European Tour Chief George O’Grady receives a rare 40-year-old blend ahead of Ballantine’s Championship
The fifth edition of the Ballantine’s Championship is underway at the scenic Blackstone Golf Club overlooking the sprawling Korean capital Seoul.
European Tour Chief Executive George O’Grady was honoured with a rare blend of the Ballantine’s 40-Year-Old mix blend of wine, presented to him by Chivas Brothers Chairman and CEO Christian Porta.
The €2.2-million event is being organised for the fifth consecutive year after it was launched some five years ago and marks the growth and popularity of the sport in the Asian industrial hub.
The gift was presented to O’Grady on the 40th Anniversary celebrations of the European Tour and hails from a rare blend of only 100 bottles prepared some 40 years ago.
O’Grady said, “As we mark an important anniversary in The European Tour’s history this month it is important that we recognise that contribution made by all of our sponsors over the years and we are delighted to be able to toast this occasion with Ballantine’s,
who have put on a superb event this week”.
Some of the top-ranked players from all over the world are part of the blistering field at this week’s event at Blackstone Golf Club and the event is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
O’Grady lauded the management of the event by the officials of the Blackstone Golf Club and further added:
“The Ballantine’s Championship, now in its fifth year, in many ways represents the growth of The European Tour, which visits many different countries around the world”.
The field includes the likes of Open Champion Darren Clarke, Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiménez, Englishman Paul Casey and Ian Poulter alongside many of the rising Korean players, the 2009 PGA Championship winner Y. E Yang, and the rampaging young gun Kyung-tae
Kim.
Ballantine’s Championship is evident of the overwhelming popularity of the sport in general and the European Tour in particular all over the world.
The tour now operates in all five continents and in more than 47 countries around the world.
The tour is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year and recently inaugurated its newly inducted event, the BMW Masters in China, further reinforcing its commitment to Asian Golf.
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