Ryder Cup captain made honorary captain at The Shire London
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The Shire London has made Thomas Bjørn, European Ryder Cup Captain, Honorary Captain for 2017-18.
The 46-year old Dane will represent the club located near Barnet in Hertfordshire, as momentum builds towards the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National close to Paris.
Speaking at The Shire London, celebrating its tenth anniversary, Bjørn said: “The Shire is the perfect golfing base for me in the UK with great practice facilities and the fantastic Ballesteros Masters Course.
“The Club has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and the Menai-Davis family are not only great hosts, but they are also passionate supporters of growing the game of golf”.
Denmark’s most successful golfer, Bjørn’s stellar career has included 15 wins and 94 top ten finishes to date on the European Tour. Twice runner-up in The Open Championship, and a three-time Ryder Cup player – always on the winning side – he was appointed Chairman of the European Tour’s Tournament Committee in 2007. He is a four-time Vice-Captain to the European Ryder Cup team.
During his two-year Honorary Captaincy at The Shire London, Bjørn will each year host a new event, The Thomas Bjørn Trophy, the first of which will take place in September 2017.
He will also use the club’s practice facilities and gym, as well as playing at the club’s spectacular 7,028 yard Ballesteros Masters Course, the UK’s only golf course fully designed by Severiano Ballesteros.
Said The Shire London’s Tony Menai-Davis. “It is a huge thrill for all of us connected with the club that such a successful and influential figure from world golf will be representing us for the next two years, and we look forward to seeing him around the club.
“To have the European Ryder Cup Captain based at The Shire London will be incredibly exciting, and like all golf fans we will be backing Thomas all the way as he builds his team in preparation for Paris in 2018. Go Team Europe!”
In 2018 Thomas Bjørn will become the first Dane, and the first Scandinavian to lead Europe when it returns to mainland Europe for the second time at Le Golf National.
Bjorn added:“It means a lot to me that my hero Seve designed the golf course at The Shire London. Being based at Seve’s course will inspire me in the build-up to my own captaincy.”
*Discover more about The Shire London at www.theshirelondon.com, and about its sister venue The West London Golf Centre at www.westlondongolfcentre.com
