Tournament host Danny Willett has selected Prostate Cancer UK as the official charity of the Betfred British Masters, which will take place at The Belfry from May 12-15.
The 2016 Masters Tournament winner is a long-term supporter of Prostate Cancer UK and chose the United Kingdom-based charity after hearing of the inspiring work of fellow Yorkshireman John Brownless, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004. Brownless has raised more than £50,000 for the charity over the last seven years by organising golf days in England and Spain.
Willett now proudly sports the ‘Man of Men’ badge on his golf bag as he shows his support to Brownless and the 400,000 men affected by prostate cancer in the United Kingdom – raising awareness of the disease across the globe.
As title sponsor of the British Masters, Betfred has pledged £1,000 for every birdie and £2,000 for every eagle tournament host Willett makes at The Belfry, with all donations going directly to Prostate Cancer UK. The tournament’s title sponsor will also donate £50,000 to Prostate Cancer UK for the first hole-in-one by a professional on the 14th hole – the same hole that Sir Nick Faldo famously made an ace at The 1993 Ryder Cup.
“I’m proud to select Prostate Cancer UK as the official charity of the Betfred British Masters,” said Willett. “Raising awareness of this disease is something I felt I had to do after hearing the courageous story of John Brownless, who has raised an enormous amount of money for Prostate Cancer UK over the last seven years.
“This tournament is steeped in history and one of the highlights of the British golfing calendar. I’m delighted as this week’s host to have the opportunity to show John how much we all appreciate the work he has done in raising awareness of the disease, not to mention the amount of money he has raised for Prostate Cancer UK.
“I’d like to thank Betfred for their support and I hope I can make a lot of birdies at The Belfry to raise as much money as possible for such a worthwhile cause and to raise awareness of a disease which will affect one in eight men in the United Kingdom.”
More than 47,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the United Kingdom and it disproportionately affects men over 50, black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer.
The Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett will return to The Belfry after a 13-year absence, with the Sutton Coldfield venue last hosting the event in 2008. The Belfry is a four-time host venue of The Ryder Cup, including in 1985 when Europe famously defeated the United States for the first time, and hosted the European Tour for the first time in 12 years at the 2020 ISPS Handa UK Championship, won by Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard.
The European Tour would like to join in thanking Betfred for its generous donation to Prostate Cancer UK alongside this year’s Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett. The European Tour seeks to create a culture of philanthropy alongside its tournaments as part of its overarching CSR programme, Golf for Good, which seeks to support worthy causes directly in the communities where the Tour plays, as well as promoting philanthropy, sustainability, inclusivity and the many health benefits of the game of golf.
To get a ‘Man of Men’ pin badge like Danny Willett and find out about Prostate Cancer UK’s work in golf, including the epic Big Golf Race, visit prostatecanceruk.org/golf.
