DALLAS, TX (November 18, 2008)—A combination of skill and luck paid off for a former golf pro playing at a charity golf tournament this summer. Richard Wardroper, of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, won a 2008 Bentley Continental convertible worth $240,000 when he aced a 183-yard, par three hole at Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community in Courtenay, B.C.
The cost of the Bentley was covered by a hole in one insurance policy a local insurance broker arranged with National Hole-In-One Association, a 27-year-old organization that has covered more than 300,000 events around the world and has awarded more than $50 million in cash and prizes.
One is Not Enough
“We’ve awarded over one thousand cars to prize winners the past 25-plus years,” says Doug Burkert, NHIOA president. “This one clearly stands out." That’s because Wardroper went home with more than just the brand new Bentley convertible. After he scored the hole-in-one win, Wardroper purchased a ticket for the event’s reverse draw raffle and ended up winning a restored 1975 Rolls Royce. “I probably wouldn't have bought that ticket, but it was for a good cause and I figured I was already up a couple of bucks,” Richard explains.
Of his one-shot feat on the seventh hole, Wardroper told a local newspaper, “I hit it solid and looked up, saw it bounce, spin a little left then disappear. It was magical.”
The “lucky hole” prize was donated by MCL Motor Cars Ltd., a Vancouver-based auto dealership. According to General Manager John Chesman, MCL Motor Cars offered the chance to win the Bentley as a way to generate enthusiasm at the tournament, an annual fundraiser for Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. Canuck Place provides care for more than 350 children and teens with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
“Helping to support local charities is part of how we give back to the community,” Chesman says. “We’re proud to help Canuck Place carry out their mission and are pleased that our prize helped generate visibility and excitement in this highly successful event.” The tournament, sponsored by Lower Mainland Steel, raised more than $100,000 for the charity.
For more information, see www.mclmotorcars.com, www.crownisle.com, www.canuckplace.org, www.lmsgolf.com and www.HIO.com.
About NHIOA
Founded in 1981, The National Hole-In-One Association is the World's largest and most respected provider of hole-in-one insurance for golf events and other prize insurance programs. The organization maintains offices in Dallas and London and works with insurance agents, brokers and golf tournament directors throughout the world to benefit thousands of charitable organizations each year. Web site: www.hio.com
