The annual event took place for the fifteenth time. The first Bayer 04 golfers to start included Fernando Carro, CEO, the two managing directors of TecArenaPlus GmbH Felix Duden and Ulrich Wölfer plus Dr. Karl-Heinrich Dittmar, medical director. And club representative Stefan Kießling plus the Werkself players Jonas Hofmann and Niklas Lomb also joined in. Markus Breglec, chief marketing and innovation officer, joined the event in the evening.
Other participants included several Bayer 04 partners plus former javelin world champion and current head of the Leverkusen sports college Steffi Nerius.
After a relaxed breakfast, the 80 participants made their way onto the course at the Leverkusen Golf Club at 11.30 CEST. They played a round of 18 holes with a shotgun start. The golf continued until late afternoon and was followed by an evening meal together to round off the day.
It was a successful day all round for club representative Stefan Kießling: "We had perfect conditions today: A brilliant course, great weather and top catering. Once again it was a very professionally organised tournament and it was real fun," he said before adding: "I've known a lot of them for fifteen years and the tournament is now an institution that you look forward to each year. And it's also great that so much money has been raised for a good cause at the end of the day."
A total of €17,000 was collected this year in aid of the Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Leverkusen. The donation was made up of the entry fees for participants and was added to by an auction in the evening with a number of partners donating prizes.
Kießling presented a cheque to Ingo Ende, CEO of the Deutscher Kinderschutzbund Leverkusen. Ende said: "As the Kinderschutzbund Leverkusen, we are very grateful to Bayer 04 and all supporters of the tournament today for the generous donation. We will be able to make optimum use of this money in different areas including counselling sessions with children who are in need and suffering mentally and physically. Thanks to your donation we are able to continue helping them.”
Today sees Bayer 04 go head-to-head with their next direct rivals in the race for Champions League qualification (kick-off 15:30 CEST). Opponents Stuttgart are currently fifth in the table, level on points with the Werkself but one place below them due to a three-goal inferior goal difference. The Black and Reds' record at Bad Cannstatt tells a clearer story: they've not lost at VfB for over 16 years. One important factor in securing what would be three crucial points away from home is Leverkusen's strength on the counter-attack. Whilst Stuttgart are also extremely dangerous going forward, they will be without their captain. Today’s matchday news.
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Another showdown in the race for the Champions League places takes place in Swabia: on Saturday 9 May (kick-off 15:30 CEST), the Werkself visit VfB Stuttgart, who are only behind on goal difference. In his pre-match press conference, head coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about confidence, excitement and mentality.
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Reinforcement in attack: Bayer 04 Leverkusen have secured the transfer of striker Maja Sternad from Bundesliga rivals SV Werder Bremen. The 22-year-old has signed a contract until 30 June 2028.
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It's a thrilling situation: as the season draws to a close, Stuttgart and Bayer 04 are heading into the home stretch almost neck and neck. After 32 games, with 17 wins, seven draws and eight defeats each, both teams are on 58 points. Even in terms of goals scored, VfB and the Werkself are level on 66. The Black and Reds have conceded just three fewer goals (43) than their rivals (46), which is why they sit one place behind fourth-placed Leverkusen. This Saturday, 9 May (kick-off: 15.30 CEST), the two teams go head to head at the MHP Arena in Stuttgart. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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