Blind Golfers Swing Into NI As Harrington Celebrates His Win

A unique sporting event is underway in south Belfast this week - the World Blind Golf Championship.

Coming on top of news that Irishman Padraig Harrington took the honours at the USPGA Championship at Oakland Hills yesterday, this is great news for sports fans - disabled of able-bodied.

This week's innovative competition for the blind is being held for the first time in Northern Ireland - from 10th to 12 August - and has been welcomed by the NI Sports Minister, Gregory Campbell.

He said: "Belfast's Belvoir Park Golf Club has been chosen to host this fascinating event, which will feature over 50 of the world's top blind golfers from 13 countries competing for the title of World Champion.

"Members of the Northern Ireland Blind Golf Association and Belvoir Park Golf Club should be congratulated for working tirelessly behind the scenes to secure this truly world class event in Northern Ireland for the first time," he continued.

"Tournaments such as this showcase, to the people of Northern Ireland and indeed further afield, that having a disability need not be a barrier to participating in sport at all levels.

"Later this year I hope to launch a Sport and Physical Recreation Strategy which will encourage all of us, including people with disabilities to adopt a more active lifestyle."

Blind Golf is played with the golfer assisted by a sighted guide or caddy, who gives verbal information on distance, direction and characteristics of each hole.

With one of the 'driving forces' behind the Championships being Comber's Jan Dinsdale - one of the top lady blind golfers in the world - the initiative is all the more appropriate.

Jan, (pictured) who is the current USA Open Champion, top European lady, and ranked third in the World and Vice President of the governing body of the International Blind Golf Association, is very pleased with the development.

Jan commented: "The last two Championships were held in Tokyo Japan in 2006 and in Melbourne Australia in 2004, so it's a special honour, and something of a coup, for Europe and Belfast to be chosen."

Meanwhile, there's celebrations across the sporting world in Ireland with news that Padraig Harrington won his second straight major with victory in the 90th USPGA Championship at Oakland Hills yesterday.

The 36-year-old Harrington, who won his second straight Open title at Royal Birkdale last month, became the first European to win the USPGA since Scotland-born Tommy Armour in 1930.

The double Open champion held off Sergio Garcia and Ben Curtis on a dramatic last day to end two shots clear at three under after a 66.

See: International Blind Golf Championships Set For Belfast

(BMcC)