Five-time European Tour winner, Ross Fisher, today met with and awarded prizes to the young winners of the inaugural Irish Open 2014 Schools’ Art Competition.
The three, all of whom are from Cork, submitted entries to the art competition under the theme, My Ireland, My Irish Open.
The winners are; Aidan Jenkins (6), St John the Baptist national school, Midleton; David Oskwarek (7) St Patricks, Mallow and Cillian O’Keefe (11) Gaelscoil Charriag Ui Leighin.
The three got to meet the English Ryder Cup player who gave them an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the Irish Open, including the Players Lounge, and posed for photos in a new feature at this year’s Irish Open, the schools’ art exhibition.
Fisher said, “It’s great to get children involved in sport from an early age and with golf the word on everyone’s lips this week in Cork, the youngsters have really come onboard and supported the event with an amazing selection of paintings and drawings. I think I saw a few Rory likenesses in there too, so he’s obviously a home crowd favourite. My own artistic talent is fairly limited so I am relieved I stuck to golf!”
Hundreds of young people between the ages of 4 – 13 entered the competition for an opportunity to meet one of the European Tour’s great players and win prizes such as passes to Fota Wildlife Park ad BIC stationery packs. All entrants will receive a signed certificate from Pádraig Harrington in recognition of their participation.
The schools’ art exhibition features 60 of the top submissions across three age categories, 4-6;
7-10 and 11-13 and is located in the Tented Village at the Irish Open.
One very special piece of art featuring the signatures of the 156 Irish and international golfers in this year’s Irish Open will be presented to the event’s official charity for 2014, The Mercy Hospital Foundation, for its own fund-raising efforts.
The schools’ art competition was organised by the European Tour in association with the Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI) and was aimed at encouraging young people’s interest in the sport.
