Ian Baker-Finch receives the prized Claret Jug in 1991 from Royal Birkdale.

Two enormous good golf performances will benefit two Australian charities and the sport itself

Former winner of the Open Championship Ian Baker-Finch has won the Gold Medal which he won at Royal Birkdale for the R & A in exchange for money that he in turn donated to three major goals

The 1991-medal of Baker-Finch will be exhibited alongside other prestigious memorabilia of the 10 championships that have been played on the road he has conquered, Royal Birkdale.

The R & A gave $ US50,000 to the Queenslander, who then topped that figure so he could each give $ 25,000 to Challenge and Redkite in Australia. He also gave $ 15,000 to the Gulf Foundation in the UK to support the participation program & Girls Golf Rocks.

"Many of my charitable activities are aimed at improving the lives of young people and especially those who are receiving care and treatment for cancer-related diseases in Australia," said Baker-Finch

"These charities are very close to my heart and I know that these funds make a real difference to the lives of young people and their families.

"I want to thank the R & A for its generosity in helping to support these initiatives."

R & A CEO Martin Slumbers was only too happy to support the generosity of Australia.

"One of Ian's most durable qualities is his indefatigable act of kindness and we were delighted to support these charitable activities that clearly mean a lot to him," Slumbers said.

"His memorable victory at Royal Birkdale remains one of the great stories in The Open's cherished history and it is perfectly fitting that his gold medal will be shown in the club where he canceled the famous Claret Jug."

Challenge is a Melbourne-based charity that provides support services to young people diagnosed with cancer and their families and has been employed since 1983. In 2011 the Challenge Family Center opened as a supplement to the existing support

The Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle, a good friend of Baker-Finch who had died earlier this year after a third battle with leukemia, was an ambassador for Challenge and supported his work for many years.

Redkite was founded in 1983 as The Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children in Australia and provides essential support to children, teens and young adults with cancer to ensure the best possible quality of life for them and their families.

The Girls Golf Rocks program offers tastings, weekly coaching and opportunities to play par-three courses in the UK.

Young people participating in Girls Golf Rocks receive a 7-Iron for completing an activity week of six weeks.