25 years is a huge milestone. To be precise it is 9,125 days, 219,000 hours and 13,140,000 minutes! If you break it down like that, a quarter of a century is certainly to be celebrated, and that is what the World Corporate Golf Challenge deserves to do.
The WCGC started in 1993 when John Mitchell and his partner Bobby Moore, former star of English football, decided to create an event. The intention was simple. A golf event that provided the perfect environment for participating companies to develop their relationships with staff, customers, suppliers and partners.
The World Corporate Golf Challenge was born, a golf competition open to companies and UK based agencies, which was supported by one of the most prestigious UK newspapers, The Times, as its official media partner.
The success of the event was apparent right from the start. In its first edition in the UK over 5,600 players took part, a figure that played a crucial part in the expansion of the concept. There was clearly an appetite for the event and by 1996 the event had made the leap to other countries around the world. At the first World Final, there was close to 15 countries being represented.
The now well-known and clichéd combination of golf and business was and still is a winner to this day. As a result, the WCGC is one of the largest and most successful golf events for companies to take part in around the world. Current figures show approximately 30 participating countries, more than 60 TV channels, 26 newspapers and 24 magazine associates, 16 leading airlines, all of them of international recognition and prestige. This all speaks volumes about the success and magnitude of the event.
In 2018 we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the event that John Mitchell and Bobby Moore created in London over a quarter of a century ago!
25 years of collective effort to manage this project has not gone un-noticed. Those, who over the years have dedicated their effort, enthusiasm, commitment and personal time to making sure the WCGC remains a success story, are greatly appreciated. You should all be very proud.
It is clear that over the last few years things are very different to when the event first started out. This however, has not stopped the continuing hard work and responsibility of making sure the event keeps improving. The worldwide social and economic climate in recent years is a delicate one, and it is no secret that this has made our challenge even greater. But with hard work comes success and we continue to see this with both our partners and licensees around the globe. When we see the event prospering in countries far and wide, as a result of this hard work and dedication, it is certainly a cause for celebration and that is what we intend on doing in our 25th year.
It’s time to congratulate all those involved, who have made the event what it is today. Congratulations, to all the investors, staff, licensees, media partners, sponsors, host venues, suppliers, to our hosts of the 25th Anniversary World Finals, Cascais, and in particular to the many companies who have participated all around the world.
Thank you and Happy 25th Anniversary.
José Guerra
Chairman
World Corporate Golf Challenge
