'Endlessly fascinating'

When fans make their way across the vast Dunluce links this month, not only will they be getting up close with some all-time greats – they will also be giving themselves a chance of winning a round of golf with an Olympic legend.

Our ‘Walk To Win’ competition will once again allow spectators to track their steps on The Open App, and be in with a shout of teeing it up at Royal Portrush themselves, alongside triple jump world record holder Jonathan Edwards.

Launched at Royal Liverpool in 2023, this initiative means fans can take their love of golf one step further, while keeping fit at the same time. More than 6,700 people took part in ‘Walk To Win’ at Royal Troon in 2024, walking a total of 168,753,944 steps – the equivalent of more than three times round the world.

“Walking from hole to hole, trying to follow as much action as possible, I don’t think people realise how far they will actually walk at Portrush this year,” said Edwards, who won Olympic gold in Sydney in 2000 [below].

“With many spectator sports you’re usually sat in one spot for the duration. But golf is completely different in that respect.

“It’s one of the hidden benefits of watching golf in person. Yes, first and foremost you’re obviously there to watch some unbelievable golfers do battle. But you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you get home in the evening to see how many steps you’ve done.”

Ticket holders can simply opt-in to the competition for free on the official Open App for each day they are in attendance, including Practice Days. Then simply walk a minimum of 7,381 steps (to match the yardage at Royal Portrush) to be in with a chance of winning.

As well as the star prize of a fourball with Edwards, runner-up prizes include official Open merchandise.

Research suggests that golf spectators walk between 5-6 miles on average and burn more than 1,000 calories every day they’re at the course. Indeed, playing golf – or simply walking – for just two-and-a-half hours per week improves your well-being, productivity and adds years to life.

Such is his love of golf, and its health benefits, Edwards – whose 18.29m triple jump record, set in 1995, is one of the longest-standing milestones in athletics – is now a R&A Global Development Ambassador.

“Golf is now a major part of my life,” he explained. “First of all it gets me out and about in nature which I love. You get to see some really beautiful places when you play golf and I think that’s good for the soul; it’s certainly good for my soul.

“One of the pains of trying to keep fit as you get older is having to go to the gym, or find a pool. But golf keeps you fit without you even realising. If you were just walking for health, the likelihood is you wouldn’t walk as far or anywhere near as often.

“But golf is endlessly fascinating and a much better way of keeping fit. It gives you a motivation that simply keeping fit might not do.

“But the biggest thing for me are the friendships and the times we share on the course and the times we share over lunch afterwards. Even things like the WhatsApp groups that get very active whenever there’s a big competition coming up. There’s a whole community around the golf that I play.

“And all of those things enrich our lives, there’s no other way to put it. I could find another hobby quite easily, but I don’t think anything would give me what golf gives me.”