BlackStar Golf News

Blackstar Golf today announced that the Worcestershire based lighting manufacturer Green Lighting are to become an Official partner to Oliver Farr in 2018 as he returns to the European Tour. Ollie finished 6th on the 2017 European Challenge Tour rankings to regain his full playing status. In addition they will also sponsor James Maw and Worcestershire's Ben Robinson.

In 2018 Oliver will play in approximately 30 events visiting more than 20 countries, the tour finishes at the DP World Championship in Dubai in mid-November.

Green Lighting is a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative LED lighting solutions and for nearly two decades have supplied cost effective lighting through specification, to the UK house builder. Green Lighting offer a unique route to market, providing full traceability and also offer award winning customer care warranties.
Anthony Ottway, the managing director and founder of Green Lighting said, “We are delighted to become part of Ollie's team for 2018, and we look forward to following his progress throughout the year. In addition we are very much looking forward to been involved in the Bridgestone Challenge in September, last year we had a thoroughly enjoyable week watching and playing with the future stars of European Golf”

Jeremy Robinson, Director of Blackstar Golf commented “We would just like to thank Anthony and his team at Green Lighting for their continued support of our players and also the Bridgestone Challenge”
The Bridgestone Challenge will again be staged Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa in September, the pre event Pro Am takes place on September 5th, and the professional event runs from September 6-9.

For further information please contact

Jeremy Robinson

Blackstar Golf
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
44(0)1905 670516

Oliver Farr returns to the 2018 Race to Dubai this week at the 107th South African Open which will be played at Glendower Golf Club.
Farr has already played 3 events on the 2018 R2D prior to Christmas and currently sits 57th on the Race To Dubai Ranking list, having finished tied 24th at the
Australian PGA Championship in December.

Oliver has returned to the 2018 Race To Dubai, having successfully regained his full playing card after finishing 6th on the 2017 PGA Challenge Tour,
with the highlight been his 5 shot vitory in China at the end of the 2017 season. The 2018 schedule will see Oliver play in excess of 25 events across the world.

The SA Open starts on Thursday January 11th, and you can follow Oliver's progress via live scoring on euroepantour.com as well as @blackstarsports on twitter.

Stuart Manley finished T42 and Oliver Farr T49 at the Joburg Open. This was the last event for Blackstar players in 2017.

Thank you to everyone who has been in involved with Blackstar this year,not only with the players but also all the sponsors and volunteers of the 2017 Bridgestone Challenge.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Blackstar  

This week is the final on the event on the Euroepan Tour although it is the fourth official event of the 2018 season. Oliver Farr and Stuart Manley, who both played in the Australian PGA last week are joined by South African Martin Rohwer, who makes his debut on the European Tour.

Stuart manley is hoping to go one better in this Joburg Open, last years  event Stuart finished runner up and qualified for the 2017 Open Championship.

The Joburg Open is a tri sanctioned event with the Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour

Welsh duo Stuart Manley and Oliver Farr both play this week at the Australian PGA Championship, this is a co- sanctioned event between the European and Australian Tour, and is the second Official event on the 2018 Race To Dubai.

Ollie Farr who represents Burghill Valley GC in Herefordshire followed up 3 consectative Top 10 finishes by winning the European Challenge Tour's biggest event, the Foshan Open in China by 5 shots, rounds of 69,66,66 and a final round of 69 saw him finish on 18 under par. Ollie now moves to 4th on the latest Race To Oman rankings and with only 2 events left on the 2017 Challenge Tour and the Top 15 players graduating to the 2018 European Tour,Ollie has now guaranteed a return to the main tour. In addition he has now moved up to to 264th in the latest World Rankings.

David Boote, who represents Walton Heath Golf Club safely negotiated his way through stage 1 of the European Tour's Qualifying school. Scores of 69, 72, 73 and 71 had Boote finish with a 3 under par total at Frilford Heath Golf Club.

Stage 2 will take place in Spain in early November, and the final school comes staright after at Lumine Golf Club. In total there are 14 rounds and at the conclusion of the final school the top 25 players will gain a full exemption on to the 2018 Race To Dubai.

BlackStar Sports are delighted to announce the signing of 23 year old David Boote from Wales. David turns professional this week after playing for GB & I last week at the Walker Cup, and will make his debut at the Irish Challenge on the PGA European Challenge Tour,

The Stanford graduate has had an impressive amateur career, reaching a career high of 24 in the Official World rankings.

Jeremy Robinson of BlackStar said, " We are delighted to have signed David, this year he has played in the Walker Cup and narrowly missed out on qualifying for both the Open Championship and also the US Open, he begins a new chapter now in his golfing career and we hope that we can help him achieve his goals as a tournament professional "

With just over 1 week to go until the 2017 Bridgestone Challenge at Luton Hoo Golf Hotel & Spa Pre Event registration is still available at www.blackstagolf.net. Every fan who pre registers for the event and attends one of the tournament days will be entitled to claim vouchers with a value of up to £200, and this includes a FREE round of golf at Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa.

