‘The Shire Series’ Is Tribute To Seve
Fund-raising tournament will bring golfers to Ballesteros’ only UK design

UK golfers can now pay their own tribute to Seve Ballesteros, and raise money for his Foundation, in a new year-long series of amateur golf events to be hosted at his only UK golf course.

The Shire Series (www.theshireseries.com) involves six qualifying tournaments with a Final, featuring winners and runners-up, to take place on National Spain Day, October 12th 2012.

Hosting all seven events is The Shire London, which is the only Seve Ballesteros signature course design in the UK. The venue is donating at least £20 from all entry fees plus proceeds from all other fundraising activity to the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, which works in partnership with Cancer Research UK to raise money for vital brain cancer research.

Seve Ballesteros passed away on May 7th 2011, and The Shire Series starts just over a year later, in June 2012.

The full schedule is:

• Monday 11th June 2012 – The Shire Series Men's Scratch Open
• Monday 11th June 2012 - The Shire Series Women's Scratch Open
• Tuesday 19th June 2012 - The Shire Series Classic (Men & Women's handicap)
• Friday 31st August 2012 - The Shire Series Family Open
• Wednesday 26th September 2012 - The Shire Series Corporate Cup
• Friday 12th October 2012 - The Shire Series Final (National Spain Day)
• Tuesday 30th October 2012 - The Shire Series Junior Open

Seve’s nephew and manager Ivan Ballesteros says: “Seve was determined for his Foundation to raise money to help others in his position. I am very happy the Seve Ballesteros Foundation is benefitting from The Shire Series as it will help us to achieve this, and I’d like to thank them for their support. Good luck and play well!'

The Shire London's Ceri Menai Davis explains the thinking behind the event: "Almost everyone is affected by cancer in some way, and we were all deeply touched here by what Seve went through, as many of us were lucky enough to meet the great man during his visits here.

“Seve was a superlative, Major-winning superstar and secured his place in the history of the sport many times over, but he was also charismatic like no other golfer before or since, and had a natural, everyman type appeal. The Shire Series has been created in that spirit, and enables any golfer - no matter what his or her experience or age - to compete on equal terms on his spectacular Masters Course here at The Shire London."

The Shire London celebrates its 5th anniversary in 2012, and donations from The Shire Series will be boosted by other events at the club in 2012, including Members' events, as the club seeks to raise the maximum amount of money for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, its official charity.

Sophie Cannon, Foundations Manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "Seve inspired everyone in the golfing world, and The Shire Series is a fitting tribute to him, as it is hosted at the course he designed. Donations to the Seve Ballesteros Foundation enable us to continue our vital research into brain cancer, so we hope many golfers will enter the tournaments - and enjoy Seve's golf course."

Full entry and donation details can be found on the web at www.theshireseries.com, or call The Shire London on +44 (0)20 8441 7649.

Ends.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

About The Shire London
www.theshirelondon.com

The Shire London is a 27-hole facility featuring the only Seve Ballesteros designed golf course in the UK. Its 18-hole Ballesteros Masters Course measures 7,028 yards, with six par 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s. Its 9-hole Ballesteros Challenge Course features a mix of par 3s and 4s, and is the ideal introduction to golf for all ages and abilities. The Shire Academy is one of the leading teaching centres in the south of England, and with the tranquil setting of the golf course, first class conference rooms and a top-rated restaurant, The Shire London is also a well-equipped and popular venue for golf societies, corporate golf days, conferencing and banqueting.

About The Seve Ballesteros Foundation
www.seveballesterosfoundation.org.uk

• The Seve Ballesteros Foundation was set up by Seve Ballesteros and the Ballesteros family to raise funds for brain cancer research.
• The Seve Ballesteros Foundation works in partnership with Cancer Research UK to beat cancers of the brain.
• Since it was founded in 2009 the Foundation has raised more than £2 million.
• In the UK, around 9,300 people every year are diagnosed with tumours that start in the brain or elsewhere in the central nervous system.

About Cancer Research UK
www.cancerresearchuk.org/Donate

• Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
• The charity’s groundbreaking work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. This work is funded entirely by the public.
• Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates double in the last forty years.
• Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
• Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to beat cancer.

For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 020 3469 6699 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org