English golfer Andy Sullivan may not have won the KLM Open on Sunday but we're willing to bet that he is fairly pleased with a third place finish and a not so insignificant consolation prize. Sullivan notched a hole in one at the 15th hole which, incredibly, has landed him a trip to space.
It's not unusual to see a car being offered up as a sponsor's prize for a hole in one but for something as unusual as a trip to space to be offered up is unlikely in itself. For someone to actually win it is certainly not something that happens regularly on the European tour.
Sullivan has never won an event on the European Tour before, so coming to within two shots of winner Paul Casey was an achievement in itself. However, the added bonus of a trip to space is sure to make this a shot that he won't forget any time soon.
The prize is courtesy of the sponsors XCOR Space Expeditions, an American company who plan to begin flights to space from the end of next year. The company's CEO, Michiel Mol, says they were looking for a way to bring the possibility of space tourism to the masses.
With this prize we wish to create awareness among the public that space is now also accessible for everyone. Journeys into space can be made starting from the end of 2015. We already have 300 bookings.
We're not sure this would make us book the $100,000 flight but they've certainly managed to get their name out there.