Each day of the event has a " theme " to it, Thursday September 7th is Schools Day, September 8th will be Ladies Day, where every lady who attends the event will be entitled to a FREE glass of wine, Saturday is Family Day and the Sunday September 10th will be " Championship Day ".

The Bridgestone Challenge will be the first PGA European Challenge Tour to use a Modified Stableford Scoring system with the player at the end of the week with the most stableford points becoming the champion, this will hopefully encourage the players to take more risks with the emphasis been on making birdies and eagles during the 4 day event.

For up to date information please visit Blackstargolf.net

Stuart Manley and Michael Hoey both play in the Porsche European Open in Germany this week. Robert Karlsson hosts his own event this week on the Challenge Tour, where Oliver Farr, Martin Rohwer, Rhys Enoch and Richard James are competing.

Stuart Manley makes his debut at the 146th Open Championship this week at Royal Birkdale, Stuart qualified for the event courtesy of finishing 2nd at the 2017 Joburg Open earlier this year on the European Tour.

Stuart who is sponsored by Worcestershire based ClickFit also teams up for the Open with Gateley PLC.

Follow Stuart's progress on twitter @blackstarsports

Blackstar Sporting Events Ltd are delighted to announce The Club as the Bridgestone Challenge's official media partner.

The Challenge Tour event will be played at the stunning Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa near Luton from September 7-10, with a pre-tournament Pro Am on September 6th 2017 and will showcase some of Europe's finest up and coming golfers.

Uniquely the tournament will be a modified stableford format and  entry to the event  will be totally free. Not only that but every fan who turns up will be eligible for £200 worth of vouchers, which includes a free round of golf  on the fantastic Luton Hoo course!

Jeremy Robinson Director at Blackstar said: "We're delighted to partner with The Club. Golf media is changing and these guys are at the forefront. In 2017 people are on social media and these guys are the biggest in golf, in Europe.

"The tournament will have some fantastic players on show and the fact that every fan coming to the event can sign up for the fantastic vouchers  we think is a great offer. We just needed to get that message out and there is nobody better placed to do this than The Club."

Last year's Bridgestone Challenge was won by Belgian Thomas Detry by an incredible 12 shots and he is already making waves on the European Tour and tipped for very big things.

Ryan Curtis, founder of The Club said: "We're buzzing to partner up with this event. They're trying a new format, it's free and easy to get to and you even get a totally free round of golf on a great course. I actually don't know why any golf fan wouldn't pop down!

"I went out to Oman for the Challenge Tour season ending event out there and realised just how good these young lads are...like really good. You get great access to the players and it's cool to be 'in the know' about the new superstars

To get tickets and to be eligible for £200 worth of vouchers including the free round of golf at Luton Hoo simply register at https://www.blackstargolf.net/bridgestone-challenge/prize-draw-registration.

The 2017 Bridgestone Challenge is now only 8 weeks away, golf fans can now register for £200 of vouchers, which includes a FREE round of golf at Luton Hoo Hotel Golf & Spa and FREE entry to the event. In addition to this offer there will be a Prize Draw on Sunday September 10th for all spectators who attend any day of the event, prizes will include a nights accomodation at Luton Hoo Hotel, a set of tyres from Bridgestone, wine from Bordeaux Undiscovered.

Come and watch some of the future stars of world golf, players such as Brooks Koepka, Henrik Stenson, Martin Kaymer and " Beef " have all gradutaed from the PGA European Challenge Tour in recent years.

Registration is at https://www.blackstargolf.net/bridgestone-challenge/prize-draw-registration

23 year old Martin Rohwer from South Africa makes his debut on the 2017 PGA European Challenge Tour at the Hauts de France Golf Open, he is joined in the field by fellow BlackStar players, Chris Selfridge, Ben Robinson, Rhys Enoch, Michael Hoey and Richard James.

Martin turned professional at the end of last year, having graduarted from the University of Alabama, Birmingham.

This week the European Tour goes to Austria for the Lyoness Open Powered By Organic, the Welsh duo of Stuart Manley and Oliver Farr are both playing this event. Manley is currently in the top 100 of the Race To Dubai after his 2nd place finish at the Joburg Open earlier in the season, and Ollie is coming of the back of a 4th place at the Czech Challenge 2 weeks ago.

The Challenge Tour is in Belgium for the KPMG Trophy at the famous Royal Waterloo GC. Richard James returns to action for only his 2nd event of the season after having surgery earlier in the year. Also playing is Michael Hoey from Glagorm Castle,who has already had 3 top 10 finishes on both the European Tour and the Challenge Tour this year, he is joined by fellow country man Chris Selfridge. Ben Robinson from Worcester GCC and Welshman Rhys Enoch are also in the field.

