The 22-year-old was the official host for the second tournament of the 2021 EDGA European Tour season – full title ISPS HANDA World Disability Invitational presented by Brendan Lawlor – and he lived up to his headliner billing with a dominant performance from start to finish.

Having carded a three under 67 at Massereene Golf Club on the opening day, the Irish golfer delighted the fans at Galgorm with another superb three under 67.

That earned him a six under total and a six-stroke victory over Italy’s Tomasso Perrino, who also finished runner-up to Lawlor at last week’s EDGA Cazoo Open.

“An unbelievable week”

“It was an unbelievable day again,” said Lawlor, who has Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome, a disability characterised by a shorter stature and shorter limbs. “It’s been an unbelievable week, the last two weeks have been incredible. The European Tour, ISPS HANDA, Modest! Golf – I have to thank them for giving us a chance to showcase the wonderful game.

“The scoring today and the scoring the last couple of days was amazing and it shows that these guys belong here and hopefully it’s going to be a regular occurrence from now on.

“I was a bit shaky, it wasn’t easy, I didn’t look at the leaderboard all day. I was just throwing in my scores and focussing on my own game. It was a bit of a nervous start and I made a few birdies in a row then. It was a blur of a round, I was so focused I don’t even remember which holes I birdied.

“It was a dream of mine from day one to go to World Number One, since this journey started three years ago. I climbed the rankings pretty quickly and we’ve changed a lot of lives in that time and I’ve changed my own life too. It’s a full time job now.

“The pinnacle would be to reach World Number One and hopefully now I can stay there as long as Tiger Woods did! This week is bringing so many people into the game and that’s what we’re trying to do. These guys will hopefully making a living soon and we’ll keep striving.

“It’s been a tough year and a half, the family have been amazing and I had my dad on the bag and the rest of my family out there – they have been amazing. I’m getting emotional, I don’t know what to say but it’s unreal.”

Dubai awaits

Lawlor had already qualified for the season-ending EDGA Dubai Finale courtesy of his EDG Cazoo Open win last week. There was consolation for runner-up Tomasso Perrino, as well as Felix Norrman and Mike Browne, as they will all join their Irish counterpart in Dubai in November.

The EDGA Dubai Finale will mark the fifth and final EDGA European Tour event of 2021, held alongside the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai – the final Rolex Series event of the year – at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Friday and Saturday (November 19-20).

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Playing in the first of five 36-hole events forming the EDGA European Tour in 2021, Lawlor followed up his one under par opening round of 70 with a five over par round of 76.

The tournament featured eight of the top-ranked players on the World Rankings for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD). They competed on the same layout as the European Tour field is tackling at the Cazoo Open.

Lawlor, who has Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome, a disability characterised by a shorter stature and shorter limbs, finished ahead of Italy’s Tomasso Perrino for his second victory at an EDGA European Tour event. His maiden win came at the 2019 EDGA Scottish Open.

“An incredible week”

“It feels amazing,” said Lawlor. “It has been an incredible week. The hospitality and the course here at Celtic Manor has been amazing. To lift the trophy at the end of the week is just a pleasure, I’m delighted.

“The top EDGA players are competing and it’s hard to separate each other – whoever has a good day will win. We’re trying to get more and more people into the game and the European Tour has given us an amazing opportunity to promote the game on the world stage. It’s going to bring so many more people into the game and keep it moving forward.

“I enjoyed it. I’ve put a lot of work in; it was a long year stuck at home and I put a lot of work in hitting balls into a net. I kept myself ready because I knew we’d be back at some stage. It’s an honour playing courses like that. The fairways are lush, the tee boxes are lush. You have to blame yourself if you hit a bad shot, you can’t blame the course.”

The field of eight players will also take part in the ISPS HANDA World Disability Invitational, which is being hosted by Lawlor, next week at Massereene Golf Club and Galgorm Castle in County Antrim. The event will run concurrently with the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf Management.

“I shot one under on the first day, basically off the back sticks, which is good shooting,” Lawlor added. “We can go out there and show we have game, and that’s the most important thing. That’s what people want to see. We had fans following me and Tomasso out there today, they loved to see it. I’m lost for words – it was a great week.”

EDGA Tour Schedule

After the ISPA HANDA World Disability Invitational presented by Brendan Lawlor, a new group of golfers taken from the WR4GD will participate in the EDGA Hero Open, at Fairmont St Andrews from August 7-8, and the EDGA Cazoo Classic, at London Golf Club from August 14-15.

The top four players from each group of two tournaments qualify for the returning EDGA Dubai Finale – the fifth and final EDGA European Tour event of 2021. This will be held alongside the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai on Friday and Saturday, November 19-20.

Scoring for the remaining four EDGA tournaments will feature on the European Tour’s website and App for fans to follow, while the tournament world feed broadcast will also feature updates across the weekend, with the winners also part of the main prize-giving ceremonies.

