Yorkshire's ambition to bring Legends Tour event to region put to test in Age Partnership Rich Beem Invitational at Ilkley

A major winner, a Solheim Cup captain and a host of veteran European Tour members will be playing at Ilkley Golf Club over the next two days as part of the region’s drive to bring leading golf tournaments back to Yorkshire.
By Nick Westby
Published 5th Sep 2022, 17:00 GMT

SGH Events hosts the Age Partnership Rich Beem Yorkshire Invitational on Tuesday and Wednesday, the third installment of an event that first carried the name of Ian Woosnam as guest host.

But American Beem, the 2002 US PGA champion, has taken up the mantle from the former Ryder Cup captain.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Beem, 52, from Phoenix, will be familiar to golf fans in the United Kingdom through his role as a broadcaster with the Sky Sports Golf team.

Rich Beem of United States in action during the final round of the Senior Open presented by Rolex at Sunningdale Golf Club on July 25, 2021 in Sunningdale, England. (Picture: Phil Inglis/Getty Images)Rich Beem of United States in action during the final round of the Senior Open presented by Rolex at Sunningdale Golf Club on July 25, 2021 in Sunningdale, England. (Picture: Phil Inglis/Getty Images)
Rich Beem of United States in action during the final round of the Senior Open presented by Rolex at Sunningdale Golf Club on July 25, 2021 in Sunningdale, England. (Picture: Phil Inglis/Getty Images)

SGH Events has stated previously they want to build towards bringing a Legends Tour (formerly the Seniors’ Tour) event to the county as early as next year.

“We’ve got some great partners on board to the point where we’re now thinking ‘right, let’s set our aspirations a bit higher for next year’,” SGH co-owner Andrew Jennings told The Yorkshire Post in June in the wake of Matt Fitzpatrick’s victory at the US Open.

That determination remains, and with this week’s third hosting of the event being the final year of a three-year staging agreement with the idyllic Ilkley Golf Club, it will be a pivotal event to test the appetite for progression.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The organisers have already shown resilience in attracting a new title commercial partner in the Age Partnership, following the collapse of Welcome to Yorkshire, their principal ally of the first two years.

Rich Beem of United States host a seniors event in Yorkshire this week. (Picture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)Rich Beem of United States host a seniors event in Yorkshire this week. (Picture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
Rich Beem of United States host a seniors event in Yorkshire this week. (Picture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

And the cast list for today’s pro-am and tomorrow's invitational tournament is as strong as ever.

Olympic bronze medallist Nile Wilson, ex Manchester United players Lee Sharpe and Clayton Blackmore, Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler, ex-England cricketer Darren Gough, ex-England and Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson, Leeds Rhinos legend Danny McGuire, and former Leeds United player Gary McAllister will all be teeing off in the pro-am.

The golfers on show across the two days are headlined by former Ryder Cup Team Europe captain Mark James and two-time Solheim Cup winner Catriona Matthew, plus Amy Boulden from the Ladies European Tour, while Wednesday’s invitational will be contested by former BMW PGA Championship winners Simon Khan and Scott Drummond, David Lynn and the two-time defending champion Liam Bond.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Winners of the pro-am will get to enjoy a trip to the 2023 Masters at Augusta National, including a four-night stay in Columbia, tickets to the practice round at Augusta National, two rounds of golf and car rental for three people (flights not included).

Ian Woosnam playing the Ilkley Classic in the first year.Ian Woosnam playing the Ilkley Classic in the first year.
Ian Woosnam playing the Ilkley Classic in the first year.

Individual hole sponsors are also offering trips to Spain and Jamaica.

Admission is free for both the pro-am and invitational events.

"It’s going to be another cracking couple of days,” Jennings told The Yorkshire Post.

"Ilkley looks fantastic, this year’s event is bigger than ever, and we’re really building a lot of momentum towards bringing a Legends Tour event to Yorkshire.”

Related topics:Age PartnershipYorkshire