Golfers Tee Off At Birkdale for People’s Open

[Newsroom]

Sixty nine of the country’s most enthusiastic amateur golfers have teed off on The Open Course at Royal Birkdale this morning – scene of Padraig Harrington’s Open Championship triumph a month ago – in a bid to become the country’s inaugural People’s Open Golf Champion.

The field included three women, a mother and her son, and a father and two of his sons as well as the youngest competitor, 18 year old Nick Scanlon, from Sandbach, Cheshire, and the oldest competitor, 74 year old John Clarke from Quinton, Northamptonshire, both of whom are playing off of an 11 handicap.

“Fortunately, we’ve been lucky with the weather, the sun is shining and all of the competitors were looking forward to pitting their wits against the Open course,” said tournament director, David Dryer. “We’re hoping they’ll post some good scores.”

One of the first players back in the club house, 51 year old John Arkwright, from St Helens, Merseyside, said that though he’d enjoyed the experience, Birkdale’s back nine had “bitten him.”

The winner will receive a crystal claret jug, similar to the famous silver claret jug awarded to the professional Open Champion.

The tournament, which is sponsored this year by Ronacrete and Burdens, will take place each year on the same course as the Open Championship. It gives amateur golfers the chance to walk in the spike marks of their professional heroes.