Brighton Footgolf owner wins UK Open one year after horrific motorcycle accident
and live on Freeview channel 276
Richard Philp, took part in the 10th Anniversary UK Open at Forest Hill Golf Club in Leicestershire last Saturday (September 24), in the Over 45’s category, winning the two-day event with a score of -1.
This time last year, Richard was lying in a hospital bed with a broken neck, five fractured ribs, a broken collar bone and a punctured lung after a mountain bike accident.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdRichard said: “It just shows what you can do when you put your mind to it. It was fantastic to see so many international players, from Argentina, the USA, Turkey, Italy, Norway, Poland and Sweden amongst others.”
Footgolf, invented in 2009, contains many of the same rules as normal golf, expect players are expected to a size five football into a hole in as few shots as possible.
Richard found himself in the same group as his former playing partner and good friend, Jan Prodger, as well as Christian Smussi from Italy, Osman Bayazit from Turkey, and fellow Brit, last year’s winner, Paul Hammond.
His Over 45 category win and 15th place finish in the overall tournament, won by Argentinian Mati Perrone Perrone, puts the Brighton man in contention to compete at the FIFG Footgolf World Cup next year.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdRichard first started playing Footgolf with his ten year old daughter and has been playing competitively in tournaments such as the US and French Open for the last three years.
HAVE YOU READ THIS?
He said: “It’s offered me a new lease of life, after my football playing days as a youngster. I’m thrilled to have been able to win considering the severity of my accident. Fingers crossed I get into the Footgolf World Cup next year.”
The trophy will be on display at Brighton Footgolf club over the next week - they are open 7 days a week from 10am.