Paul Waring (right) with a member of the EDGA at one of the European Tour events

EUROPEAN Tour star Paul Waring has signed up to officially represent EDGA – the international body that encourages people with disability to thrive through golf.

Waring has been one of the European Tour’s most popular golfers with fans and players alike since he started competing on the Tour in 2008.

The former England Boys captain won his first European Tour title – the 2018 Nordea Masters – in his 200th tournament.

Born in Birkenhead, Paul was on home territory when he first met and played with EDGA golfers while competing in the 2019 Betfred British Masters at Hillside GC.

EDGA players Caroline Mohr, from Sweden, Spain’s Juan Postigo Arce and Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor all said they were inspired by Paul’s encouragement and advice during their pro-am fourball.

Paul joined those players as an ambassador for leading audit, tax and consulting firm RSM, which supports EDGA and shares its vision to encourage 500,000 new players into the game.

The former English Amateur Champion was equally supportive of EDGA players and volunteers during last season’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, and the DP World Tour Championship, in Dubai.

RSM offered free golf lessons from PGA professionals to all spectators with a disability present at the two tournaments, which were part of the high profile Rolex Series.

EDGA president Tony Bennett said: “When I asked Paul if he was interested in a more formal role with EDGA in our aim to grow the game for people with disability, he did not hesitate in saying he’d be delighted to help us.

“We are therefore thrilled to welcome Paul as an official ambassador for EDGA.

“Right from the very first tee shots when he encouraged Caroline, Juan and Brendan at Hillside, we knew he had something special about him.

“Paul and the team at RSM have been highly encouraging as more of our EDGA players have competed in our tournaments staged alongside European Tour events, providing a priceless shop window for our work in raising awareness of inclusive golf internationally.”

Tony added: “We are sure Paul’s reputation as a player and his knowledge of all layers of the sport will assist us greatly in our key aim, which is to encourage people of all ages who have a disability to consider trying golf, while highlighting the power of golf to change lives.”

Waring impressed by players’ talent

Paul, who won the McGregor Trophy at the England U16 Amateur Championship in 2001, said: “I am delighted to become a formal ambassador for EDGA.

“I have had the opportunity to meet and play with a number of their players and I am extremely impressed by their talent.

“I am very honoured to be a part of their journey and to support the work that EDGA is doing to increase the opportunities for those with disabilities within golf.

“I am very excited to be a part of this development within golf.”

GEORGE GROVES CROWNED ENGLISH DISABILITY CHAMPION

EDGA is a not-for-profit volunteer association, which is made up of the National Golf Federations from 31 countries around the world.

The EDGA team provides advice, guidance and standards to all the leading golfing bodies including the International Golf Federation (IGF), The R&A, USGA, European Golf Association (EGA).

They also work closely with the European Tour on the delivery of showcase events involving golfers with disability.

EDGA also offers training to coaches, therapists, volunteers, clubs, and golfers who wish to be more active helping the players.

RSM supports EDGA’s qualifying players in tournaments attached to the European Tour, funding travel requirements and welcoming the golfers as they are meeting, practising alongside and even playing with some of the star names in world golf

The work helps to raise the profile of golf for the disabled to a global audience.

•Former Cheshire Boys champion Paul Waring claimed the English Amateur crown on his home course at Bromborough in 2005, beating Steven Capper 3&2 in the final.

Waring with players from the EDGA at a European Tour event in 2019. The former England Amateur Champion was very impressed by the players’ abilities

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Horne Park GC member George Groves was crowned EDGA champion in Dubai.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

WORLD No. 1 George Groves held off the challenge of America’s Chad Pfeifer to win the inaugural European Disabled Golf Association finale in Dubai.

The 36-hole event featured some of the world’s best Golfers with Disability and was taking place alongside the European Tour’s season ending DP World Tour Championship.

The Surrey golfer has Erb’s Palsy, a condition which leaves him with 20 per cent strength in his left arm after a medical accident during birth.

But that has not stopped the Horne Park GC member from rising to the top of the World Rankings for Golfers with Disability.

An opening 77 handed him a three-shot lead and it looked like Groves might run away with things when he birdied the first in round two.

Military man Pfeifer took up golf after having his leg blown off in Iraq serving for the US Army’s 3rd Airborne Battalion.

And the 2011 US National Amputee Golf Champion applied some pressure as he carded the lowest round of the day with a 79.

But Groves went on to sign for an 82 and finish 15-over – three shots clear of Pfeifer at Jumeirah Golf’s Earth Course,

“It’s fantastic,” said Groves. “I’m going to go home very proud of myself, celebrate with my friends and family. It will be really good.

“This tour has really changed my life. I think it’s just changed me as a person, changed me as a golfer.

“I’m just really happy that I’ve actually managed to get into stuff like that,” said Groves who won the English Disability Open at Stoke-by-Nayland GC, in September.

“It’s really good to get us involved and on TV and to show other people with disabilities to get more into golf and, instead of lounging around at home, be confident in themselves and get out there and show what you can do.

“When I was younger I was a footballer and I was told to do exercise for my arm. My parents said ‘do golf.’ I went to the range one day and I thought this could be something so I took golf up.

“To come out and win this, be World No. 1, is just incredible,” added Groves. I’m pretty sure I’ve 100 per cent done the right choice.”

It was the second EDGA event taking place in conjunction with a Rolex Series event on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

Groves finished second to Brendan Lawlor at the EDGA Scottish Open, held during the weekend of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, at North Berwick’s The Renassiance GC, in July.

American Christopher Biggins finished at 20-over, with Frenchman Charles-Henri Quélin, Irishman Lawlor, Australian Geoff Nicholas and Swede Joakim Bjorkman rounding out the field.

•To see video highlights from the EDGA final click here.

