#THROWBACK 8th Macau Golf Masters

 

Teams and individuals from 17 countries and regions, disputed Individual Skills (Level 1), Best Ball 9-hole Competition (Level 2) and Individual Stroke Play (Level 5) have been played hand in hand with more than 50 local Corporate Players.

 

Level 1 athletes competed in the Individual Skills Competition which consists of Short Putt, Long Putt, Chip Shot, Pitch Shot, Iron Shot and Wood Shot - and the winner’s trophy - was taken by Natascha Jane Tennent from Australia.

 

Level 2 – a two-round 9-hole competition was dominated by Harrison Werner and Alexander Pete Hayes.

Level 5 athletes took it up a notch and completed a total three rounds of 18-holes each. After the opening qualifying round there were signs of it being the toughest competition ever. The 2019 Macau Golf Masters saw a Cameron Pollard (AUS) taking the laurels while Lachlan Smith (AUS) and Warren Clark (UK) came in second and third respectively. A female athlete with ID from the Hong Kong – Nathalie Law, became the only the second female athlete ever  to enter the top 7 of the Level 5 Competition.

 

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The Macau Golf Masters proved, one more, to be an amazing success on multiple levels, attracting to Caesar’s Golf Macau some of the world’s best golfers with intellectual disability. The continuous growth of this event has generated a tremendous positive response, bringing together the business world and the local society of Macao. On a physical level, to compete with international athletes is key to the ultimate objective of enhancing inclusion through sport, and indeed the athletes performed extremely well: but this event, in particular, is much bigger than a physical ranking - everyone who attended the 2019 Golf Masters can be proud of his/her achievement!

 

“Once again, this year’s athletes put Macau firmly on the sporting map,” said Paulo A. Azevedo, President of the Charity Association of Macau Business Readers. “We sincerely hope that we can continue to enjoy the support of both private and public institutions and enterprises so that this major event can continue to demonstrate in no uncertain manner how Macau cares about not just some of its citizens but each and every one.”

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#Unified
Combining the best of golf, education, interaction and exchange, friendship and entertainment, the Macau Golf Masters for People with ID swings into its eighth edition in April 2019.

The previous events gave us even further understandings of the importance of the movement. Sport teaches essential values and skills including self-confidence, teamwork, communication, inclusion, education, respect and fair play. While doing this it neither requires the necessity of speaking a certain language nor demanding
characteristics such as skin colour or intellectual ability to perform it. Sport is just about connecting people is regarding any differing appearance or mindset.
In the relationships formed and in the examples set by the athletes, the world sees a new way of thinking,  feeling and acting – especially in Macau. In the moments of a Macau Golf Masters experience, an athlete is transformed into a champion. We are introduced into a more open, joyful, tolerant, accepting and ultimately peaceful world. This is one reason, why our world needs this unique event now more than ever.

So, let’s meet again playing golf & other sports activities, having a good time together and collecting beautiful memories we will never forget. 

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#AlternativeToTheWorldGames
The inaugural tournament in 2012 brought together eight nations from the East Asian and Asian Pacific regions. This event had been anointed the PGA of Golf for People with Intellectual Disabilities! It will be a tough call for us as organisers to bring this event to an even higher level but perseverance always was the name of the game. Bringing together Macau’s society to compete and interact with intellectually disabled athletes from all over the world is key to the ultimate objective of connecting people through sport.
With the help of local corporations and an endless list of local sponsors and friends, we have been able to host 24 delegations from more than 20 countries from as far away as Canada or South Africa and as near as Hong Kong plus more than 60 local golfers playing together in a UNIFIED format at three different competition levels.
In March 2019 the Special Olympics World Games will take place in Abu Dhabi where a golf tournament will be held too, but unfortunately not all players will be allowed to participate due to quotas by country and region. With the Macau Golf Masters in place we expect a great number of players joining the 8th edition of this extraordinary event.

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Level 1 – Individual Skill Competition

Entry level golf players with intellectual disability are tested for six skills similar to on-course play, including a short putt, along putt, a chip shot, a pitch shot, an iron shot and a wood shot.

 

Level 2 – Best Ball Team Play Competition

A nine hole best ball format that teams a golf player with intellectual disability and a Macau corporate golf player of moreadvanced skill and knowledge.

 

Level 5 – Individual Stroke Play Competition

18 holes tournament in stroke play format.

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Masters Final - Team Stroke Play

18 holes competition in flights of 4 players where local corporate teams partner and challenge the world best golfers with ID in a Ryder Cup format.

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