A series of golf bags displayed around St Andrews during The Open have raised £126,000 for charity at auction.
The ten statues were set up as part of the Big Bag Trail, which gave visitors attending the golf championship a chance to see more of the Fife town.
They were created by St Andrews Links and golf brand Callaway using designs from local school pupils.
The idea for the statues came after pupils at Madras College and St Leonards were asked to create a tour bag for Callaway’s staff players.
Iona Turner, 17, came up with the winning design, however ideas from all 10 finalists were used to decorate the sculptures.
Following the end of The Open on Sunday, Callaway and St Andrews links decided to auction them off.
Iona’s design – titled Nessie’s Round to Play – fetched £30,000.
The proceeds are going to CHAS (Children’s Hospices Across Scotland) and Scottish Sports Futures.
Neil Howie, president of Callaway EMEA, said: “This has been a truly unique and wonderful project.
“Seeing the designs created by the young artists for the first time gave us a real sense that we were on the road to something special.
“We’re delighted to have raised so much money for two such worthy causes, while also promoting the incredible community spirit that surrounds the home of golf.”
Rami Okasha, CEO of CHAS, said: “When we first heard about the Big Bag Trail project we knew it was something unique and something that would capture the imagination of the public around The Open.
“We’re hugely grateful to Callaway and St Andrews Links Trust for their support in raising a significant amount of money which will greatly contribute to the work we do with children and families across Scotland ensuring no family faces the death of their child alone.”
Kirsty McNab, CEO of Scottish Sports Futures, said: “We’re delighted to have been involved in such an exciting and innovative project as the Big Bag Trail and would like to thank Callaway, St Andrews Links Trust and everyone else involved for raising an incredible amount of money that will make a real difference in people’s lives through the power of sport.”
Conversation