Hometown hero Matt Banahan and fellow former England rugby union player Kyran Bracken are the latest stars to confirm they will be teeing it up at the first Wapp Celebrity Series event of the 2023 Legends Tour at La Moye Golf Club in Jersey next month.
Returning to the island of Jersey this summer – with FREE tickets available through registering online – the 2023 Jersey Legends will be held between June 8-11 as 2006 Ryder Cup-winning captain and 1991 Masters champion Ian Woosnam heads a strong field competing for victory.
As the official tournament gets underway, the popular Wapp Celebrity Series will help kickstart the week’s golf on June 8 as stars from the world of sport and entertainment including Formula One legend Damon Hill, former Chelsea star Gianfranco Zola and Strictly Come Dancing judge and television personality Anton Du Beke all compete in the first event of the year.
Olympic swimmer Mark Foster, Westlife singer Brian McFadden and 20-time National Hunt champion jockey Sir AP McCoy are also set to return to Jersey after competing in last year’s competition as they look to secure a place at the Celebrity Series Grand Final, with the opportunity to win a share of a £100,000 prize pot for their chosen charities.
Also now confirmed as playing in Jersey is former England winger Banahan. The 36-year-old – who was born on the island of Jersey and attended Les Quennevais School, just a stone’s throw away from La Moye Golf Club – will be competing in the Celebrity Series for the first time since last year’s Jersey Legends.
Banahan said: “Returning to Jersey is always special after so many years living away from the island. For me, the island will always be home so to be able to head back and play in these sorts of events is a real privilege.
“Those who know me know how golf obsessed I am! La Moye Golf Club is a great course that you never get bored of playing and the Wapp Celebrity Series is always an extremely enjoyable day, so the opportunity to tee it up once again this summer was one I simply could not turn down.”
Fellow England star Bracken – who played for Bristol and Saracens, captained his country on three occasions and was a member of the 2003 World Cup-winning squad – will also be returning to the event that he played in last year. The scrum half was among the field in 2022 when he played with inspirational Jersey amateur Adam Dalton.
Dalton was one of several amateurs in the field at the Celebrity Series event in 2022, with Dalton’s playing experience costing him nothing after the hugely talented youngster was gifted a place by ITV News Channel TV.
Born with congenital limb deficiency (CLD) – meaning his arms and one of his legs never fully formed – Dalton became the first person on the island in 2019 to receive a specific type of bionic arm at the age of just 15. Despite his disability, though, he has discovered a passion for the game.
Dalton and his team, two-time DP World Tour winner Gary Orr, Bracken and ITV’s Richard Pallot also came out victorious, capping a day the teenager will never forget.
Speaking ahead of this year’s event, Bracken said: “I always look forward to the Wapp Celebrity Series Legends Tour events and can’t wait to once again play the stunning links at La Moye Golf Club. Getting out on the course and being treated like a tour player is always special and it is great to catch up with all the guys taking part – this year there are so many great names from the worlds of sport and showbiz involved.
“What made last year’s event extremely special though was playing alongside young Adam Dalton. He is an inspiration, and he has certainly got the talent to pursue the game further. Hopefully I’m able to catch up with him at this year’s event!”
In 2023, the Jersey Legends event will support the Jersey Sports Association for the Disabled, a charity for which supports Dalton. Over the course of the event, several fundraising activities will take place including raffles and an auction at a gala dinner.
Phil Harrison, chief executive officer of the Legends Tour, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Matt Banahan and Kyran Bracken to the Wapp Celebrity Series at the Jersey Legends with the duo joining an already stellar field of celebrities from the worlds of sport and entertainment taking part at La Moye Golf Club. With free tickets we’d encourage everyone who can to pop down over the week for what promises to be a great occasion.”
“This year’s event has also given us a chance to give back to the island of Jersey, with several events taking place raising money for the Jersey Sports Association for the Disabled. Adam Dalton inspired us all last year, and we are extremely pleased that he will once again be competing this year.”
The Wapp Celebrity Series winner in Jersey will receive a place at the Celebrity Series Grand Final – an event set to return to Constance Belle Mare Plage in Mauritius in December.
Limited places are also still available to compete in the playing experiences – including playing alongside the celebrities – at the Jersey Legends.
The Celebrity Series playing experience will see participants team up with a celebrity and Legends Tour professional for one round of golf while receiving access to the player’s lounge for breakfast, bespoke gifts, and hospitality post-event.
Amateur golfers looking for an exclusive opportunity to live out the life of a golf legend across several days can sign up for the Alliance Series event, playing in front of live crowds and TV for three rounds of golf – one in the Celebrity Series and two in the Alliance Series. Players will also receive a three-night stay in the official tournament hotel, a bespoke gift pack and invitations to all exclusive functions.
Click here for more information on the Jersey Legends, and how to book a playing experience spot to rub shoulders with the golfing greats.
To register for free tickets, click here.