A traditional international charity golf championship took place in the branch office of GlavUpDK Moscow Country Club on the 3rd of September 2014. The composition of participants adds unique nature to this championship, which has been organized for many years by GlavUpDK, bringing together representatives of the diplomatic corps, Russian political and business elite, mass media, sports public and young golfers. This year professional golfers, participants of the European Senior Tour, including famous Scottish golfer, multiple champion of PGA tours, Sir Colin Montgomerie took part in the championship.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Charity championship, the head of GlavUpDK Mr. Pashko emphasized that GlavUpDK goes to great lengths for the championship to be held annually at the highest level both in terms of golf course preparation and organization. According to him, participation of heads of diplomatic missions in the championship is a sizable contribution to the development and cooperation between the countries. Furthermore, Mr. Pashko reminded that according to many years of tradition, all funds raised at the championship are given by GlavUpDK to charities, specializing in children’s medical care, as well as educational establishments.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Olympic champion and first deputy to the chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs C.C. Zhukova underlined the significance of the championship for development of golf in Russia. She expressed her hopes that young golfers that took part in the competition on the Moscow Country Club course would soon represent Russia in the Olympic Games, and emphasized the contribution of GlavUpDK to development of national golf.
B.E. Rasskazov, the head of the Krasnogorskiy region, welcomed the participants and guests of the championship, and pointed out that thanks to GlavUpDK the young residents of Krasnogorsk made their first strides on the path to the heights of professional golf.
The participation of top class European golfers in the championship, among which there were representatives of embassies of Portugal, Switzerland, Laos, Australia and a number of other countries, helped the amateurs perform at the top of their skill. The first place was won with a result of 52.2 by a team comprised of Noel Ratcliff, Evgeni Slizhkov, Pavel Batyshev, Inna Lazaniyuk and Natalia Guseva. The prowess of Sir Colin Montgomerie allowed his team, which also included Dmitry Garanov, Sergei Eskin, Alexei and Ivan Stroganovs, to finish second with a result of 52.4. The third result (52.5) was shown by a team comprised of Rick Gibson, Park Gi Mog, Alexei Lipko, Phillip Heindl and Alexander Morzhevilov. The best player was the Ambassador of Swiss Confederation Mr. Pierre Helg. The prizes for the closest drive were awarded to Manuel Nader and Irina Chernova, and for the longest drive were awarded to Gennady Sokolov and Zinaida Semida.
According to tradition, the funds raised during the championship will be allocated to the needs of children. A cheque for 1.500.000,00 rubles was handed over to representatives of the "Gift of Life" foundation Anastasia Myskina and Dmitry Khrustalev, a certificate for 500.000,00 rubles was given to founder of the Hospice assistance fund "Faith" Nyuta Federmesser and member of board of trustees of the foundation Tatyana Arno. In addition, the raised money will be allocated to equipping a computer class in Nakhabinskaya grammar school No. 4 and procurement of equipment for a physics class of secondary boarding school of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.
The press conference held on September 4, 2014 took place before the grand opening of the Open Championship of Russia. The press conference was attended by the head of GlavUpDK Mr. Pashko, first deputy Chairman of the State Duma, president of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) А.D.Zhukov, managing director of European Senior Tour Andy Stubbs, famous golfer Sir Colin Montgomerie and director of the Russian Golf Association А.V.Kochetkov.
The head of GlavUpDK Mr. Pashko reminded the journalists that GlavUpDK was one of the founders of Russian golf, having built in 1994 in Nabakhino the first professional golf course in Russia. Today, according to Mr. Pashko, the Main Administration pays close attention to development of golf among juniors by inviting golf stars of world level to Russia.
Recently, golf has become a hobby of the President of the Russian Olympic Committee Mr. Zhukov, who took part in the Pro-Am Russian Open Golf Championship 2014 (Senior) as an amateur. According to the President of the Russian Olympic Committee, the increase of the number of golf courses, golfers and golf championships is the best testimony of growing popularity of golf in our country, and arrival of stars of the level of Sir Colin Montgomerie to Russia thanks to GlavUpDK will help young Russian golfers increase their mastery. Mr. Zhukov also reminded that after a long pause golf would again be included into the Olympic Games program, and expressed his hopes for participation of Russian golfers in the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, by assuring that the Russian Olympic Committee is working actively along this avenue.
Andy Stubbs, the Managing Director of the European Senior Tour, thanked the organizer of the championship, the head of GlavUpDK, by emphasizing that the championship in the Moscow Country Club gathered some elite golfers from different countries, among which there was Ronan Rafferty, Harry Emerson and last year's winner of Russian Open Golf Championship (Senior) Simon Brown, not to mention Sir Colin Montgomerie.
The famous Scot, in turn, underlined that the golf course in Nakhabino was impeccable, which is attributable to the experts of Moscow Country Club. Answering the questions of journalists, Sir Colin Montgomerie explained that in Scotland with its harsh climate there were currently 528 golf courses, and expressed confidence that eventually in Russia golfers would have more courses to play golf. He also praised the skill of young Russian golfers, with whom a day before he had held a master class, which the golfers call a golf clinic, and noted they could well make future Olympic champions.
Russian Open Golf Championship 2014 (Senior) was held from 5 to 7 September, 2014 on emerald golf course of Moscow Country Club, which is one of 16 stages of European Senior Tour. 72 golf players above 50 years of age from 17 countries took part in the Championship with a prize fund of 900 thousand USD. They have fully appreciated the perfect condition of 18-hole golf course of Moscow Country Club, even more so that this time the uncertain autumn weather favored the golfers. On the last day of the championship, experience and a little bit of luck decided it all. A brilliant play by Sir Colin Montgomerie who made seven birdies and finished the game with a result of 14 allowed him to continue his win run in the most prestigious championships and win the cup, as well as get a cheque for 135.000,00 dollars. Rick Gibson who finished second showed the result of 11. While receiving the cup during the closing ceremony, Sir Colin Montgomerie thanked the organizers for hospitality and excellent conditions created for the sportsmen, and noted again that in his opinion the future of Russian golf was in good hands.
