Mayor honours Wirral golfer who took on golf world ‘giants’ at The Open 2014

7th August 2014

Categories: News

L-R: The Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr Steve Foulkes & Miss Elaine Nolan, John Singleton, George Nicholson, Cllr Phil Davies, Leader, Wirral Council, & Nick Peel, Chairman, Championship Committee, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake.

The local factory worker whose appearance at The Open attracted support from golf fans around the world was special guest of the Mayor and Mayoress of Wirral at a civic reception in Wallasey Town Hall last week.

John Singleton, 30, from Moreton, secured his place in the competition using clubs borrowed from a friend – so fittingly, that that very same friend, George Nicholson, of Arrowe Park Golf Club, accompanied him to the reception.

John, who plays at Eastham Lodge Golf Club, was given two weeks off from his job in Birkenhead to compete in the Open, where he held his own against the world class golfers taking part, but unfortunately failed to qualify for the final stages of the championship.

The Mayor of Wirral, Cllr Steve Foulkes, paid tribute to Wirral’s most famous golfing son, describing him as a ‘fine ambassador’ for the area. In return, the golfer said that Wirral, and the support he had received from local people, would always have a special place in his heart: ‘I will take Wirral with me wherever I go,’ he said.

The reception was held to honour John, whose story had added an extra dimension to the Wirral success story that was the Open 2014: ‘It was a fantastic event, and a great shop window for Wirral. John was an excellent ambassador for the area, and his story captured the attention of the world. The Mayoress and I wanted to invite him here today to personally say thank you, and wish him all the best for the future,’ said Cllr Foulkes.