The Princess Charity Challenge - The Future is in Good Hands

In only a short period of time, The Princess has established itself as one of the premiere sporting events in Southern Sweden.

Not only the Challenge Tour event in itself, where the next generation of world class professionals are currently preparing for bigger and better things in the future, but also the Princess Charity Challenge, staged in connection with the event.

This Challenge Match is more than anything else an attempt to inspire the next generation to follow in the footsteps of me and my contemporaries. By offering this opportunity to follow some of the best in the world very close-up and personal and see first-hand what they can do, we want to promote golf among younger people. The ambition is certainly to recruit more golfers, but also to promote the development of new professional players. Adam Scott and Sören Kjeldsen are the previous opponents.

It is also an opportunity to raise awareness of the situation many young people are facing around the world today. Through my foundation I have been able to make donations to charities such as The World Childhood Foundation and the Friends Foundation. This year I’m looking to support the development of initiatives to boost the growth of the game among kids with disabilities.

For 2011 I was delighted to be able to present Martin Kaymer as my opponent.

Martin is one of the best in the world on current form. He doesn’t have any weaknesses, not in his game and not in his approach! Personally that is exactly what I look for in a Challenge! Martin is one of the best in the world of golf, but he is also a great human being and I am proud to call him a friend. Martin is like me a product of the Challenge Tour and a testament to the qualities thereof. There is no better preparation for the challenges on the main tour and all over the world. I host The Princess every year, because I feel that it is absolutely vital for Sweden to have a solid Challenge Tour event. Without this stepping stone, the transition from national golf to the European Tour is simply too much for most golfers. I would even welcome one or two more events…

Martin on the other hand says he can identify with me.

“I take a lot of interest in what Henrik is doing for Swedish Golf and the development of the next generation. Sweden is still ahead of us in Germany and I look up to these older guys(!). Henrik is putting a great effort into his Foundation and his Challenge Tour event. I am very happy to be able to support these initiatives. I learned a lot on the Challenge Tour and it was a spring board for the things to come. I am not only taking Henrik on, on the course, I will do the same off it! Look out for a similar undertaking in Germany, in the future… I am both proud and happy to assume the role of role model for the young golfers in Germany (and elsewhere for that matter). It is a responsibility I cherish!”