PR firm have fresh Purpose in sponsoring disabled team
SIXTEEN of Europe’s most talented disabled golfers will fly to the USA for their version of the Ryder Cup after a Derbyshire marketing agency signed up as their sponsor.
The team, which consists of golfers from across the continent, have been selected to play in the Cairns Cup, an annual transatlantic contest which pits Europe against a team from the United States.
The Cairns Cup is disability golf’s premier matchplay event and, just like the Ryder Cup, it sees players slug it out over three days with a four-ball, foursomes and singles rounds.
The event is taking place at Cherry Creek Golf Club in Detroit at the end of July, with the USA defending their title.
Although the golfers play to a high standard, they have to rely on funding to compete, and South Normanton marketing agency Purpose Media has contributed towards their costs and air fares.
It has also helped organise a fundraising golf day at Morley Hayes on May 9, where local businesses will be invited to play alongside members of the Cairns Cup team, so they can understand the challenges that they have to overcome in order to complete a round of golf.
The Cairns Cup was established in 2018 when former soldier and disabled golfer Kevin Booth and fellow players decided to set up a Ryder Cup-style competition in memory of a friend, Billy Cairns, who died during a previous Europe vs USA disabled golf event called the Phoenix Cup.
The event has grown in stature every time it has taken place and Kevin, who is now vice president of the European team, says everyone is looking forward to flying to the States to avenge last year’s defeat.
He said: “We’re so grateful to Purpose Media for supporting us and for sharing our philosophy that the game of golf is for everyone and everyone deserves the opportunity to play it.”
Matt Wheatcroft, managing director of Purpose Media, is a keen golfer himself, but has a very personal reason for wanting to support the Cairns Cup team.
He said: “When I was 19 I suffered an injury while playing football and nearly had to have my foot amputated, and more recently, while on holiday I fell and broke my neck and was inches away from being left paralysed.
“So when I first saw these incredible Cairns Cup golfers I thought ‘that could have been me’, but I was totally unprepared for how incredible they are and what they’ve had to overcome.
“We’re really proud to be sponsoring the team and we’re confident that there will be a good turn-out at the golf day.”