Celebrity names and prominent influencers from the world of sport and entertainment will gather at Royal Liverpool at 6.00pm BST on Sunday 16 July to compete in The Open Invitational.
The event will feature a number of sporting superstars which includes England football internationals Jordan Pickford and Jermaine Jenas, NFL champion Victor Cruz, world-title winning boxer Tony Bellew and Indian international cricketer, Yuvraj Singh.
They will be joined by Hollywood actress Kathryn Newton, pop star Ronan Keating, actor and presenter of ITV’s ‘The Chase’, Bradley Walsh, and renowned influencers that include Blake Gray, Calfreezy, Margaux Brooke and Marques Brownlee, who boast millions of followers on social media.
The Open Invitational is being streamed live to a global audience via YouTube and TikTok, while lucky ticketholders for Sunday’s practice round will relish the chance to witness the action on-course and experience the atmosphere first hand.
Everton and England goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, shared his excitement by saying, “This is going to be a lot of fun and having the opportunity to play Royal Liverpool just days before The Open gets underway is really exciting. We’ll get to see the course in the same condition as the professionals do, which is a real honour. It will be a real challenge but one I’m looking forward to.”
Expressing her passion for golf, Kathryn Newton, said, “Golf has always been a passion of mine from a young age and I can’t wait to play Royal Liverpool alongside such incredible and talented people.
“This event promises to be a unique experience for all involved and Team Newton will be out to do all that we can to get the win.”
Looking to draw on his cricket experience, former Indian cricketer, Yuvraj Singh, said, “The chance to play at a prestigious Open venue is a real privilege and I’m excited to witness the challenges that the players face first-hand. I will try and draw on all my cricket experience to perform at my best and help my team get the win.”
The players will compete in three teams, led by Bellew, Cruz, and Newton, using a four-person scramble format over the back nine holes of Hoylake. The team with the lowest score will claim victory.
Additionally, spectators can anticipate an enthralling closest-to-the-pin contest on the new Championship par-3 17th hole, followed by a gripping longest drive competition on the par-5 Championship 18th hole.
For more information and updates, visit TheOpen.com and subscribe to The Open YouTube channel ahead of the event.
Player Bios
Yuvraj Singh
One of the most box-office cricketers of his generation, Yuvraj played starring roles in two World Cup wins for India. The charismatic all-rounder was named Player of the Tournament as his country memorably won the 50-over ICC World Cup in 2011.Four years earlier, he memorably hit Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over at the World Twenty20. An effortlessly powerful batsman and canny left-arm spin bowler, Yuvraj made over 400 appearances for India in an international career that spanned 17 years. He was also able to resume his career at the highest level after overcoming a rare form of cancer that required chemotherapy treatment in 2012.
Jordan Pickford
England’s number one goalkeeper at the last three major international tournaments, Pickford was a key part of the team that reached the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and Euro 2020 final. His World Cup contribution in Russia five years ago was particularly notable, as he helped England to a penalty shootout win over Colombia in the last 16 before being named man of the match in the quarter-final triumph over Sweden. A spectacular shot-stopper, Pickford began his career with hometown club Sunderland, before making a big-money move to Everton in 2017. Still only 29, he already boasts 248 Premier League appearances and 54 England caps.
Tony Bellew
A former cruiserweight world champion, Bellew won 30 of his 34 professional bouts in a career that peaked with a glorious victory over Ilunga Makabu in 2016. Fighting at Goodison Park, the home of his beloved Everton, Bellew landed a third-round knockout to claim the WBC cruiserweight belt. A popular and ebullient figure, Bellew’s other career highlights include two wins at heavyweight over David Haye, and a 2014 rematch success against his great rival Nathan Cleverly. He has also starred as “Pretty” Ricky Conlan in the 2015 film Creed and its sequel Creed III, released earlier this year.
