Major tournament call-up for Milton Keynes greenkeeper

Greenkeeper Sam Norman will swap Abbey Hill for the Royal Liverpool Golf Club after being invited to be a part of The Open Championship.

A popular figure at the Milton Keynes course, Sam, who joined the club in 2018, will be a part of the greenkeeping support team for the 151st running of The Open - golf’s original major.

With more than 60 applicants to join the team, Sam is one of two selected to head to Liverpool in July for the world famous event.

“I’m very excited to head up to Royal Liverpool Golf Club for this summer’s Open Championship,” said Sam. “To be selected as one of just two apprentices to join the greenkeeping team in July is a great honour, and I’m looking forward having the chance to represent Abbey Hill and hopefully learn a huge amount at such a high-profile event.”

Sam will join the support team in the week prior to the tournament, where he will share responsibilities such as hand-mowing Royal Liverpool’s greens, before joining the bunker raking squad for The Open Championship tournament days.

“Everyone at Abbey Hill is hugely proud of Sam following his successful application to be part of this year’s Open Championship,” said Ross Edmonds, Course Manager at Abbey Hill Golf Centre.

“Sam is an ambitious young man, and this is an incredible opportunity for him to learn from James Bledge (Links Manager at Royal Liverpool Golf Club) and his team during one of the biggest weeks in the greenkeeping calendar. We can’t wait to find out what he learns from his time at Royal Liverpool in July.”