More than 180 amateur golfers from across Europe enjoyed the playing experience of a lifetime at the 2023 Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, in front of record numbers of spectators.
The amateurs – who competed in a series of incredible sell-out ‘playing experiences’ – were joined by crowds in excess of 10,000 watching them teeing it up with Legends Tour greats of the game and celebrities from the world of sport and entertainment.
Played at the Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire between August 23-27, the 2023 Staysure PGA Seniors Championship saw Ryder Cup heroes and major winners collide on the country’s northeast coast in front of Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization.
Speaking during his visit to Aberdeenshire, Eric Trump said: “We have shown that this property is capable of hosting the biggest and best events. When you see the drone and TV footage from the week versus other events that were on TV that weekend, nothing comes close. It is like the major leagues versus the very minor leagues - and we are incredibly proud”.
Over the five days, 185 amateurs competed in a series of incredible sell-out ‘playing experiences’ as they took on the challenge of the stunning layout designed by renowned links architect Dr Martin Hawtree.
90 would play in the Championship Pro-Am, with another 50 taking to the fairways in the Wapp Celebrity Series alongside famous faces including broadcaster Dan Walker, former Formula One World Champion Damon Hill and England cricket legend James Anderson. Meanwhile, a further 45 golfers played in the ever-popular Alliance Series, which delivers the ultimate once-in-a-lifetime playing experience by joining two professionals in a team event, as well competing in an individual competition against other Alliance competitors.
In-form Peter Baker – a stand out for Europe in the 1993 Ryder Cup defeat at The Belfry – took home his third Legends Tour title of the season. Baker saw off competition from greats of the game including major winners Michael Campbell and the 2012 Ryder Cup Captain, José María Olazábal.
The popularity of the tournament was also seen off the course with its online reach already generating well over 7.5million views across the Legends Tour digital estate, with over three million views on the Tour’s YouTube channel, leading to a growth of over 165,000 subscribers and followers to its social channels. During the week of the event, Trump Golf and The Trump Organization reached an average of 400,000 people between their two channels.
Keith Mitchell, chief marketing officer of the Legends Tour, said: “The Alliance Series and Wapp Celebrity Series are the ultimate experiences for amateur golfers, and we are delighted that huge numbers are taking up the chance to play at some incredible golf courses alongside legends of the game and a host of famous faces.
“We’re also pleased to bring the event alive for people not able to attend, by filming extensively behind the scenes, interviewing the players, making daily highlight shows for Sky Sports Golf, so these unique golfing moments are captured and shared with millions of sports fans globally.”
The Legends Tour is the brainchild of entrepreneur Ryan Howsam, who bought a majority stake in the then-named European Senior Tour and set about rebranding it in 2020. An exciting international schedule of tournaments runs throughout the year, culminating in the MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius in December.
Speaking about Ryan’s progress with Legends Tour, Eric Trump said, “Finally, to Ryan [Howsam, Legends Tour Chairman], congratulations on such a spectacular event, you have done an amazing job. We are proud and honoured to part of it.”