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Royal Liverpool Golf Club will host The Open for the 13th time in July and the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) has revealed the team of almost 50 greenkeepers, gathered from all over the United Kingdom, who will be on hand to support the home greenkeeping team for the duration of the championship.
Each year The R&A requests the assistance of BIGGA members in the staging of the event. Every full BIGGA member who has been with the association for at least two years is eligible to apply for a place on the Volunteer Open Support Team and those who are selected are given incredible access to golf’s oldest major, supporting every match with bunker raking duties.
Rory McIlroy was victorious the last time Royal Liverpool hosted The Open, in 2014, when BIGGA members raked the course’s 82 bunkers a total of 945 times. BIGGA members were even busier in 2006, when Tiger Woods claimed the Claret Jug and the team raked 1,092 bunkers across the four days of the championship.
In January, previous members of The Open support team were given the opportunity to stand beside the Claret Jug as it made an appearance at BTME,
BIGGA say they are delighted that this years’ Volunteer Open Support Team will feature a large number of first-time team members as a place on the team is inspiring and showcases to greenkeepers what they can achieve through continuing professional development and by engaging with the numerous exclusive opportunities made available to members. Throughout the tournament the team members will be provided with accommodation, subsistence and uniform for the event.
BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said, “The team at Royal Liverpool has the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of St Andrews, who last year created a truly historic championship. Yet I’m confident that the team led by Links Superintendent James Bledge, who is preparing to host his first Open Championship, will set a world class stage for what is sure to be an exciting event.
“I’m thankful to The R&A for once again inviting so many BIGGA members to participate in The Open support team, particularly given we have so many first time members this year. Is there a better way of inspiring the next generation of greenkeepers and showcasing what can be achieved in your career with a lot of hard work and dedication, than an up-close look at the world’s greatest major championship? I’m thankful on behalf of the BIGGA members who have been selected and I’m proud to be able to invite them to represent the entire association on this global scale.“
The 151st Open takes place from 20 to 23 July 2022. Applications for the BIGGA Volunteer Open Support Team for The 152nd Open at Royal Troon will open later this year.
Here are the BIGGA members who will be assisting the home greenkeepers for the duration of The 151st Open:
Editorial Address:
LandPower Publications LLP, Howbery Park, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BA
Telephone:
Steve Gibbs: +44 (0)7929 438213
