Global Golf Post, December 4, 2017

globalgolfpost com DEC 4 2017 B His mother played at junior Wimbledon So he knows that golf encourages good manners that rugby teaches self control that whatever sport you played you were only a representative of that game for so long and in that time never ever bigger than the sport itself Testimony to Morgans sponsorship expertise came from Monahan who said The quality and presentation of the HSBC Champions is impressive not only between the ropes but in all the various activities that take place during the week and throughout the year and that is a tribute to Giles influence As a consultant Morgan hopes to be involved in helping golf grow It had all the history and heritage and all the building bricks but golf isnt done yet They havent sorted the future All the potential is there but the script needs to continue to be written You have this huge playing participation There is huge TV money in the game Golf is in the Olympics Golf has all the right notes but not in the right order to misquote Eric Morecambe Environmentally the world is in a bad place We need smaller golf courses shorter and more varied tournaments The ball has to change We need men and women playing together because these days the world operates in a different way and one day there will be one professional tour for both men and women We should use the Olympics to showcase different formats and relish seeing men and women playing together for their country Tiger Woods should be a global ambassador for golf While the tours run their businesses for their players golf has to make sure it is more targeted at the fan The sponsors pay money for a product to engage the fan If fans are switching off there is an issue We have to learn the language of the young not insist they learn the language of the old I have a collection of very strong women in my life so the R A thing and the change in the vote admitting women to membership was quite something I found former R A Chief Executive Peter Dawson brilliant to work with but we the bank did agitate and it did happen and as we now look at what happened in society in the UK at any rate quite rightly we are seeing more and more womens sports getting billing in media reports That I am very proud of As he is of starting the China Golf Association junior programme His efforts will produce very positive results for years to come and we hope Giles remains involved in his grow the game efforts said Monahan who lauded Morgans commitment to growth in China and Asia Morgan said If one day the WGC HSBC Champions event is won by a local boy thatll be the proudest day because it came from nothing and proved that sponsors can have a responsibility to do the right thing for the sports they support rather than just being a badge People are saying that HSBC is regarded as one of the great sponsors in sport round the world because we are not a badge We are an engaged partner When Morgan began at HSBC he didnt have much experience so he sought out people sometimes even journalists A circus is not just a performing seal the high wire artist or the clown Morgan said Its also the people who sell the tickets put the big top up and drive the lorries Why is the HSBC Caddie of the Year trophy presented during the WGC HSBC Champions event in China named the Harry Pithouse Trophy Because one night during Morgans first foray into that country he a caddie and a man named Harry Pithouse who had set up the ropes at tournaments for 30 years spent time in the corner of a bar They were talking Morgan was listening They opened my eyes he said They sat with me drinking beer and told me how it all worked They were so kind to me Thats why the trophy is known as the Harry Pithouse Trophy If people are kind enough to say I have made a difference in golf it is because I listened to people who knew about it l Giles Morgan on the ground at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship