Harrington and Lawlor to compete in Heroes Classic at Royal Birkdale
Padraig Harrington and Brendan Lawlor are amongst the star names who will take part in a fun celebration of golf when the Heroes Classic is held for the first time during The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale on Tuesday, 14 July.
Jordan Spieth and Pádraig Harrington, both former winners of The Open at Royal Birkdale, will be joined by reigning AIG Women’s Open champion Miyu Yamashita, G4D Champion Brendan Lawlor, and Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose, as well as high-profile figures from sport and entertainment, including R&A ambassadors Bryan Habana and Kathryn Newton.
Harrington said, “The Heroes Classic is a fantastic way for fans to experience a different side of The Open, and I’m really looking forward to being part of it.
“Royal Birkdale holds a special place in my heart, and this will showcase something new and exciting for spectators.
“It’s a great, family-friendly occasion, there are some great names taking part and I hope it inspires everyone who comes along.”
The event will celebrate the heroes of the sport – those who inspire millions of people around the world to play and get involved in golf – and highlight the work of The R&A in developing and promoting golf globally.
It will be contested in teams of three players over the 1st, 2nd and 9th holes using a Texas scramble format with a scoring incentive to ensure each participant gets to hit as many shots as possible to create team unity and enable friendly competition.
Tommy Fleetwood said, “To be part of the first Heroes Classic at The Open is really exciting, especially at a Championship that means so much to all of us as players. It should be a lot of fun and I think the fans are going to really enjoy seeing a different side of everyone involved.
“If we can create a memory that inspires someone to be involved in the game and dream big, that is a wonderful thing.”
Jordan Spieth said, “It’s special to come back to Royal Birkdale, this place means a lot to me and I’m looking forward to being part of something unique during Open week. Heroes Classic will be a fun way to bring people together and give fans another great experience at one of the best weeks in golf.
“It’s great to see something new being added to The Open, and with Royal Birkdale being such an iconic venue and I’m excited to be involved.”
Justin Rose, said, “I am really looking forward to taking part in the Heroes Classic. The Open at Royal Birkdale in 1998 was a really special moment for me and brings back so many fond memories, especially winning the Silver Medal as a young amateur.
“To return now, in a different stage of my career, is something I’m excited about. I’m looking forward to being back, reconnecting with the fans, and giving them something new to experience through the Heroes Classic.”
Increased capacity at this year’s Championship has resulted in a limited number of tickets being available to attend the Last-Chance Qualifier being played on Monday 13 July and Heroes Classic.
Fans still have the opportunity to attend The Open on Championship Days with a range of ticket-inclusive travel packages, including The Open Camping Village. A limited number of premium experiences, such as Ticket Plus, which combine an admission ticket with added comfort and enhanced on-site facilities, are also available.
The Official Ticket Resale Platform for The 154thOpen at Royal Birkdale also opened today allowing fans to purchase tickets returned for the Championship at face value prices. The R&A is reminding fans not to purchase tickets made available via unofficial third party resale websites as these are subject to cancellation under the ticketing terms and conditions for The Open.
To find out how you can still attend The Open through a range of ticketing, premium experiences and ticket-inclusive travel packages, please visit TheOpen.com
