SGBGolf_Aug08_p26_27 24/7/08 12:35 Page 27
O p e n r e p o r t
bookshop, and it’s
nice to meet old
friends and make
new customers. I
love it.”
In contrast to the
death of the
Exhibition, they
could not replenish
the shelves fast
enough in
Birkdale’s
Merchandise
Pavilion. It was a
triumphant
testimony to the
power of the Open
Championship
brand, strategically
positioned by one
of the primary
spectator walkways
at the course, with
cash tills in danger
of over-spilling as
many of the week’s
201,500 spectators
Glemnuir’s Open Championship range sold fast at Birkdale poured through.
On the morning
of the first round, when the tournament was blighted by gales, Pro Quip waterproof
trousers were literally running out of the door, covering the legs of their new owners who
had arrived unprepared for the awful conditions. And as the radiant sunshine did not
break through the thick grey clouds at all until the weekend, Glenmuir’s Open knitwear
was virtually sold out by Friday afternoon.
“Glenmuir had a great week in the Merchandise Pavilion,” says Andy Bough,
Glenmuir’s marketing director. “The Open is a uniquely British event that enables us to
put ourselves in front of that core British golfing public. We were very happy with the Padraig Harrington was his sponsors’ dream-come-true at Birkdale
sales we achieved so we hope and expect to me making an appearance at Turnberry
next year.” year that Titleist has led the Open ball-count, going back to when the ball-count began.
An extra buzz went around the Merchandise Pavilion when 1999 Open champion Among the 95 golfers playing Titleist was the winner Padraig Harrington.
Paul Lawrie made an appearance on the Glenmuir stand on the eve of this year’s
tournament. “I enjoyed it,” Lawrie told SGB Golf. “A lot of people came onto the stand Shark bite for Evert
for autographs and it was great to see so many people there.” The most photographed ‘WAG’ at Royal Birkdale this year was, without question,
With a stand flaking the Pavilion’s core brand adidas, Ecco enjoyed a successful Greg Norman’s blushing bride, three-time Wimbledon champion Chris Evert. The only
debut: “We have been delighted with the reaction we received from the golfing public,” problem with this was one of brand loyalty, as Evert’s picture plastered all over the
says David Learmonth, Ecco’s marketing director. “As the premium footwear brand in papers prior to the weekend showed her sporting a Nike cap as she followed Norman on
the marketplace the opportunity to align ourselves with the most prestigious the golf course. This small branding issue was put right by the weekend, however, as
championship in the world was too good miss out on.” Evert converted to a brand new Greg Norman Collection cap, complete with MacGregor
logo on the side.
Backing for Olympic Golf
The International Golf Federation held a press conference at Birkdale to announce Shot of the week
the creation of an Olympic Golf Committee to drive the sport’s inclusion in the 2016 This is an open-and-shut case: shot of the week
Games. Represented on the committee will be the R&A, European Tour, USGA, PGA of has to be Harrington’s second to the par-five
America, PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and Augusta National. 17th in the final round, to set-up an eagle
“In a recent poll of IGF members, over 90% of respondents supported golf's and a four-shot lead.
inclusion in the games,” said Peter Dawson, chief executive of the R&A. “The reasons Harrington played a Wilson Staff FYbrid
were increased exposure for golf, more government support and increased funding both 5-wood from 249 yards on a downslope,
from government and from Olympic participation. I have no doubt that Olympic golf is and the ball eventually finished three feet from
comfortably the biggest grow-the-game opportunity that exists, to help us bring golf to the hole. “The five-wood is my favourite club,” says
so many countries where it's just starting up.” Harrington. “I used the downslope to my favour and
it came out nice and low. Once I hit it, it was Wilson Staff FYbrids
Top marks for Titleist perfect.”
From the Open field of 156 golfers, Titleist claims that 95 players, or 60.9% of the Harrington’s coach Bob Torrance described it as “the best shot I ever saw”.
field, were teeing up with the Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x. This was the 29th consecutive Well played, Padraig!
SGB GOLF - AUGUST 2008 27
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