Make-A-Wish® Ireland will receive €500 for every birdie on Mount Juliet Estate’s 18th hole at this week’s Horizon Irish Open through the Birdies for Wishes initiative.
Horizon Therapeutics, the global biotechnology company headquartered in Dublin which became headline sponsor of the Horizon Irish Open in February, named Make-A-Wish Ireland as the Official Charity of the Horizon Irish Open for the entirety of their six-year commitment to sponsor the island of Ireland’s national open, and Birdies for Wishes will be a key component of their fundraising endeavours.
The Birdies for Wishes initiative means every birdie on the 18th hole at Mount Juliet during tournament play in this week’s Horizon Irish Open will be worth €500, while multiple donation points will be located around the site for the general public to contribute to the charity which, in its 30-year history, has granted over 2,800 wishes.
Other fundraising activations on site at the 2022 Horizon Irish Open include the Mega Putt Challenge and the Horizon Interactive Zone, both situated in the Championship Village.
Horizon is committed to long-term support of the charity which brings hope, strength and happiness to children with life-threatening conditions through granting their wishes, and will match each donation received throughout the week at Mount Juliet Estate, as well as in each of the next five editions.
To launch the partnership, Horizon and the DP World Tour extended an invite for Peter McEnery – whose dreams came true as a 14-year-old by playing alongside Pádraig Harrington at the 2010 Irish Open thanks to Make-A-Wish Ireland – to play once again in this year’s Pro-Am alongside his golf hero.
McEnery, who lives with Cystic Fibrosis, was 14 years old when his wish came true to play alongside the three-time Major winner at Killarney Golf Club 12 years ago, when he also received a once-in-a-lifetime VIP experience at the historic national open.
Now 26, McEnery is a four handicap golfer and credits his experience 12 years ago through Make-A-Wish Ireland as the primary reason for his continued love of the game. He will represent the charity at the Horizon Irish Open Pro-Am with the hope of raising awareness of its incredible work.
Wish children were heavily impacted by the burden of the pandemic, already isolated as a result of their treatment journeys, where lockdowns only added to the trauma of serious childhood illness. With the help of the Horizon Irish Open, Make-A-Wish Ireland will be able to continue its journey back to normality and reach every eligible child in Ireland.
To donate to Make-A-Wish please visit www.makeawish.ie/donate or text MYWISH to 50300 at a cost of €4.
