Pros get Irish Open Official Charity campaign off to a flying start

Mercy Hospital Foundation in Cork, the Official Charity of the Irish Open, enjoyed a profitable start to this year’s Championship thanks to the generosity of the Professionals competing in the Pro-Am  at sun-kissed Fota Island Resort.

With all 48 professionals donating their Pro-Am appearance fee to the Foundation’s Kids + Teens Appeal benefited to the tune of €12,000 which aims to raise €100,000 to benefit crucial areas of The Mercy Hospital’s paediatric services including redevelopment of the Children’s Leukaemia Unit, POONS Service - a mobile nursing service that administers treatment to children and young people undergoing cancer treatment in the child’s own home and Bereavement counselling, support and education for children effected by the death of a parent or sibling.

The donation has kick started this week’s fundraising for the Mercy Hospital Foundation which will continue over the course of the Championship week with initiatives, spearheaded by the Tour Players Foundation (TPF), the charitable arm of the European Tour and supported by the Championship’s Sponsors and Suppliers, bolstering the sums raised for the Foundation and their Appeal.

Micheál Sheridan, CEO, The Mercy Hospital Foundation, said: “We are extremely grateful to the European Tour and everyone involved in the Irish Open for giving us the wonderful opportunity to be the Official Charity and especially delighted to know that the players have kindly supported our cause by donating their appearance fees from the Pro-Am. We thank them for their generosity in helping to get the week off to a rousing start.

David Park, Charity Executive for the European Tour, added: “The players are very much behind the tournament’s charitable activities and the donation of their Pro-Am fees ensures that our support of this wonderful local charity gets off to a good start.”

Further information is available onwww.mercyfundraising.ieor by calling (021) 4274076.