Global Rugby Icon’s to Clash in Match Play Golf Event in Buckinghamshire

The brilliant Icon Series returns next month as some of the biggest names in Rugby compete in a Ryder Cup style tournament. The Icons of Rugby event will be played at Buckinghamshire Golf Club on the 28th and 29th of July and will see Rugby’s stars battle it out in Northern and Southern hemisphere teams. The winning team will walk away with the prize fund and those all-important  bragging rights.

The Friday will feature an exciting and enjoyable Pro-Am, in which all 24 player will tee it up before the games get serious on Saturday. With 1860 international caps between the players and 13 world cup winners, there will surely be no shortage of competitiveness across the weekend. Saturday’s golf will consist of 9-hole rounds in a pairs match play format, with Sunday beginning in the same way. Sunday afternoon will see the tournament conclude with 9-hole rounds in a singles match play format, following which the winners will be crowned.

Another thrilling aspect of the weekend will be the interesting idea of the ‘One Million Swing’. This feature will see all of the participants, as well and some lucky rugby and golf fans who will have a chance at winning a huge $1 Million if they can score a Hole-in-One. To further add to the excitement, the challenge will be live streamed and we will see if the competitors can deal with the golfing pressure as well as they have with rugby pressure.

Huge names such as Johnny Sexton and Keith Wood will be joined by many other prestigious figures form the rugby world. These include World Cup heroes Lawrence Dallaglio, Mike Tindall and legendary coach Sir Clive Woodward. Jeremy Guscott and Stuart Hogg will also feature for the Northern hemisphere and will do their best to see of the Southern team.

The team looking to do the opposite will also be made up of rugby giants, such as All black legends Zinzan Brooke, Christian Cullen and Grant Fox. Alongside these will be a host of World Cup winners, with the likes of Bryan Habana, John Smit, Fourie Du Preez and coach Jake White teeing it up with a 2007 World Cup title under their belts. George Gregan, Tim Horan and Matthew Burke will add to the line-up and will try to channel their winning mentality from the 1999 World Cup.

Assisting the competitors in their quest to for victory will be two PGA captains, both of whom have been major winners in their careers. The captains will not be playing members of the teams but will have an important role in helping the teams choose their pairings and put together a strategy that will defeat their opponents.

Last year’s event was focused around football and hosted giants of the game, such as Ryan Giggs and Pep Guardiola. Having founded the Icon Series and acknowledged the success of last year event, Tom Brookes said, “For anyone who loves rugby and enjoys golf, this is a spectacular line up of stars who will be fiercely competitive during the golfing contest because it’s in their DNA.”

The admission prices are very reasonable for an event featuring such high profile individuals and Brookes believes that the spectator experience is going to be brilliant.
“There are lots of other special features for spectators to enjoy at the event that’s designed to be inclusive, for both rugby and golf fans, with adults gaining entry for just £20 and anyone under the age of 18 for free each day,” said Brookes.

“More than 70% of spectators at previous Icons Series events have been new to golf events and with the strong teams of rugby icons we anticipate another great turnout of golfing newcomers,” he added.
The build-up to the event is very much underway, and the event organisers have requested that golf clubs all over the country host nearest-the-pin competitions during their regular tournaments to seek out golfers who are worthy of a shot at the ‘One Million Swing.’

If you are interesting in attending the tournament and would like to find out more information, visit: www.icons-series.com