The DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates witnessed some world-class golf as Matthew Fitzpatrick pulled off the biggest win of his career while Henrik Stenson was crowned Race to Dubai champion for the second time 63,000 people flocked to the Dubai venue to take in the action.
But while top quality golfing action is central to the star-studded tournament, a key component of the event is the utilisation of one of the region’s premier sporting platforms to raise funds and awareness for good causes.
Event partners, Friends of Cancer Patients do a wonderful job at the tournament raising awareness of male cancers through the Shanab initiative at their stand in the Championship Village while the players themselves help raise money for the not-for-profit organization through the ‘Birdie Pledge’ which sees the European Tour Players’ Foundation, supported by title sponsor DP World, the European Tour and Jumeriah Golf Estates, donate $50 for every birdie made at the event and $100 every eagle. And with the Race to Dubai’s star players in electrifying form all week at Jumeirah Golf Estates, this year’s tournament saw a whopping $51,400 raised for Friends of Cancer Patients with 974 birdies and 27 eagles registered at the tournament.
Visitors of #Shanab pavilion at @dpworld Tour Championship got to know more about the risk factors of #ProstateCancer and #TesticularCancer pic.twitter.com/84S29kLsrX
— FOCPUAE (@focpuae) November 17, 2016
“Once again we have raised not only a great amount of money but also heightened the awareness of cancer, particularly male cancers, and the work that this great organisation does,” said Kathryn Wightman-Beaven, Director – Global Sustainability, DP World. “This tournament is also a major platform for raising issues around male cancers and is part of our mission to contribute to social issues of importance. The work of FOCP is very important and they support many families and patients through their treatment for cancer.”
Nick Tarratt, Director of The European Tour International – Dubai Office, commented: “The DP World Tour Championship, the Tour Players Foundation and The European Tour were delighted to continue its commitment to Friends of Cancer Patients in UAE. Our corporate responsibility programmes around the tournament are an important aspect of the event and the Birdie Pledge is a great way to drive contributions to the community and making a difference to issues of social importance.”
Dr Sawsan Abdul Salam Al Madhi, Director General of Friends of Cancer Patients, said: “I’d like to thank DP World, Jumeirah Golf Estates and The European Tour for hosting Shanab, a men’s health initiative that falls under FoCP’s umbrella “Kashf” for early detection of cancer, addressing prostate cancer and testicular cancer, at the tournament.”
Dr Al Madhi added: “Friends of Cancer Patients has been working for the community for the past 16 years raising awareness about different types of early detectable cancer, and supporting patients financially to help them get the required treatment and of course this is where the money from DP World activation will go.”
Nice to see @SouthgateMatt supporting @focpuae, talking about the importance of male cancer awareness! #dpwtc @DP_World #Shanab pic.twitter.com/2omL0MT1gC
— DP World Tour Chm'ip (@DPWTC) November 17, 2016
The Shanab awareness campaign at the event was based on an advert for golf fans to bring in their old golf balls and change them for new ones, provided by host venue Jumeirah Golf Estates, in packaging that explained issues around prostate and testicular cancer and how to check for it. Four doctors from the Shanab medical team also advised visitors during the four-day tournament about testicular and prostate cancer.
The DP World Tour Championship has had a corporate responsibility programme through the Tour Players Foundation from the first tournament in 2009 when a contribution of $50,000 was made to SNFG. Since then contributions of $350,000 have been made by the DP World Tour Championship making a grand total to date after the 2016 tournament of around $400,000.
