British Heart Foundation (BHF) Scotland has been appointed the Official Charity of The 2022 Senior Open Presented by Rolex, which takes place at Gleneagles this week.
The BHF is the largest independent funder of research into heart and circulatory diseases in the UK and over the past 60 years has been instrumental in countless lifesaving discoveries. BHF-funded research has contributed to improving survival from heart transplants, the development of pacemakers, improving the way that heart attacks are treated, and the rollout of genetic testing for inherited heart conditions. The BHF’s research is funded entirely by donations from the public.
The charity has teamed up with The Senior Open Presented by Rolex to raise money at Gleneagles this week, with funds from the Long Putt Challenge in the spectator village being pledged to the BHF.
Edward Kitson, Championship Director of The Senior Open Presented by Rolex, said: “We are delighted to welcome BHF Scotland to this year’s Senior Open Presented by Rolex.
“They are a charity who have touched millions of peoples’ lives over the last six decades and their pioneering research into heart and circulatory diseases is incredibly important. We hope to be able to raise a substantial amount of money this week at Gleneagles.”
April Davidson, BHF Scotland’s Area Fundraising Manager, said: “We are thrilled to be working alongside The Senior Open and really looking forward to meeting golf fans at Gleneagles and sharing our work.
“Our lifesaving research into heart and circulatory diseases is only made possible thanks to the incredible generosity of the public. For more than 60 years, your support has helped the BHF turn research that once seemed like ‘science fiction’ into reality. But there is still so much more to do to power our research and help support the 700,000 people living with heart and circulatory diseases in Scotland.”
Spectators can contribute to the BHF by taking part in the Long Putt Challenge or visiting their exhibition unit in the spectator village, situated to the left of the first hole.
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About The Senior Open Presented by Rolex
The Senior Open Presented by Rolex will take place at Gleneagles for the first time as the iconic Scottish venue hosts Europe’s only Senior Major Championship from July 21-24, 2022.
Gleneagles has previously hosted the 1957 Women’s British Open, the Scottish Open from 1987 to 1994, the Ryder Cup in 2014 and most recently the Solheim Cup in 2019.
The 2021 Senior Open saw Welshman Stephen Dodd win his maiden Senior Major Championship at Sunningdale Golf Club after he birdied the final hole of the tournament to hold off 2018 Senior Open champion Miguel Ángel Jiménez.
Bernhard Langer became the first golfer in history to win The Senior Open four times with his victory in 2019 at Royal Lytham & St Annes – moving ahead of Gary Player and Tom Watson with whom he previously shared three wins. The German also broke his own record of Senior Major Championship victories – securing his 11th at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Dodd’s victory in 2021 was the fifth-consecutive European success in this event, adding to Langer’s victories in 2017 and 2019, Paul Broadhurst’s win at Carnoustie in 2016 and Jiménez’s triumph in 2018 on the Old Course at St Andrews.
The Senior Open was introduced in 1987 at Turnberry in Ayrshire when Neil Coles, the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the European Tour group, won the inaugural title. This led, two years later, to the formal inception of what is now the Legends Tour.
About Rolex and Golf
Rolex is committed to the permanent quest for excellence in all its endeavours and has been a long-term supporter of golf in its pursuit of the same. The brand’s enduring relationship with the sport began more than 50 years ago, in 1967, when Arnold Palmer, joined by Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, became the brand’s first golfing Testimonies. Known together as The Big Three, these legendary players changed the face of golf forever, and their partnership with Rolex marked the beginning of a relationship based on the shared commitment to continuous improvement and unwavering precision. Since then, the affiliation has grown and flourished, permeating every level of the game worldwide. From elite players and golf legends to all the game’s Major championships, where success represents the pinnacle of achievement in the sport, as well as the foremost professional tours and worldwide amateur championships, Rolex is ever-present. In 2021 Rolex further deepened its support by becoming a Worldwide Partner of The Ryder Cup, to act as Official Timekeeper at every iteration of the sport’s pre-eminent team competition. The Swiss manufacturer’s support for the game is built on a strong sense of integrity and respect for tradition that promote the continuity of expertise and transfer of knowledge, and an understanding of the importance of investing in the sport’s development for future generations.
Scotland, the Home of Golf
Scotland is renowned around the world as the Home of Golf. It is the birthplace of the game and to this day remains its spiritual home. It is also a modern, dynamic and world-class golf events and tourism destination welcoming hundreds of thousands of golfers every year and regularly playing host to the biggest tournaments in the world.
The golf industry in Scotland is worth more than £1 billion annually to the Scottish economy, of which golf events and golf tourism plays a major role.
Through activity delivered by organisations including VisitScotland, Scottish Development International and Scottish Golf, the Scottish Government is committed to continuing to support the growth of the game in this country. This includes; supporting economic and business growth within the Scottish economy, driving increased participation in the sport and helping to nurture the next generation of Scottish golfing stars.
For more information on the Scottish Government and its partners: www.scotland.org |
www.visitscotland.com | www.scotent.co.uk
About the Legends Tour
Formerly known as the European Seniors Tour and the Staysure Tour, the Legends Tour is the men’s professional golf tour for members aged 50 and older. Five years after the first edition of The Senior Open, won by Neil Coles in 1987, more than 60 professionals called for a formally structured Tour, which was then created in 1992. Many of the pioneering champions who played on the European Tour during the 1970s, 80s and 90s make up the Legends Tour’s active membership.
In September 2020, Ryan Howsam, Staysure Group CEO, acquired a majority equity share in the Tour in a ground-breaking joint venture with the European Tour, a unique structure whereby an individual has the majority ownership in a professional tour.
In 2022, the Legends Tour created new partnerships with a group of notable ambassadors that include former Ryder Cup captains and Major winners including: Paul McGinley, Paul Lawrie, Michael Campbell, Mark James, Ian Woosnam, Thomas Bjorn, Tom Lehman and Jean van de Velde.
Colin Montgomerie, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam are among the winners of the John Jacobs Trophy, which is awarded to the golfer who finishes first on the Legends Tour Order of Merit presented by Rolex each season.
The Legends Tour provides unmatched playing experiences for amateur golfers at its Alliance Series and Celebrity Series events. These experiences provide golfers with unique once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to rub shoulders with and play alongside legends of the game at competitive events hosted at world-class golfing destinations.
The Legends Tour supports the European Tour in ‘Driving Golf Further’ through the guiding principles of being innovative, inclusive and global.
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