Golf event raises staggering amount for charity

A golf day at Stoke Park Country Club has raised more than £140,000 for charity – thought to be the highest amount ever raised in one day at a UK golf club.

The pro-am tournament, which was hosted by Ryder Cup legend Sam Torrance OBE, raised in total £141,000 for JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity, at the Buckinghamshire golf club.

The amount raised was even higher than the £116,000 that was put together at Wentworth earlier this year, in a charity golf day led by Gary Player.

Torrance, who was Europe’s winning captain in 2002 and who played on four successful teams, headed the field of top professionals and enthusiastic amateurs.

Sam Torrance

He said: “It’s great that we have been able to raise so much money for JDRF. Praise should also go to the staff at Stoke Park who produced a fantastic course for the occasion.”

It was the sixth outing for this annual event, promoted by the Professional Golfers Association and Stoke Park, and it utilised a unique scoring system in which professionals only win money when scoring birdies or eagles.

Ultimately, the event finished in a four-way tie for the pros, with last year’s winner Andy Raitt, from St George’s Hill, Matthew Dearden, from Cardiff, Rob Edwards, from Swanmore GC, in Hampshire, and Chris Gane, from Silvermere GC, sharing the £15,000 professional pot.

JDRF’s director of fundraising, Dean Benton, said: “It was another terrific day and we are delighted to have raised £141,000, which will support the world’s best research into the better treatment, prevention and cure of type 1 diabetes.”

Stuart Collier, director of golf at Stoke Park, added: “This is one of our biggest – and proudest – days at Stoke Park. It’s a fabulous, unique event in its own right, but to know that everybody is only too keen to help raise valuable funds for this very worthwhile cause makes it extra special. It’s a pleasure simply to be able to take part in such a worthy event.”

Sky Sports presenter James Haddock joined Torrance in the evening to perform the role of master of ceremonies, when a number of auction prizes helped the total reach the impressive figure.