Winners Of Women’s Golf Day’s Inspire Action Awards Announced

(Image credit: Women's Golf Day)

published 7 February 2023

Women’s Golf Day (WGD) has announced the winners of the 2022 Inspire Action Awards during the PGA Merchandise Show in Florida.

TV presenter Iona Stephen, Mark Gore of SVP Golf Operations Invited, Shannon Cole, Vice President of Brand Marketing at RBC and Spain's Finca Cortesin Golf Club, which hosts the 2023 Solheim Cup, have all received awards acknowledging the important roles played by individuals and organisations in engaging, empowering and supporting women and girls through golf.

Sky Sports presenter Stephen, who has linked up with the R&A to create engaging content around golf and health, explained she hopes her platform inspires others to take up the game. She said: “I’m flattered to receive this award and am glad if my platform in golf has inspired just one person to take up sport or one woman to feel like she too can enjoy this wonderful game.

“As a female working in the golf industry, with a platform, I know my voice and actions matter. I hope to keep spreading the message of how welcoming golf can be, the community it offers and how, in fact, life-enhancing it can be. We all have to use the voice we have, and I have more work to do.”

After accepting Finca Cortesin’s award, president Vicente Rubio highlighted the importance of equal opportunities at the club. He said: “Finca Cortesin is extremely proud to have been presented with an Inspire Action Award by Women’s Golf Day. Providing equal opportunities in the game of golf to women and girls has always been a key focus for the resort since it opened, and to me personally. As the host venue for this year’s Solheim Cup, we are dedicated to creating a lasting legacy in the region.

“Our aim is to improve the accessibility for women at all levels in the sport, both on and off the course, through our ongoing commitments made to The R&A’s Women in Golf Charter, as well as the three Spanish Ladies European Tour professionals that we currently sponsor on tour.”

Meanwhile, Cole commented: “I am honoured to receive Women Golf Day’s Inspire Action Award and to be recognised among past and current recipients who have made a meaningful impact on the golf industry and advancing women golfers. RBC was thrilled to announce a partnership with WGD last year, launching the inaugural and inspiring WGD RBC Toronto event. I am proud to continue collaborating with WGD this year, moving the needle on our shared vision to champion women in sport.”

During the announcement, WGD founder Elisa Gaudet also revealed that WGD 2023 will be a week-long celebration for the first time, allowing locations to host an event on any day between 30 May and 6 June.

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.