Open Championship Golfer Paul hits bar – and target!
AFORMER Ryder Cup-winning captain has officially opened a new golf themed pop-up bar in Southport. Paul McGinley was delighted to visit the GolfPunk Clubhouse on Tuesday evening, where he met fans and enjoyed a look around Southport’s newest 19th hole.
The Irishman led Europe to victory over America in the 2014 tournament – and famously holed a 10ft putt on the 18th hole against Jim Furyk to win the trophy for Europe in 2002.
He is in town commentating on The Open for Sky Sports.
He rates Southport golfer Tommy Fleetwood as among his favourites to win the tournament, saying: “His confidence is high, he is in really good place in his life right now.”
But unlike in tennis – where the top four players dominate the trophies – he says there is a long shortlist of players capable of lifting the Claret Jug this Sunday.
The GolfPunk Clubhouse is open at Southport Waterfront, next to the Genting Casino on The Promenade, with views looking out across the Marine Lake.
The bar is showing all the live action from theth OpenO GolfG lf championshiph i hi at tR Royall Bi Birkk dale, on 14 giant screens including two 84in screens, and leading the way in the apresgolf party scene. Food is being provided by Trattoria 51, served daily until 11pm,
The bar is hosted by GolfPunk magazine in association with Genting Casino and Bliss Hotels, which owns the Ramada Plaza Hotel.
Bliss Hotels recently acquired the entire Waterfront development and sees the GolfPunk pop up bar as the first in a series of investments to transform the area into a top quality leisure destination for the town.
A packed schedule is planned, with player appearances, live music and DJs through- outo the week, and the bar will be open from middaym until 2am each day.
Southport Ramada Plaza Hotel general m manager Enda Rylands said: “Bliss Hotels a are delighted to welcome Golf Punk to the Waterfront Southport just two weeks after acquiring the site.
“This promises to to be the first of many m major new ventures for the Waterfront.
“We are looking forward to many more opportunities to showcase the Waterfront as a premier leisure and entertainment destination for the north west.”
A spokesman for GolfPunk said: “Following the huge success at the Open in Troon last year GolfPunk, in association with Genting Casinos, are opening The GP Clubhouse to players, industry and public with another week celebrating the greatest game and the greatest championship of them all.
“Live golf coverage will be shown on giant plasma screens and guests can take on the GolfPunk golf nurse, Rachael McQueen, and show off their own skills on a GolfZon simulator with amazing prizes to be won.” MORE than 225,000 fans are expected to attend this year’s Open Championship – a record for any hosted at Royal Birkdale.
The R&A, which organises the prestigious Championship, had orginally predicted around 200,000 would attend but has now increased that forecast based on ticket sales to date.
The total will mean this year’s event is the fourthbest attended in Open his- tory, behind St Andrews in 2000 (239,000) and 2015 (237,000), and Royal Liverpool in 230,00 (2006).
Based on strong advance sales, the attendance will surpass the previous high mark of 201,500 at Royal Birkdale in 2008, with this year’s championship the fastest selling in history.
Thousands of fans are still expected to purchase tickets throughout the week and this year’s championship could take its