After being announced as Official Hotel Supplier to The European Tour late last year, Hilton Worldwide has expanded its support of the Tour by becoming the presenting partner of the Hilton European Tour Golfer of the Month award.
Beginning in January 2015, the world’s largest hospitality company was welcomed into the stable of European Tour global sponsors for at least three years and will now become closely associated with the refreshed monthly award which, starting with the March competition, will feature a new fan voting element.
My European Tour members will now have the opportunity to choose their top three players from each month, and if they can match the same 1-2-3 as our panel of golf experts will be entered into a prize draw to win some exclusive Hilton prizes.
The lucky fan winner will receive a two-night stay at any Hilton Worldwide portfolio hotel while two runners-up will win a one-night stay at any Hilton portfolio hotel of their choice.
All seven fan winners from March through September will be entered into a prize draw to win an incredible three-night stay in Dubai for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
The Hilton European Tour Golfer of the Month will himself receive Hilton HHonors Diamond VIP status – the top tier of Hilton’s loyalty scheme – the benefits of which include:
• Complimentary access to the Executive Floor, for the member and one guest
• 48-Hour room guarantee, meaning that even when a hotel is full, you’ll be guaranteed a room providing you book at least 48-hours in advance.
• A second guest stays in the same room for free
• Quick reservations and check-ins based on room preferences, meaning you always stay in a room you like
• 5th night free on every stay over five nights
• Late check-out
• 50% Elite Status Bonus, giving a 50% bonus on all the HHonors Base Points earned
MARCH CONTENDERS
Andy Sullivan
After claiming his maiden European Tour title in January, Sullivan added a second – again on South African soil – at the Joburg Open. The young Englishman finished two clear of the pack following a closing 66 to hoist another piece of silverware and also claim a place in the field for The 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews.
4 events (1st, MC, MC, MC)
1 wins
1 top 10s
71.0 Scoring Average
5 under par
206,050 euros won
73.3% Greens in Regulation
67.4% Fairways hit
30.5 Putts per Round
Trevor Fisher Jnr
A prolific winner on southern Africa’s Sunshine Tour, Fisher Jnr snatched a maiden European Tour title on The European Tour at the Africa Open. The Johannesburg native carded a brilliant closing 64 at East London Golf Club to seal a resounding five-shot success and top a highly consistent March.
3 events (T32, 1st, T23)
1 win
1 top ten
68.2 Scoring Average
37 under par
191,178 euros won
George Coetzee
The South African had a stellar month in which he doubled his tally of European Tour victories with a win at his home course of Pretoria Country Club in the Tshwane Open. After sharing the lead overnight heading into the final round, Coetzee fired a flawless 65 to take the spoils by one stroke before claiming a tied third finish in his next start at the Trophée Hassan II in Morocco.
4 events (T24, T94, 1st, T3)
1 win
2 top five finishes
69.1 Scoring Average
31 under par
311,301 euros won
65.9% Greens in Regulation
55.1% Fairways hit
27.4 Putts per Round
Richie Ramsay
Despite having endured a difficult season coming into the final week of March in Morocco, Ramsay turned things around for a third European Tour win at the Trophée Hassan II. The Scot recovered from dropping four shots in the space of two holes to claim a dramatic one-shot victory thanks to three birdies in an impressive back nine at the Royal Palace.
3 events (MC, MC, 1st)
1 win
70.8 Scoring Average
6 under par
250,000 euros won
72.2% Greens in Regulation
76.4% Fairways hit
30.0 Putts per Round
The winner of the March competition will join Danny Willett (December), Gary Stal (January) and Anirban Lahiri (February) as contenders for the 2015 European Tour Golfer of the Year prize.
Willett, Stal and Lahiri will also be retrospectively awarded HHonors Diamond status for the Hilton hotel and resort network.
CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR THE MARCH HILTON EUROPEAN TOUR GOLFER OF THE MONTH
Entries will close at 23.59 on the April 19, 2015.
