Michael Bannon wins John Jacobs Coach of the Year Award
Michael Bannon, coach to World No.2 golfer, Rory McIlroy, was presented with the PGAs of Europe’s John Jacobs Coach of the Year Award at the association’s Annual Awards Dinner at the Tivoli Marina Hotel, Vilamoura on Portugal’s sun-kissed Algarve coast supported by Rolex.
Staged as the glittering finale to the PGAs of Europe’s annual week of highlights, including the 22nd Annual Congress and the International Team Championship (ITC) supported by Glenmuir, Associaçäo Turismo do Algarve, Ryder Cup European Development Trust and Rolex, the awards ceremonies were carried out in a gathering of players, delegates and industry representatives from up to 31 countries and across four continents.
Officials from the length and breadth of Europe and from the PGAs of America, Canada, Australia and South Africa were there to see France receive the ITC trophy, and prize money, and six other important awards presented.
Bannon, a close friend of the McIlroy family, has known Rory since he was an infant and has coached him from when he was eight years old, nurturing his talents through all the various phases of his career right up to victory in the US Open, 2011.
In the history of world golf there can have been few more dramatic examples of a player-coach partnership working together from the embryo stage right up to Major championship success, a World No.2 place and a future that seems certain to include unimaginable triumphs.
Bannon, a modest and likeable Irishman who regards his relationship with the phenomenon who is his charge as a working partnership, spoke of feeling humbled to be honoured in this manner before such a gathering of dignitaries and to be especially thrilled at receiving a trophy named after John Jacobs, his coaching role model whose lead was partly responsible for his specialising in that side of the sport.
His talent and achievements as a development coach, a talent coach and the coach of an elite player all came to fruition in 2011 to be recognised as the John Jacobs Coach of the Year.
Other awards presented were:
CHRISTER LINDBERG BOWL: George O’Grady, chief executive of the European Tour.
FIVE STAR PROFESSIONAL: Michael Sorling, chief executive, the PGA of Sweden.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Severiano Ballesteros. (Posthumously to his brother Vicente)
GOLF DEVELOPMENT AWARD: The Open 2011 Legacy Development Project initiated by the English Golf Union.
RECOGNITION AWARD: Dennis Shaw, (Media) for 20 years of promoting and publicising PGA activities.
