Graeme McDowell takes the lead in RBC social media campaign

Graeme McDowell

Graeme McDowell takes the lead in RBC social media campaign Rugby player Jamie Heaslip showing his support for Graeme McDowell

Irish golfer Graeme McDowell is out in front in a 15-week social media campaign involving 12 golfers striving to raise $125,000 for their chosen charity.

Called RBC’s Golf for Kids programme (#RBCGolf4Kids), the campaign is driven by one of McDowell’s sponsors – Royal Bank of Canada.

McDowell’s chosen chairty is the Children’s Medical & Research Foundation, the fund-raising arm of Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin and The National Children’s Research Centre.

He, along with 11 other golfers, has been raising awareness of the programme through the use of personalised hashtags on Twitter and Instagram.

The golfers whose tag has been used the most over the course of the campaign will receive $125,000 from an overall pot of $300,000 for their chosen charity.

McDowell held a narrow lead at the time of writing. He said: “The support we have received since the campaign began in April has been overwhelming and it’s great to be in the lead. My aim is to get #RBCMcDowell trending throughout the Irish Open.”

#RBCGolf4Kids launched on 15 April at the RBC Heritage and will finish on 27 July at the RBC Canadian Open.