Surreys Duncan Hamilton-Martin was the winner of the inaugural Disabled British Open (DBO), the largest and most inclusive golf event in the country for disabled golfers at Old Thorns Manor Hotel, in Hampshire. Three-handicapper Hamilton-Martin, 52, lost his left leg at an early age, but it didnt stop him from carding a hugely impressive two-round total of 161 (78/83) to take the overall title by four shots. The independent financial advisor, from Esher in Surrey, said: Im absolutely delighted to have won. Ive played in a lot of amputee events down the years but this was a truly ground-breaking tournament, just fantastic. Id like to enter next years competition now if I may, he smiled. It felt like we were in final qualifying for the Open Championship what with the official starter on the first tee and all the volunteers doing ball-spotting. Having so many people there volunteering was inspired. It really made for a great experience. The DBO is one of 16 projects in the south-east delivered through the Accentuate programme, set up as part of the south-easts drive to tackle disadvantage, raise aspiration and celebrate excellence in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The programme aims to use the inspiration provided by the international paralympic movement and the unique heritage of the region as the birthplace of disability sport to change the lives of disabled people. The two-day event was the first of its kind in the south-east and provided the opportunity for both able bodied and disabled people to try golf for the first time and receive free coaching from qualified Professional Golfers Association (PGA) pros. Esther Appleyard, Accentuates joint programme director, said: The DBO has been a fantastic example of pioneering a new way of approaching disabled golf whilst celebrating the talents of our disabled sports people through such a professional event. Accentuate encourages new ways of working, and integral to this is that disabled artists and athletes are valued for the skills and talents they possess. Therefore we have been delighted to support the DBO, the first event of its kind, and look forward to developing this further into a sustainable event for the future. Mike Bedingfield, chief executive of Tourism South East, one of the five regional agencies delivering the Accentuate programme and lead agency for the South East Partnership Visitor Economy Sub Group, said: This kind of inclusive, high-profile sporting event showcases what the region has to offer. We are delighted so many athletes from far and wide have had this great sporting opportunity and the chance to sample the south easts warm welcome. Category winners were Scotlands Alasdair Berry, from Irvine, who plays off nine (handicaps 0-9.4); 11-handicapper Andrew McDonald, from Euxton, in Lancashire (handicaps 9.5-18.4); and 19-handicapper Richard Saunders, from Manningtree, Essex (handicaps more than 18.5). And the winners were awarded their prizes by BBC TVs voice of golf Peter Alliss, the president of Old Thorns Manor Hotel. Nadine Hughes, Special Olympics Great Britains (SOGB) manager of special projects, said: I think I can speak on behalf of the majority of competitors when I say it was the most professional and smoothly run event in which they had ever competed. They were in awe and full of beans enjoying the opportunity of playing on such a fabulous course. Every element had clearly been emulated in order to replicate the conditions experienced when playing an event on tour. One of the SOGB competitors, David Mitchell, from the Highlands, said he bet Tiger Woods didnt get treated as well as he had.

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■ For further information please contact Henry Alliss on 08700 330 550 or email henry@theazaleagroup.com, or for more information about the event, visit www.disabledbritishopen.org ■ For further information please email Rachel Shimell at Tourism South East on rachel.shimell@ntlworld.com , or call 02380 732981 or email Miranda Johnson at mirandajohnson@btinternet.com or call 01962 890208.

Note to Editors:

Accentuate is currently working with five agencies: English Heritage; the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA); Arts Council South East; Tourism South East; and Sport England to deliver 16 projects. It has five objectives:- 1. That every young disabled person in the south east has the opportunity to create, compete or collaborate with a young person in another competitor country during period 2008/2012. 2. That the south east becomes the most welcoming and accessible region for disabled people in the UK. 3. That the south east region is recognised as a lead region in the UK for disability and deaf cultural activity and as an international centre of excellence. 4. That the South East's role as the birthplace of the Paralympic movement at Stoke Mandeville is recognised by the world and that its historic archive and the individual histories of Paralympian athletes alongside the impact of the movement itself is explored by artists, and young people in the south east. 5. That people across the south east have raised awareness of and are inspired by the values of personal best, going for gold and excellence and are offered strategies to help them to adopt these values in their own lives.