McIlroy’s Birdie Blitz Helps DP World Tour Championship Raise Over US$50,000 for Good Causes

Last month’s DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates showcased some world-class golf, with birdies and eagles pouring in on each day of The European Tour’s season-ending event, none more so than from eventual winner Rory McIlroy. And that is great news for the official not-for-profit partners of the tournament, including Friends of Cancer Patients Society, after over US$50,000 was raised in a wonderful initiative being driven by title sponsor DP World, The European Tour, the Tour Players Foundation and Jumeirah Golf Estates, known as the ‘Birdie Pledge’.

The European Tour Players’ Foundation pledged to donate $50, for every birdie made at the event and $100 every eagle.  At the conclusion of the tournament the final birdie count was 1,000, of which McIlroy contributed 26, and the eagle count was 17 – including a hole-in-one by Italy’s Francesco Molinari, taking the total raised to $51,700.

McIlroy's mass of birdies contrbuted to over $50,000 raised at the DP World Tour Championship

“Once again we have raised not only a great amount of money but also heightened the awareness of cancer, particularly male cancers, and the work that this great organisation does,” said Kathryn Wightman-Beaven, Director – Global Corporate Responsibility, DP World. “This tournament is also a major platform for raising issues around male cancers and is part of our mission to contribute to social issues of importance. The work of FOCP is very important and they support many families and patients through their treatment for cancer.”

Nick Tarratt, Director of The European Tour International – Dubai Office, commented: “The DP World Tour Championship, the Tour Players Foundation and The European Tour were delighted to continue its commitment to Friends of Cancer Patients in UAE. Our corporate responsibility programmes around the tournament are an important aspect of the event and the Birdie Pledge is a great way to drive contributions to the community and making a difference to issues of social importance.”

DrSawsan Abdul Salam Al Madhi, Director General of Friends of Cancer Patients, which had presence in the Championship Village via its Shanab initiative to raise awareness about male cancers, said:  “I’d like to thank DP World, Jumeirah Golf Estates and The European Tour for hosting Shanab, a men’s health initiative that falls under FoCP's umbrella “Kashf” for early detection of cancer, addressing prostate cancer and testicular cancer, at the tournament.”

Dr Al Madhi added: “Friends of Cancer Patients has been working for the community for the past 16 years raising awareness about different types of early detectable cancer, and supporting patients financially to help them get the required treatment and of course this is where the money from DP World activation will go.”

The Shanab awareness campaign at the event was based on an advert for golf fans to bring in their old golf balls and change them for new ones, provided by host venue Jumeirah Golf Estates, in packaging that explained issues around prostate and testicular cancer and how to check for it. The Shanab medical team also conducted a survey during the four-day tournament testing the visitors’ knowledge about testicular and prostate cancer before and after the awareness session.

The DP World Tour Championship has had a corporate responsibility programme through the Tour Players Foundation from the first tournament in 2009 when a contribution of $50,000 was made to SNFG. Since then contributions of $300,000 have been made by the DP World Tour Championship making a grand total to date after the 2015 tournament of around $350,000.