Graeme McDowell began to look ahead to April’s Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea by stepping back into golfing history during a unique golfing day at Wentworth Club.
The Northern Irishman, who won the inaugural Ballantine’s Championship at Pinx Golf Club on Jeju Island in 2008 and is now a Global Ambassador for Ballantine’s, teamed up with Neil Coles MBE, the chairman of the PGA European Tour Board of Directors and the man who won the old Ballantine’s Golf Tournament at Wentworth Club in 1961, to put modern-day golf clubs to the test against equipment first used half a century ago; highlighting the evolution of the game.
The pair played the 17th and 18th holes on Wentworth Club’s East Course, firstly with Coles’ original persimmon woods, steel shafted irons and the old size 1.62 Slazenger balls, and then with McDowell’s modern day Callaway woods, irons and balls.
To great applause from the watching gallery, McDowell managed a fine up and down from the greenside bunker for a par three on the 17th with the old equipment, before failing to repeat the feat on his way to a bogey five with his current equipment on the par four 18th; “I’ll have to have a word with the lads at Callaway about this,” joked the four time European Tour champion.
The event was organised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Ballantine’s Golf Tournament and the launch of the 2010 Championship Blend. A priceless, limited edition Scotch whisky, the blend combines extremely rare grains and malts taken from the time of the first Ballantine’s golf tournaments fifty years ago. The inaugural tournament, held at Wentworth Club in 1960 introduced the big ball to the game and attracted some of the most well respected players of the day.
The creation of an exclusive blend has become an annual tradition ahead of Korea’s biggest golf tournament – the Ballantine’s Championship from April 23-26. Of the precious 20 bottles made, one will be presented to the winner of the Championship.
“I am really looking forward to going back to Pinx Golf Club in April,” said McDowell. “I was thrilled to win there because I really enjoyed the golf course. My defence last year didn’t go exactly as I’d hoped but I am hoping to put that right in a couple of months time.
“Celebrating the heritage of Ballantine’s involvement in golf has been a fantastic experience and I have so much respect for Neil and his contemporaries. He may be 75 years old but he still has a fantastic swing and I wouldn’t want to give him too many shots around here even today.”
Coles, who won 25 European Tour titles and 15 European Senior Tour titles in a glittering career, said: “I must have played hundreds of rounds at Wentworth over the years but it was a lot of fun to be involved here today and bring back the happy memories of my win here in 1961.”
Peter Moore, Ballantine’s Global Brand Director added, “We’re thrilled that Neil and Graeme were able to join and celebrate 50 years of Ballantine’s and golf with us in such a creative way. Both players showed real style in winning their respective Ballantine’s golf tournaments and we’d like to thank them for once again leaving an impression on the golf course through this challenge.
“We wish Graeme the best of luck for the 2010 tournament in April and look forward to presenting the 2010 Championship Blend to the next Ballantine’s champion”
Thongchai Jaidee won the 2009 Ballantine’s Championship and the Thai golfer will be back to defend his title in April, headlining a strong Asian line-up which will also included South Korea’s Y E Yang, who made history as the first Asian-born player to win a Major Championship, following a memorable head-to-head with Tiger Woods in the US PGA Championship at Hazeltine National last August.
