The spirit of Seve Ballesteros and the magnificent qualities of the course he designed with Jeff Howes will be on show for all to see when the Heritage Resort and the PGA in Ireland stage the sixth annual Heritage Challenge Pro-Am in association with the Seve Ballesteros Foundation from 4-5 June 2016.

Already one of the highlights of the PGA in Ireland calendar, the Heritage Challenge Pro-Am will feature an increased prize fund of €50,000 — making it the biggest in Ireland — and will support the charitable efforts of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation.

“The Board members of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation are delighted and very grateful that The Heritage Resort and the PGA of Ireland are hosting the  sixth annual Heritage Challenge Pro-Am in aid of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation," Seve's children Javier, Miguel and Carmen wrote to the club. "We wish you every success and our sincere thanks.”

Javier Ballesteros hopes to tee it up in an event that will offer a wide range of sponsorship options with the $50,000 title sponsorship the pick of the bunch.

A Gala Dinner and charity auction in aid of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation will take place at the conclusion of play on Sunday, June 5th.

Items donated thus far for auction include a fourball at Royal Pedreña Golf Club in Santander, a visit to the trophy room in Seve’s house and a sculpture of Seve’s grip.

PGA in Ireland secretary, Michael McCumiskey said: “Support for golf and playing the game has recovered in recent times and, as part of that, we look forward with great enthusiasm to the staging of The Heritage Challenge in aid of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation.”

The Heritage Resort is closely associated with the Spanish golfing legend as home to the Ballesteros Course, the only golf course in Ireland designed by the legendary five time major winner.

The venue is consistently ranked among the top 10 parkland courses in the country by Golf Digest magazine and has previously hosted The Seve Trophy and Irish Senior Open.

The Heritage Golf Operations manager Dean Redmond added; “It is a great boost for the venue to be hosting The Heritage Challenge in aid of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation. The professionals and amateurs will find the Seve designed course a great challenge in 2016.” 

Entry for a team of three costs just €1,000 and includes, two rounds with a top PGA professional, refreshment each day, barbeque on Saturday 4th June and Gala Dinner on Sunday 5th June, special accommodation rates at partner hotels and a memento of the occasion.
 
Last year's tournament was won by David Higgins (Waterville) who carded rounds of 68/75 to edge out Colm Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance).
 
Places are limited, so to guarantee a place at this year’s event contact Dean Redmond on 057 8642321 or email info@heritageresort.ie.

The Seve Ballesteros Foundation

The Seve Ballesteros Foundation honours the life, the achievements and professional career of Seve and preserves his legacy supporting his passion, golf, and what this sport can do for young people.

Seve set up the Foundation in 2009, with the commitment to contribute to the advancement of science for the benefit of those suffering from brain tumours. The Foundation raises funds for scientific research with the aim of helping to find a cure for brain cancer, working with some of the best scientists and institutes in the world.

Seve always talked about giving something back to the game and was passionate about helping young, underprivileged children to play golf, to use the game as a vehicle for social development, instilling the values associated to the practice of sport inherent in the founder: humility, effort, perseverance, resilient spirit, determination, integrity, tolerance and respect.

The Seve Ballesteros course

The Heritage a 72 par Championship golf course, was co-designed by Seve Ballesteros and Jeff Howes is set in the beautiful rolling countryside of Co. Laois, with the Slieve Bloom Mountains as a backdrop.

This championship golf course provides the most enjoyable experience for golfers of all standards in Ireland. Construction on the golf course began back in June 2001, with what was once an open piece of farmland Ballesteros & Howes have created a gem that features all the flair you would expect from Seve.

Five lakes and a stream meander through the course and brings water into play on 10 holes. Though some bunkers have been eliminated recently to help increase playability and reduce maintenance costs and others reduced in size, 98 beautifully shaped bunkers and 7,000 trees adorn the landscape, which is very gently undulating without any climbing involved.

The variety of tees allows the course to be played from 5747 to 7319 yards and the limestone land ensures a magnificent playing surface all year round. There is an orthodox configuration of four par-fives, four par-threes and ten par-fours for an overall par of 72