Ballantine’s celebrates launch of 2010 Championship Blend and 50th anniversary of first golf tournament

Neil Coles and Graeme McDowell

Two leading golfers, who won Ballantine’s Tournaments almost 50 years apart, met at the iconic Wentworth Golf Club to put modern-day golf clubs to the test against equipment first used half a century ago, highlighting the evolution of the game.

Neil Coles, Chairman of the European Tour Board of Directors and winner of the second Ballantine's Golf Tournament in 1961, played with Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, winner of the 2008 Ballantine's Championship in Korea.  The pair first used Cole's original wooden clubs and 1.62 balls and then compared them to the latest modern equivalents.
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The event was organised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Ballantine's golf tournament and the launch of the 2010 Championship Blend.  A priceless, limited edition Scotch whisky, the blend combines extremely rare grains and malts taken from the time of the first Ballantine's golf tournaments fifty years ago. The inaugural tournament, held at Wentworth Club in 1960 introduced the big ball to the game and attracted some of the most well respected players of the day.

The creation of an exclusive blend has become an annual tradition ahead of Korea's biggest golf tournament - the Ballantine's Championship - which is hosted on the picturesque island of Jeju from 22-25 April 2010. Of the precious 20 bottles made, one will be presented to the winner of the Championship.

For the third successive year Graeme McDowell, who is also a global ambassador for Ballantine's, will participate in the South Korea.

McDowell commented, "Celebrating the heritage of Ballantine's involvement in golf has been a fantastic experience. I have a lot of respect for Neil and his contemporaries as playing with his old MacGregor Tourney wasn't easy - I think I'll stick to my current day clubs. It was no surprise that the whisky was fantastic and the possibility of winning a bottle in Korea makes me look forward to the Ballantine's Championship even more. "

Peter Moore, Ballantine's Global Brand Director added, "We're thrilled that Neil and Graeme were able to join and celebrate 50 years of Ballantine's and golf with us in such a creative way. Both players showed real style in winning their respective Ballantine's golf tournaments and we'd like to thank them for once again leaving an impression on the golf course through this challenge.  We wish Graeme the best of luck for the 2010 tournament in April and look forward to presenting the 2010 Championship Blend to the next Ballantine's champion!"

Also signed up to take part are South Korea's Y.E. Yang, 38, who made history as the first Asian-born player to win a major, following a memorable head-to-head with world No 1 Tiger Woods at the US PGA in August last year. The home signing will help reinforce Korea's growing reputation for world-class golf on the international circuit.

The Ballantine's Championship is Asia's fourth biggest golf tournament and the largest sporting event in Korea. It is now an established platform which drives Ballantine's long-term relationship with the iconic sport.