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Money raised at the Portugal Masters will fund the European Disabled Golf Association’s work to get more disabled people playing golf. Picture by GETT IMAGES

THE European Disabled Golf Association is the official charity of this week’s Portugal Masters, which takes place at Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course from October 24-27.

EDGA aims to change the lives of people with disability through the power of golf.

Made up of volunteers from the national golf federations from 29 countries around the world, its objective is to help more than 500,000 people living with a disability to try the sport of golf.

All charitable funds raised by EDGA from tournament draw sheet sales at the Portugal Masters, a longest drive competition sponsored by Golfbreaks, taking place during Wednesday’s pro-am, and a raffle, with some fantastic prizes to be won, will help fund the delivery of training, education and programmes in the country.

The European Tour announced earlier this year its ‘Golfers with Disability’ programme, running, in conjunction with EDGA – two 36-hole tournaments for disabled golfers running alongside two of this season’s biggest Rolex Series events.

The first – the EDGA Scottish Open, won by Irishman Brendan Lawlor – took place alongside the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, while the second, the EDGA Dubai Finale, will take place on the Friday and Saturday of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates, next month.

EDGA president Tony Bennett, who is head of disability and inclusion for the International Golf Federation, said: “EDGA is proud to be the official charity of the Portugal Masters.

“Both locally, and internationally, the support of the European Tour during the last four Portugal Masters continues to transform the lives of people.

“EDGA has a deep connection to Portugal. Over the last six years, 10 tournaments, and diverse development programmes in rehabilitation centres, schools and associations have been delivered in Portugal.

“Funds raised at the Portugal Masters have allowed EDGA to donate equipment, literature and provide training to professionals and coaches throughout the country.

“EDGA is finalising the translation of the book – Mulligan: Tough Love and Second Chances – into Portuguese.

“The backdrop of the Portugal Masters, together with clinics that will operate on the Saturday of the tournament are powerful testaments to the ability of players with impairments and showcase the positive impact of the game.”

Portugal Masters championship director Peter Adams said: “We are proud to partner with EDGA once again as the official charity of the Portugal Masters.

“Tony and the team at EDGA have done a wonderful job of raising awareness of disability golf in the country over the last six years, and we are delighted to welcome them back to Dom Pedro Victoria later this month.”

The European Tour and the European Disabled Golf Association have worked together for more than 10 years, but the relationship with the Portugal Masters only started in 2016.

“Initially a phone-call from the Associação Turismo do Algarve was the catalyst for this as EDGA was invited to be the nominated charitable organisation.

“Over the last four years the relationship between the European Tour, the Portugal Masters and EDGA has flourished.”

Mr Bennett added: “It is a natural fit for these three entities to work together – golf is the magnet that brings them together, and helping people with disability to enjoy the proven benefits of the game is a shared vision.”

•For more information about EDGA visit www.edgagolf.com.

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Geoff Nicholas the 1990 British Amputee Open Champion who came through a play-off at Fairhaven to qualify for The Senior Open at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s this week.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

AMPUTEE golfer Geoff Nicholas will make his Senior Open debut at Royal Lytham & St Annes today after earning his place in Monday Qualifying.

The Australian – who participated in the European Tour’s ground-breaking EDGA Scottish Open for Golfers with Disability earlier this month – was one of more than 500 golfers who competed at four qualifying sites for the 49 remaining places in The Senior Open field, securing his spot after a play-off at Fairhaven Golf Club.

Nicholas was born with deformities in both his legs – a side-effect of the drug named Thalidomide which was used to combat the effects of morning sickness in expectant mothers. At the age of 11 his right leg was amputated, but that did not stop him from playing golf – which he took up after seeing it on television.

He carded a level par round of 73 at Fairhaven and then earned his place at Royal Lytham & St Annes after a five-man play-off with a birdie on the fourth extra hole.

“In regulation I think I sunk a 25-footer for birdie which got me into the play-off,” Nicholas said. “There were two spots and two alternate places. We all birdied the first and parred the second, one guy dropped out on the third.

“On the 18^th, one guy knocked it on for two and I hit an eight iron to about 15 feet with my third shot – I bent in the putt and we both went through.

“To qualify for The Senior Open, a Senior Major Championship, is terrific. It’s been one of my dreams; and to get through Qualifying was brilliant. It’s just great to be here.

“I like to feel as though I’m inspiring people – and there’s a lot of people out there. Golf is such a great game in which to do that.

“There’s so many avenues to succeed in this sport – there’s no other sport like it.”

Currently ranked No. 8 on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD), the 58-year-old admitted he had enjoyed the EDGA Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club to the east of Edinburgh, which took place alongside the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, a Rolex Series event on the European Tour.

Nicholas said: “I came over to the UK 10 days ago to play in the EDGA Scottish Open, which was great, and I thought, ‘well, I’m over here, I might as well try and qualify for The Senior Open’ and here I am.”

In 1990 he won the inaugural British Amputee Open and won the U.S. Amputee Open later that year.

Nicholas would dominate the amputee golf scene in the 1990s – winning both championships every year until 2002.

He earned his card on the PGA Tour of Australasia in 1992, which he held for a number of years, and also teed it up in the same event as Tiger Woods in the 1996 Australian Open.

“That was really special,” said Nicholas. “I actually beat him in the first round – so I’ve always got that to remember. This week is something else, it’s great to be around so many legends of the game.

“A lot of people don’t know what to expect from me – a lot of them don’t realise because when you wear long trousers and walk reasonably well, they don’t know.

After The Senior Open, Nicholas will be hoping to maintain his position in the top eight of the WR4GD and earn a spot at the EDGA Dubai Finale at the end of the season, the second disability championship scheduled alongside Rolex Series events on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

The EDGA Dubai Finale will take place alongside the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates in November.

For live scores from The Senior Open click here.

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