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Thomas Bjørn has followed in the footsteps of many illustrious Ryder Cup captains by becoming the latest recipient of the PGA Recognition Award for his outstanding contribution to golf.
Bjørn, who will lead Europe’s bid in September to regain the Ryder Cup in France, received the award at The PGA’s annual fundraising lunch at the Grosvenor House hotel in London last month.
The 46-year-old joins fellow Ryder Cup captains Sam Torrance, Sir Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Colin Montgomerie and Bjørn’s predecessor, Darren Clarke – for whom he served as vice captain at Hazeltine National Golf Club in 2008 – as winners of the prestigious accolade.
A 15-time winner on the European Tour and runner-up in The Open Championship in 2000 and 2003, Bjørn became the first Danish player to represent Europe against the United States in the Ryder Cup in 1997.
Europe won that encounter at Spain’s Valderrama Golf Club with Ballesteros as captain, as they did in Bjørn’s other two appearances, at The Belfry in 2002 and at Gleneagles in Scotland 12 years later.
Bjørn brings a wealth of experience to the role, having served as a vice captain on no fewer than four occasions, and the Dane will make history again next year when he becomes the first Scandinavian Ryder Cup captain as the famous team competition returns to mainland Europe for a second time at Le Golf National from 28-30 September.
Speaking after receiving the award, Bjørn said: "There are so many people that can be recognised for their achievements in the game and I am honoured to receive this award, especially from The PGA.
"While Tour players are on the front line, it is the PGA professionals worldwide who are doing the groundwork and forming the base for the game to develop. They are the ones who are most important."
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The revival of the English PGA Championship is part of a packed national tournament schedule for 2018 that promises more playing opportunities for PGA professionals.
The English PGA Championship, which was contested for the only time at Goodwood in 2010, has been restored to the calendar and will be staged on Saunton’s challenging West Course in Devon from 27-29 June.
Once again the season begins with the Silversea Senior PGA Professional Championship in May at Foxhills Club & Resort, the stage of the 2017 PGA Cup.
Trentham near Stoke-on-Trent will host the most prestigious women’s event on the calendar when the Titleist & FootJoy WPGA Professional Championship is played there for the first time on 1 June.
Farleigh in Surrey also will host a PGA national final for the first time when the PGA Assistants’ Championship is staged there from 3-5 July.
Later in July the association’s premier event, the Titleist & FootJoy PGA Professional Championship, which carries a £78,000 prize fund, will be contested from 24-27 July at Little Aston.
The summer continues with the PGA Super 60s, the Welsh National PGA Championship Championship, sponsored by Asbri Golf, and the Golfbreaks.com PGA Fourball Championship all taking place in August.
September sees the return of the Lombard Trophy and WPGA Lombard Trophy final. All eyes will be on Portugal’s Pestana Vila Sol where players could earn a slice of the £80,000 prize fund.
One of the final events of the year sees the PGA Play-Offs return to Antalya Golf Club in Turkey from 21-23 November.
A full schedule of PGA pro-am events offers PGA members and golf enthusiasts from across the UK and Ireland the chance to play at some of the world’s most prestigious venues.
Spain and Portugal are popular destinations, but other additions to a comprehensive schedule of events include pro-ams at TPC Sawgrass, home of the Players Championship; Indian Wells Golf Resort, based in Palm Springs, California; and the legendary Pebble Beach Golf Links, which will host the 2019 US Open.
For PGA professionals, the PGA Overseas Pro-Ams are a chance to take a break from day-to-day club duties. It gives them a chance to compete for a sizable prize fund on offer at each event and there is also the incentive to earn a little extra through promoting certain pro-ams and attracting new amateur players.
For the amateur, there is the chance to play at a world-renowned venue alongside a club professional, while enjoying a few days of luxury in the sun.
Packages are available through tour operators the American Golf Holiday, Cassidy Golf, Golf Escapes and PGA partner Golfbreaks.com.