Jermaine Jenas
Jenas made 280 Premier League appearances – the bulk of those coming in stints at Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur – and earned 21 England caps during a distinguished footballing career. He was only 18 when he joined Newcastle from Nottingham Forest for £5million, a fee that made him the second most expensive teenager in British football at the time. After a knee injury forced him to retire from playing professionally at the age of 32, Jenas begun a career in the media and has gone on to enjoy considerable success as a broadcaster. In addition to regularly contributing to the BBC’s football coverage, he co-presents The One Show and also hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup draw.
Calfreezy
One of the UK’s most well-known social media influencers, Cal is best known for his content on YouTube and for hosting The Fellas podcast which he has successfully grown into a thriving production company, supporting other creators in a similar media space. Cal has grown a following of over 4 million subscribers on his YouTube channel and over 1.7 million followers on his Instagram account. In addition to his online presence, he has also been involved in charity work, including raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Cancer Research UK.
Bradley Walsh
Currently best known as the charismatic host of the popular UK game show The Chase, Bradley has enjoyed an illustrious career in British television. He has appeared in several other TV shows and films, including Law & Order: UK, Doctor Who and Coronation Street. He has even enjoyed success in the UK music charts with his albums Chasing Dreams and When You’re Smiling. Who would have guessed he would have enjoyed such stardom after his first job was an apprentice jet engineer for Rolls-Royce Helicopter Engines?
Blake Gray
Blake is an American social media influencer and YouTuber, best known for his energetic videos on TikTok. He has over 9.5 million followers on TikTok and almost 1 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. The 22-year-old has a fun and outgoing personality which comes through on screen and he shone as a member of the well-known social media group Sway House. Blake, who grew up playing baseball and American football, has developed a recent love for golf, so where better to test your skills than at this year’s venue for golf’s original championship?
Margaux Brooke
The American model has been part of the new evolution of models venturing into the social media space, using her platform to show her infectious and friendly personality. Best known for her work with several high-profile fashion brands, including Calvin Klein and Guess, Margaux has featured in various publications such as Maxim and Sports Illustrated. In addition to her modeling career, she has a strong online presence, with close to 100,000 followers on her Instagram account, where she shares photos of her modelling work as well as her personal life, allowing fans to connect with her away from the catwalk.
Victor Cruz
The former Super Bowl winner and current NFL analyst reached the peak of his career when he was a Pro Bowl selection in 2012 and helped lead the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLVI. Since retiring from football Victor has continued to grow his following and has not lost any of that elite sportsman work ethic. He used his clothing line, Young Whales, to launch a collaboration with Nike in 2018. Victor can be seen most frequently as a television personality, working as an analyst for ESPN and NFL Network.
Marques Brownlee
Marques is an American social media star. His YouTube channel, which he is best known for, ‘MKBHD’ has over 17 Million Subscribers which he actually began 15 years ago with a video titled “13-Year-Old Golf Sing Analysis”, but went on to develop into one of the most well regarded tech reviewers on the internet. Ranging from reviews of the latest gadgets that everyday consumers may be looking to purchase all the way up to the latest in technology innovation, also interviewing the likes of Bill Gates and Elon Musk. He is not only a talented presenter across his platforms though, Marques is also an avid sportsman. Professionally competing in ultimate frisbee!
Ronan Keating
The Irish born singer burst onto the scene as a member of the infamous band ‘Boyzone’,later moving onto have a successful solo career. Not looking to leave his life infront of a microphone behind, Keating in recent years has become a well-regarded television and radio presenter. Currently on the judging panel for TV’s ‘The Voice’ and hosting Magic Radio. Swapping the stage for the Tee box let’s see what kind of performance the star man can put on for fans, we can’t wait to find out!
Kathryn Newton
The American actress has starred in major film releases such as Marvel franchise Antman, and further features in Paranormal Activity and more recently Detective Pikachu! Being raised in Florida, Newton found herself out on the golf course for a lot of her childhood. The star reportedly almost went down the path of becoming a pro-golfer having been the standout player in her high school team, before switching lanes to pursue her career in acting. Still playing frequently for the love of the game we are looking forward to hosting Kathryn on the Royal Liverpool course to put her talent to the truest test in golf
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