Bat & Ball Challenge at De Vere Mottram Hall
An array of sports stars gathered ahead of The European Senior Tour event at De Vere Mottram Hall to take part in a Bat and Ball golfing challenge
The 3rd annual ‘De Vere Bat & Ball Golfing Challenge' saw famous sporting faces from the worlds of cricket and football combine with golfing legends on the eve of the IPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship at De Vere Mottram Hall.
Former England cricketer Darren Gough was joined by compatriots Steve Harmison and Dean Hadley to complete a 5-point win against their footballing counterparts, including De Vere Golf ambassador Harry Redknapp and former Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton.
They also competed with Ryder Cup legends Sam Torrance, Mark James and De Vere ambassador Colin Montgomerie. Gough, who captained the cricketers' team, scored 82 points to spearhead the 483 point total.
"We're over the moon. They may get paid more than we do, but we're better golfers!" he said.
Following his round with Harry Redknapp, Colin Montgomerie was full of praise for the resort that will host the European Senior Tour event and its stars this week.
"The course is playing fantastically well, and I'm looking forward to playing in tournaments like this when I turn 50. I have a few weeks before I'm eligible but this is a fantastic tournament and is a great chance for people to watch some top quality golf.
"It was a pleasure to play with some illustrious stars from other sports; you have really got to respect their achievements and from what I've seen today in the Pro-Am, some of them are more than handy with a golf club too!"
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
De Vere's Director of Golf, Daniel Hodson, added: "The Bat & Ball Challenge is a great way for us to get the tournament week underway at Mottram Hall, and the course looks fantastic.
"We've been very fortunate to attract some of the biggest names on the Senior Tour once again so we're looking forward to a really competitive week."
The IPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship begins on Friday June 7.
Lewis was a freelance writer for Golf Monthly in 2013.
-
Founders Cup Prize Money Payout 2025
The 2025 Founders Cup has moved to a new course and date in the LPGA Tour calendar - it also features a smaller prize purse compared to last time out...
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
'I Don't Think I Could Have Won The PGA Without Blowing The Masters' - Brooks Koepka Believes Augusta 'Choke' Can Fuel Quest For Double-Digit Majors
Speaking to LIV Golf's Rick Shiels in a match on YouTube, Kopeka revealed how he dealt with defeat at the 2023 Masters and how it helped him land Major No.5
By Jonny Leighfield Published