Follow live scoring on both events at www.europeantour.com

Sean Maisey won the qualifying event for the 2017 Bridgestone Challenge at Redditch Golf Club, Sam Edwards gained the second qualifying place when he won through in a play off with Devon's Jimmy Mullen.

The event was played using a modified stableford system, where an eagle gained 5 points, a birdie got 2 points. Sean Maisey made 2 eagles in his round. 

Michael Hoey and Stuart Manley both finished on 8 under par at the Rocco Forte Open in Sicily. Hoey opened with a round of 61, and followed this with 68, 75 and a final round of 72. Manley shout 68,66,73 and 69.

The event was won in a play-off by Spain's Alvaro Quiros

Stuart Manley announces partnership with Click Fit Blinds.

Stuart Manley has today announced that he will be partnering with Click Fit Blinds. Stuart will display the Click Fit logo on the chest of his clothing as he competes around the world this year on the European Tour; this includes the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July.

Stuart has made a solid start to the 2017 season on the European Tour and is currently 88th on the Race to Dubai rankings. His best finish has been 2nd position at the Joburg Open, this result also gave Stuart an exemption in to the 146^th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July.

The Welsh star will compete this week at the Rocco Forte Open in Sicilly. Click Fit is part of  Alutrade Products Ltd, based in Worcestershire, Stuart said “I am delighted to have teamed up with Click Fit and hopefully our partnership can be a benefit to everyone. My season has gone well so far, and I am obviously really looking forward to the Open in July”

David Clark, Managing Director of Click Fit said “We are very much looking forward to building a relationship with Stuart as we launch our new brand, hopefully some of our customers will be able to go and watch Stuart play at some of the events across Europe “

For Further Information please contact:

Jeremy Robinson

Director

BlackStar Golf

M +44 (0) 7831 674065

D +44  (0) 1905 670516

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

New Partner packages have today been released by Blackstar Sporting Events Ltd for the 2017 Bridgestone Challenge at Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf and Spa.

The 2017 Bridgestone Challenge will be staged at the magnificent Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa on September 7 – 10, 2017 with the pre-event Pro Am taking place on September 6.

Bridgestone Tyres will continue to be the title sponsor of the event, along with their continued involvement in the British Masters supported by Sky Sports. Wim Belckx, Bridgestone’s north region consumer marketing manager said: “The Bridgestone Challenge is a cornerstone of our sponsorship plans for 2017. We look forward once again to hosting the Challenge Tour’s rising stars, together with our Chase Your Dream Trophy finalists playing in the Pro-Am on the Wednesday. The public will be treated to four fabulous days of competition, plus lots of other attractions in the beautiful setting of Luton Hoo. Bridgestone welcomes golf fans and families alike for some great, free days out in September”

Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa is a luxurious 5 star hotel that boasts a championship golf course and magnificent spa set in over 1,000 acres of stunning parkland and gardens; it is within half an hour of London’s Kings Cross Station and close proximity to motorway networks.

Details of available Partner Packages can be found at www.blackstargolf.net or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information.

The Bridgestone Challenge will break new ground by becoming the first European Challenge Tour tournament to use a modified stableford format when the Road to Oman arrives at Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa later this year.

From September 7-10, Europe’s most up and coming golfers will swap traditional stroke play for the innovative format which awards players points for under par scores and deducts points for over par scores.

For example, those making a birdie will gain two points but will lose one point for making a bogey – while players making par will receive a score of zero. ( See points table below )

Modified stableford, which last featured on the European Tour in the 2004 ANZ Championship, is not the only innovation on the Challenge Tour this season, with match play golf returning to Europe’s top developmental tour for the first time in 18 years at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Match Play 9.

This year will see the second staging of the Bridgestone Challenge, with Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa playing host to a Challenge Tour tournament for the first time.

Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa

Jeremy Robinson, Director of Golf at BlackStar Sports, said: “ We are delighted to be introducing a different format of scoring for the Bridgestone Challenge, hopefully this modified Stableford system will encourage attacking and exciting golf with the rewards for birdies and eagles “

Alain de Soultrait, Challenge Tour Director, said: “The Challenge Tour is always looking to grow the game of golf and to make the sport exciting for both spectators and our players.

“With the introduction of a modified stableford format at the Bridgestone Challenge, and the return of match play golf for the first time in 18 years in Andalucía, we are aiming for a varied schedule which challenges our players while inspiring the next generation.  

“We are delighted to visit a new venue in Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa and we must thank Bridgestone for all their support as the way they are helping to grow the game in England is fantastic – we hope this will lead to more Challenge Tour success stories in the future.”

Bridgestone Challenge Stableford System.

Double Bogey or worse a player loses 3 points

Bogey a player loses 1 point

Par player loses/gains 0 points

Birdie a player gains 2 points

Eagle a player gains 5 points

Albatross a player gains 7 points