Remainder of the EDGA European Tour Schedule

• ISPS HANDA World Disability Invitational presented by Brendan Lawlor – Massereene and Galgorm Castle (July 31 – August 1)
• EDGA Hero Open – Fairmont St Andrews (August 7-8)
• EDGA Cazoo Classic – London Golf Club (August 14-15)
• EDGA Dubai Finale – Jumeirah Golf Estates (November 19-20)

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The first of five 36-hole tournaments forming the 2021 EDGA European Tour that will run alongside the Cazoo Open at The Celtic Manor Resort in Wales from July 24-25.

Daphne Van Outen

Daphne van Houten of Holland will tee it up at the inaugural event becoming the first female golfer to participate competitively in the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA) initiative. The competition takes place under the umbrella of the European Tour’s Golf For Good initiative – the Tour’s overarching Corporate Social Responsibility programme.

The 22-year-old was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition which causes a sideways curvature of the spine, at age 12. She made the decision to have corrective surgery at age 17. In 2018, she became the European Golf Association’s Champion Women Golfer with Disability, winning the title at her first attempt.

She is the highest-ranked female player on the World Rankings for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD), currently tenth.

“I have done a lot of amazing things with EDGA, playing in Australia, playing here with the European Tour and I played in the Diversity Cup ahead of the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in 2019,” said van Houten. “I’ve done a lot because of EDGA.

“Golf has always been a part of my life. After my operation they told me I wouldn’t be able to play golf for a year. I worked hard and shortened that to just two weeks. You can achieve anything if you have a passion for it and want to do it.”

Tournaments over next three weekends

Golfers taken from the WR4GD will have the opportunity to tackle the same course set-up as the European Tour professionals. The remaining three qualifying tournaments taking place over the weekends of the next successive European Tour events in Ireland, Scotland, and England.

Each player will participate in two back-to-back tournaments with the entry lists finalised for the EDGA Cazoo Open at The Celtic Manor Resort and the ISPS HANDA World Disability Invitational presented by Brendan Lawlor from July 31 – August 1. It will be hosted at Massereene (Saturday) and Galgorm Castle (Sunday), Co Antrim.

The top four players from each group of two tournaments qualify for the returning EDGA Dubai Finale. The fifth and final EDGA European Tour event of 2021 will be held alongside the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates on Friday and Saturday (November 19-20).

Scoring for all five EDGA tournaments will feature on the European Tour’s website and App for fans to follow. The tournament world feed broadcast will also feature updates across the weekend.

Entry List – 2021 EDGA Cazoo Open and ISPS HANDA World Disability Invitational presented by Brendan Lawlor
Kenny Bontz (USA)
Felix Norman (SWE)
Tomasso Perrino (ITA)
Brendan Lawlor (IRE)
Ryan Brendan (USA)
Daphne van Houten (NED)
Mike Browne (ENG)
Timo Klischan (GER)

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The final event of the UK Swing will see the fourth ranked player in the World Rankings for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) compete at a regular tour event for the first time.

Lawlor, who has a rare condition called Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, a disability characterised by a shorter stature and shorter limbs, turned professional in September last year having made a huge impact globally on the disabled golfers’ circuit, including winning the 36-hole EDGA Scottish Open in 2019, which was played over the same course as the professionals at the Renaissance Club, concurrently with the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.

The Dundalk man also competed in the ISPS HANDA Disabled Golf Cup, played alongside the 2019 Presidents Cup in Melbourne, where twelve of the world’s leading golfers with a disability, played the same course and conditions as the pros.

Lawlor has since received a tournament invite on behalf of his sponsor and tournament title partner, ISPS HANDA, as they continue to collaborate with the European Tour in raising the profile of golf as an accessible sport for all through their long-term support of global golf initiatives.

“I am really looking forward to making my European Tour debut at the ISPS HANDA UK Championship and competing alongside some of the best players in the world,” said Lawlor.

“To have the opportunity to represent disability golfers across the world is a fantastic honour and I hope to have a solid few rounds, to showcase that disability golfers are talented in their own right. I can’t thank Dr Handa and ISPS HANDA enough for this wonderful opportunity and for their long-term dedication to disability golf” Lawlor added.

Dr Haruhisa Handa, Founder and Chairman of ISPS Handa, said:

“We are delighted to play a part in Brendan Lawlor’s debut on the European Tour when he competes in the inaugural ISPS HANDA UK Championship. The vision ISPS Handa shares with the European Tour for inclusivity is represented through our incredibly talented ambassador in Brendan Lawlor. We are excited for the inspiration he will bring to many households across the world through the UK Swing’s ‘Golf for Good initiative’.

The ISPS HANDA UK Championship follows the ISPS HANDA Wales Open won by Romain Langasque at The Celtic Manor Resort in Newport last week.

The Belfry is a venue rich in Ryder Cup history having played host to four contests – with Europe triumphing in two (1985 and 2002), the US having won in 1993, and with the 1989 match ending in a 14-14 tie.

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