DP WORLD TOUR AND HEROES OF HOPE GIVING PEOPLE OF DETERMINATION A CHANCE TO SHINE
The DP World Tour and Heroes of Hope, a non-profit sports academy for people of determination in the UAE, have teamed up to offer young athletes a chance to shine both on and off the golf course.
As part of the initiative, 11 Heroes of Hope athletes aged between 6-43 years old, received a series of eight lessons from professional coaches in the lead up to this year’s DP World Tour Championship, Dubai which took place at Jumeirah Golf Estates between 16-19 November. Their final lesson was delivered by golfer Tommy Fleetwood and this year’s G4D Tour Series Finale winner Mike Browne, with the penultimate session led by G4D world number one Kipp Popert.
The coaches were so impressed with the athletes’ ability that two Heroes of Hope, Marwan Al Khaja and Thomas O’Brien, were awarded an annual golf scholarship at the Tommy Fleetwood Academy, based at Jumeirah Golf Estates. Both were presented with their scholarships during the academy’s first birthday celebrations on 13 November.
In addition to receiving a series of golf lessons, the Heroes of Hope athletes, who have a range of physical and cognitive disabilities, were invited to attend the DP World Tour Championship as part of its Community Day celebrations, where they enjoyed the on-course action and showcased their skills in a three hole challenge on the driving range.
Tom Phillips, Head of Middle East for the DP World Tour, shared his thoughts: “Working with Heroes of Hope reflects the DP World Tour’s commitment to making golf more inclusive and accessible through the Golf for the Disabled initiative. Our aim is to provide players of all abilities with the opportunity to experience the joy of golf and sport, and it’s a pleasure to be able to work with all the incredible Heroes of Hope athletes. We hope the work we do shows the many opportunities available to them both on and off the golf course.”
Mike Browne said: “Having the chance to meet and work with the Heroes of Hope athletes has been an absolute privilege and I have loved every minute of it. Programmes like this are incredibly important for offering young athletes with disabilities the opportunity to showcase their talent, and help them build confidence and skills that will serve them well in everyday life. All the athletes here are amazing and I’m looking forward to hopefully playing alongside some of them one day on the G4D Tour.”
Hollie Murphy, Founder of Heroes of Hope, added: “Teaming up with the DP World Tour for the second year running has been absolutely brilliant for our athletes and support staff at Heroes of Hope. The Tour is doing fantastic work with the European Disabled Golf Association to provide opportunities for people of determination, which is key for ensuring athletes have access to an inclusive environment that will help them grow and discover things they are passionate about. G4D professionals like Mike Browne and Kipp Popert are role models for our athletes, so to be taught by them really is the icing on the cake.”
As part of its Golf for Disabled (G4D) initiative, the DP World Tour and European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA) in 2019 committed to holding G4D Tour events on the same golf course during the weeks of DP World Tour competitions for the leading players from the World Ranking for Golfers with a Disability. This year’s DP World Tour Championship hosted the G4D Tour Series Finale on Saturday 18 November, with Browne sealing a three-stroke victory on the Earth course.
Heroes of Hope is a not-for-profit group founded to develop sporting, social and interpersonal skills for people of determination. The organization serves athletes as young as four, however the focus is on individual athlete progression across many sporting disciplines and ability levels while catering to all ages, including adults.
This year’s DP World Tour Championship marked the 15th edition of the tournament and saw Nicolai Højgaard crowned Championship winner at the event’s infamous Earth course.
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