The St. Moritz U.S. Celebrity Golf Cup was held in St. Moritz for the first time – sending a positive signal to Swiss golf and raising funds for the Ryder Cup European Development Trust.
The biennial tournament, alternated between the United States and Europe, was held at Engadine Golf Club behind the beautiful Swiss Mountain backdrop of St Moritz, and aimed to raise funds for the Ryder Cup European Development Trust (RCEDT) – the vehicle for essential golf development work across the European continent.
This years Cup hosted a range of golfing and non-golfing celebrities from various backgrounds, who showed up to pip against one another for the cup and bragging rights. They included American Frisbee champion Brodie Smith, basketball player Mike Conley Jr., Caroline Rominger and Düsseldorf-born Ilija Djurdjevic, whose long ball, at 430 metres, flew the length of almost five football pitches. It was the first time that the Cup took place on the courses of the Engadine Golf Club – twice previously it had been held in Monaco.
For three days, spectators enjoyed celebrity golf in Samedan and Zuoz in glorious sunshine. The first day of the Cup saw a Four-Ball Better Ball format played between the two sides and ended with a barbecue in Zuoz, which will probably be remembered for many years to come for the cameo entertainment appearance by Scottish rugby players and models Tom and Max Evans, who swapped their golf outfits for kilts. A Scramble Match Play format was played on the second day, and Single Match Play on day three. After three days of play, home advantage proved crucial as Team Europe won with 22.5 points to 18.5 points.
It was on the initiative of Ian Randell, Confederation of Professional Golf CEO, that the Ryder Cup Trophy was brought to St. Moritz. Nurturing young talent and growing grassroots golf is a key part of the Ryder Cup’s development legacy and this is achieved through the lens of the RCEDT: the auction of holidays and selected art at the gala at Badrutt’s Palace raised CHF 50,000 for the trust and this vital golf development work.
“With St. Moritz, we have once again opted for an extraordinary venue. The courses in the Engadine are among the most beautiful in Europe,” said Susan Feaster, Chairman, Monaco U.S. Celebrity Golf Cup for the Ryder Cup European Development Trust. She immediately announced that the 2021 tournament will take place in St. Moritz again, reinforcing the excellent reputation of the Engadine Golf Club. There is no doubt that many of the celebrities will be seen again in 2021 and hopefully the continued support for the RCEDT and its overall development of golf across the continent will continue.
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