Great day for Ferrie as fund tops £25,000

10:41am Wednesday 30th April 2008

IAIN Ferrie was overwhelmed by the magnificent response to the Baby Ben Pro-Am fund-raising day at West Wilts Golf Club at Warminster, where he is the assistant professional.

More than £15,000 was realised to help support Iain and his wife Gill while they mount a 24-hour vigil at the bedside of their stricken son at the Bristol Royal Children's Hospital.

The total mustered from all sources is now in excess of £25,000 Two-year-old Ben, who is fighting for his life, now faces five further weeks in intensive care while being treated with chemotherapy to remove a brain tumour.

The spontaneous fundraising orchestrated by a group of friends started with contributions from professionals throughout the West and Wales.

Next former Bowood and West Wilts professional Simon Swales ran a day at his present club Radyr, Cardiff that gleaned £8,000.

Finally West Wilts pro Rob Morris, Bowood assistant Paul McLean - Ben's godfather - and a committee from the club led by director Wyndham Pigeon and Phil Harris- set up the day at the Warminster club.

The 32-year-old Geordie said: "Never in a million years did we dream that something like this would happen. To receive such support is phenomenal. It is difficult to put our feelings into words. To have two such brilliant days is unbelievable.

"Gill and I are fine. "We don't get lost in what could happen and are quite good at staying focussed on the task at hand. We are remaining in the present and, once Ben's body recovers, we can plan the next stage."

The 40-team pro-am was disrupted by early-morning fog that prompted a three-hour delay and was then staged in two parts with morning and afternoon shotgun starts.

Ferrie made only his second playing appearance of the year in the Bowood team led by Phil O'Shea, who took over as Bowood club captain on Sunday, his brother Patrick and Ian Frankham.

The O'Sheas were largely responsible for procuring the auction prizes that featured many unusual sporting items, including autographed football and rugby shirts and an array of golfing gifts.

The flag that flew on the 18th green at Carnoustie last year was signed by the Open winner Padraig Harrington and fetched £1,700. That was beaten by the receipts from an England shirt signed by the entire England squad on the occasion of David Beckham's 100th appearance against France in Paris.

It raised £1,800 from a raffle and was won by Wiltshire county golf captain Ali James, from Cumberwell Park.

In fact it was a great day all round for Cumberwell Park as the individual professional winners were touring pro Steve Surry and director of golf John Jacobs who both shot five-under-par 65, one better than John Goymer (Wheathill).

Surry also led a trio of home juniors, Andrew Kaskow, James Hollis and Rob Humpherson, to the first team prize on 21-under-par 119.

Second -20: John Jacobs, A Kane, A Collier, J Courtley. Third -16 Richard Dinsdale (Parc Golf Centre, Newport), K Lucas, K Keene, M Whitchard.

Morris said: "The whole event far exceeded our expectations went so much better than anyone expected and thanks are due to so many people and in particular the club members who gave such great support."

West Region PGA secretary Ray Ellis said: This superb response shows what a caring group of professionals we have in this region."

It was the busiest day ever held at the West Wilts club and the 2,000 pints of beer sold more than doubled the previous record at an event.

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