Returns For Second Camp To Support Young Golfers

Veronika Rastvortseva with Project Ukraine participants at Peebles Golf Club (Image: Project Ukraine)

Project Ukraine, an initiative created by nine women from The R&A’s Women in Golf Leadership Programme, is thrilled to announce the return of its second coaching camp. Building upon the success of last year’s camp, Project Ukraine aims to support young Ukrainian golfers affected by the continuing war in Ukraine.

After witnessing the devastating impact of the war on her homeland, Veronika Rastvortseva, a participant from last year’s cohort, was inspired to rally a group of eight determined women from the Women in Golf Leadership Programme to do something to help young Ukrainian golfers. Together, they organised a highly successful coaching camp at the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel Golf & Spa in Scotland, hosting seven talented golfers from the Ukrainian Golf Federation.

Project Ukraine: Camp for 13 young golfers

This year’s camp will welcome 13 young golfers from the Ukrainian Golf Federation who will come from across the world, having fled the war, as well as from Ukraine itself.

The camp will take place from 26th June to 1st July and will be hosted by MacDonald Portal Golf and Spa Resort. The coaching camp will deliver an engaging programme designed to enhance the skills of the young golfers and provide them with memorable experiences. The activities will include:

A trip to the Betfred British Masters: The young golfers will have the opportunity to witness top-level golf at the British Masters tournament, gaining inspiration from the world’s best players.

Coaching by top quality coaches: Golf coaches will provide expert guidance and training, helping the young golfers refine their techniques and improve their games.

An event with local juniors: A special golf event will bring together members from Portal Golf and Spa Resort and junior players from Hill Valley Golf Club. This event will provide a competitive and fun opportunity for participants to showcase their skills and enjoy the camaraderie of the golfing community. In the evening, a raffle will be held to raise further funds for the project.

Ample practice opportunities: The camp will offer plenty of practice time for the young golfers to refine their skills and showcase their talent.

PING are supporting the project by providing golf equipment and clothing.

Project Ukraine brings hope

Veronika, from Project Ukraine, shared her thoughts on the impact of Project Ukraine, “As someone who has witnessed the devastating effects of the war in my homeland, I am truly grateful for the opportunity to support young Ukrainian golfers through Project Ukraine. This initiative has the power to bring hope and change lives.”

Jackie Davidson, Director of Golf Development at  The R&A, said, “We are pleased to support Project Ukraine for a second year. This initiative is important in so many ways and aligns perfectly with our mission to develop and enhance the game of golf globally. We look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on these talented young golfers.”

Since last year’s camp, Project Ukraine has been able to support young Ukrainian golfers by providing them with training, coaching, golf club membership and access to competitions to help them continue to grow their talent.

Some of the inspiring girls and boys who have received support include:

Artem Sokolov, a 17-year-old golf prodigy from Kyiv, Ukraine, has undergone an incredible journey of overcoming adversity amidst war. Despite facing numerous challenges, including being displaced from his home and golf club, Artem remains determined to pursue his passion for golf. He credits Project Ukraine, an initiative aimed at supporting Ukrainian junior golfers, for giving him hope and support during these trying times. “Five days in Scotland was a start of some good changes in my life, bringing me some hope. I had some great time there, saw my friends from the national team, it was like in our ‘old times’ – ‘before the war times’. I felt like I am a kid again,” says Artem.

Artem’s goals have evolved, and he now aspires to become a professional golf coach, with the intention of returning to Ukraine after the war to train children in the sport. Artem’s resilience and determination are a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Yeva Kolobova, a 15-year-old member of the Ukrainian National Golf Team, has faced unimaginable challenges and upheaval due to the war in Ukraine. Despite the destruction of her local golf club and the need to evacuate her home, Yeva has found hope and support in Project Ukraine, to help young Ukrainian golfers continue pursuing their dreams. Yeva shares her gratitude for the assistance she has received, stating, “I am very grateful to all of you for such impressive assistance and support! Project Ukraine has given me hope for the future and the realisation that Ukrainians are not alone in their hardship.”

Now living near Reading, England, under the Homes for Ukraine programme, Yeva has been able to regain her form and continue her golf journey with the support of Project Ukraine. With her handicap significantly reduced and regular practice at The Caversham Club, Yeva is working towards her goal of enrolling in an English college with a golf team. Despite the adversity she has faced, Yeva remains determined to ensure her golf story has a bright and successful future.

Ivan Malovychko, a 22-year-old golfer from Kharkiv, Ukraine, has gone from living under the constant threat of war to studying at Edge Golf College in Portugal. A four-time champion of Ukraine, Ivan began his golf career at the Junior Golf Academy at the Superior Golf Club in Kharkiv. “Golf is a special game, it taught me a lot. It’s not just a game, when you hit the ball once your life will never be the same again… I love this game with all my heart” says Ivan.

After living through weeks of bombings and moving to western Ukraine, Ivan received a life-changing call that led him to study at Edge Golf College. There, he found a supportive community and honed his skills, despite the challenges of being away from his family and having to renew his permit every month. Ivan dreams of returning to Ukraine and using golf to help people recover psychologically from the ongoing conflict. Currently, he is preparing to compete in the Team Shields championship and looks forward to reuniting with his friends and teammates.

“Studying at Edge Golf College has had a tremendous impact on my life. The support and encouragement I’ve received here have not only helped me grow as a golfer but also as a person. I am grateful for the opportunity to develop my skills and pursue my passion in such a nurturing environment”.

15-year-old Grynenko Oleksandr, a talented golfer from Kharkiv, Ukraine, shares his harrowing experience of how COVID-19 brought him back to his country just in time to witness the invasion. “It’s a strange feeling when you realise that if the war had started a few hours later, I would have been in a safe place in Turkey,” says Grynenko. Despite the challenges, he continued to pursue his passion for golf, participating in competitions across Europe and focusing on rebuilding his physical fitness amidst the ongoing conflict.

Grynenko’s biggest dream is to return to his hometown, but with schools closed and his home golf club partially destroyed, it is not possible at the moment. His main goal in golf is to achieve a “0” handicap, and he is currently preparing to take part in the European Young Masters and Team Shields championships this summer. For the first time, Grynenko will be attending the Project Ukraine camp, he hopes that the camp will help him gain new experiences, improve his golf skills, and reunite with friends from the national team.

How to contribute

You can contribute to the Project Ukraine scholarship fund cause by making a donation via this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/project-ukraine-scholarship-fund

For individuals or companies interested in making a donation of more than £5,000, please contact Jennifer Hedge, Philanthropy Manager at The R&A directly. For further questions, visit the R&A Philanthropy Support website.

The funds raised will assist these young individuals in pursuing post-secondary education in a golf-related management programme, pursuing a career in golf, or continuing to play golf competitively.

Join us in making a difference in the lives of young Ukrainian golfers. Your support will have a lasting impact and contribute to the growth of the game in Ukraine.

If you would like to find it more or how you can get involved and support Project Ukraine, please get in touch via [email protected]

(Written by R&A, 12 June 2023, St Andrews, Scotland)