Helen Skelton Wins Slingsby's Golf Academy To Compete At Wentworth

The TV presenter won the Slingsby play-off, and will now compete at the BMW PGA Championship Celebrity Pro-Am

Helen Skelton Wins Slingsby's Golf Academy To Compete At Wentworth

TV presenter Helen Skelton will compete at the BMW PGA Championship Celebrity Pro-Am at Wentworth Club on Wednesday 8 September.

The 38-year-old won Slingsby Gin's celebrity Golf Academy 2021, after Slingsby Gin challenged Skelton, singer-songwriter Fleur East, Sky Sports broadcaster Bela Shah and Sky Sports Formula 1 presenter Natalie Pinkham to take up golf in a bid to encourage more women to play the sport.

The four celebrities had six months to practise their game alongside a PGA professional partner, before competing in a play-off against each other - with the winner offered a place at the BMW PGA Championship Celebrity Pro-Am.

Over the course of their training, the four women have documented their golfing journey in a six-part series on Slingsby's social channels.

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Skelton also earned a £5,000 bonus for her play-off win from Slingsby, which she has announced will be donated to Eden Valley Hospice.

"I am very grateful for the opportunity to learn how to play golf through the Slingsby Golf Academy initiative and to have had so much top level support from my partner PGA Pro Steph Davies," said Skelton.

"It has been a pleasure to go on this journey with my fellow cadets Fleur, Natalie and Bela, hopefully we have done a bit to inspire more females to take up the game.

"I can’t wait to get out and enjoy the BMW PGA Championship Pro-Am without the stress of a play-off hanging over me!

"I can't get over how irrationally addictive golf is, one minute you want to sell your clubs the next minute you want to play every day of the week."

Steph Davies, Skelton's PGA professional, is an assistant golf professional at Rudding Park who is keen on increasing women participation within the sport.

Marcus Black, co-founder of Slingsby Gin, said: “Huge congratulations to Helen and her PGA Professional, Steph Davies on their win.

"It has been a pleasure to watch not only Helen, but all four of these inspirational women dedicate themselves to mastering Golf on the Slingsby Golf Academy over the last six months.

"The dedication and hard work they have shown throughout their training is incredible and I am delighted that Helen now has the opportunity to showcase this at the Celebrity Pro-Am tournament - good luck on the course!"

The Pro-Am tournament signals the beginning of the BMW PGA Championship, the third Rolex Series event of the European Tour's 2021 Race to Dubai, and will feature celebrities from a range of industries, such as sport, film, broadcast and music, such as Niall Horan, formerly of One Direction.