Padraig Harrington/Raphael Jacquelin Extreme 19 play-off
More than a million people across the world have experienced the most extreme golf hole in the world in just a few days.
On the eve of the first major of the golf season, a short video of Open Champion Padraig Harrington in a play-off against French tour star Raphael Jacquelin on the Extreme 19th at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa is creating a golfing viral phenomenon.
More than 100,000 people a day are watching the video which has been posted on the South African golf magazine Compleat Golfer's website www.compleatgolfer.co.za.
The video shows Padraig playing an amazing bunker shot to make the first par on the hole whose tee is situated on the top of Hanglip Mountain and is only accessible by helicopter.
The Extreme 19th at Legend Golf & Safari Resort at the Big 5 Entabeni Safari Conservancy in the Waterberg, Limpopo, is played to a stunning green the shape of Africa some 400m below.
Compleat Golfer publisher Simon Turck said he has seen nothing like it - the reaction to the video OR the Extreme 19th.
He said: "We normally receive about 10,000 unique users per month - and because of this wonderful video clip we are now exceeding that by 900% every day. I've never seen anything like it - the world seems to have been inspired by an extreme golf hole here in the heart of South Africa and we're proud to have been able to help showcase it to the world."
Padriag Harrington said he couldn't have been more impressed with the Extreme 19th when he visited recently to check out the hole he has designed on the resort's unique Signature Course.
He said: "This is golf in 2010. This is the type of innovation and excitement we need to get more people playing golf. There aren't many new innovative ways to play the game but this is certainly one of the best. And now I've got bragging rights over all the other professionals who have played this and not managed to make a three. I love everything about it."
Harrington was the ninth of the designers from the unique 18 Signature Course at Legend Golf & Safari Resort to play the Extreme 19th – but the first to make a three.
The Signature Course has been designed by 18 of the world's leading golfers, with each of them designing one hole.
The list of signatures who have been honoured to work on the project reads like a who's who of world golf including Trevor Immelman, Sergio Garcia; Bernard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Justin Rose, Vijay Singh, K J Choi, Retief Goosen and of course Padraig Harrington and Raphael Jacquelin to name but a few.
But Harrington is the first to conquer the Extreme 19th with a par three - watch the Extreme 19th Video.
FOR MEDIA
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT PETE RICHARDSON ON 0767 835173 (South African mobile) OR EMAIL pete@theazaleagroup.com
CompleatGolfer contact Simon Turck on 0832528387 or email simon@ramsaymedia.co.za
About the Legend Lodges Hotels & Resorts Group
The Legend portfolio encompasses the rich diversity of Southern Africa: her people, culture, breathtaking scenery and abundant bird, marine and animal life. Legend Lodges, Hotels & Resorts, with its head office based in Pretoria, features game and safari lodges, country lodges, coastal hotels & lodges, city and town hotels and cultural villages and shebeens. The group operates throughout South Africa and in Mozambique.