July 21st - 24th, 2011
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CONTENTS S P O N S O R S ’ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Welcome Messages
Championship Patron
3
Welcome from R&A
5
Welcome from the Euroepan Senior Tour
7
Welcome from the Champions Tour
9
Welcome from the Walton Heath Golf Club
Features 10-15
Official Sponsors
Review of The 2010 Senior Open Championship and Bernhard Langer THL003 EXPORT
16 - 21 Walton Heath Golf Club and The 1981 Ryder Cup Connection 22 - 25 Tom Watson 27 - 29 Sandy Lyle
NO BACKGROUND/ TRANSPARENT VERSION
30 - 33 Boonchu Ruangkit
Official Suppliers
34 - 37 Dr. Hiruhisa Handa 38 - 41 History of Walton Heath Golf Club 42- 45 Carl Mason
Information 46- 47 Past Winners of The Senior Open Championship 49
Player Entries
50 - 65 Player Profiles 69
Map of the Walton Heath Golf Course and Tented Village Plan
70-78
Hole-by-Hole Guide for the Walton Heath Golf Course
79 80
2010 European Senior Tour Schedule and Results to date; 2010 Final European Senior Tour Order of Merit Top 20; 2011 Current European Senior Tour Order of Merit Top 20 as at July 12. Acknowledgements and Officials; Prize Fund Breakdown; Conditions of Play.
Editor-in-Chief: Mike Gallemore Design Director: Alex Gallemore Editor: Richard Bevan Deputy Editor: Todd Staszko Design Manager: Mark Frain Production Manager: Robert Flinn Technical Manager: Mark Collinge Publisher: Mike Gallemore
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The Senior Open Championship Committee would like to thank the following for their assistance in staging The Senior Open Championship: The Staff of Walton Heath Golf Club; Members of the Press, TV and Radio; Getty Images; Halcrow; Graham Wallage – Chief Marshal, his Deputy John Woodcock and their team of Marshals; Jackie Leonard – Chief Scorer and her team of Match Scorers; Medic 1. Championship Contractors including: Air 2 Events, Aggreko, APR Plumbing, Arena Seating City and Suburban Parking, Creative Technology, De Boer, DPI, EEP Security, HE Woolley Ltd, Qdos Event Hire, Radio Links, Riach Golf Services, Robbie Gethin Associates, Sagum Events, SES Golf Services, Sodexho, Spaceworks, Seamus McCarthy, Terry Ryan, The Lighting Centre, TPA Ltd and Tractor Hire Ltd.
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THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 1
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Welcome from The
R&A
IT gives us great pleasure to welcome everyone to Walton Heath for The Senior Open Championship. For many years we have enjoyed a very strong relationship with Walton Heath, a venue where many great players have battled for various Championships, notably The Ryder Cup in 1981. Now it is the turn of the Senior golfers to test their skills over the famous venue for The Senior Open Championship, which visits Walton Heath for the first time. Our grateful thanks go to the Captain and Committee members of Walton Heath for hosting us this week and for their enthusiasm in embracing this Championship. The support of the Championship Patron Rolex and Official Sponsors Bavaria Beer, Follador Wines, Mazda, Sodexo and Visit Wales are invaluable to the successful staging of this Championship. Similarly, our partnership with the European Senior Tour ensures the continued success of this proud Senior Major Championship. This is undoubtedly the strongest field ever assembled for The Senior Open Championship and we are delighted to see so many Major Champions and former Ryder Cup Captains playing at Walton Heath. Each year the field gets stronger and the Championship grows in popularity as fans want to see some of golf’s most iconic names. We hope you all enjoy what promises to be a fantastic week of golf. Jim McArthur Chairman of the Championship Committee The R&A
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 3
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Welcome from the
European Senior Tour
Andy Stubbs Managing Director European Senior Tour
This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Senior Open Championship and we are delighted to be marking the occasion with our first visit to the magnificent Walton Heath Golf Club. It is 30 years since Walton Heath hosted the first Ryder Cup between a combined Continental European Team and the United States staged on European soil. That American Team is widely recognised as one of the greatest in The Ryder Cup’s history and we are honoured to have several of the 1981 players returning to Walton Heath this week, including Tom Watson, a three time winner of The Senior Open Championship. Similarly, a number of the groundbreaking European Team from that Ryder Cup are in the field this week, among them Bernhard Langer, our defending Champion. Bernhard joined an illustrious list of Senior Open Champions when he held off the challenge of 2010 United States Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin to win his first Senior Major at Carnoustie last year. The 1981 Ryder Cup was Bernhard’s debut in the competition and I’m sure returning to Walton Heath this week will bring back a lot of fond memories for him and all the other players who were part of that seminal contest 30 years ago. Our thanks go to the officials and volunteers of Walton Heath Golf Club for allowing us use of their superb course, which is only the third in England to host The Senior Open Championship. We also acknowledge the support of our various sponsors this week and the efforts of our partners, The R&A, along with the US Champions Tour, for their joint sanctioning of the Championship. The Senior Open Championship has come a long way since the inaugural staging in 1987 when Neil Coles became the first Champion. As we mark the 25th edition this week, we hope you all enjoy watching some of the game’s alltime greats try to follow in his footsteps.
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 5
Welcome from the
Champions Tour
Michael D. Stevens President Champions Tour
ON behalf of the PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour, welcome to The 2011 Senior Open Championship. Our players on the Champions Tour are excited about coming back to Surrey and competing at one of Great Britain’s finest clubs, Walton Heath. Walton Heath has a rich history, having been the venue for several European Opens as well as The 1981 Ryder Cup matches. The Champions Tour is again delighted to join the European Senior Tour and the R&A for the ninth time in joint-sanctioning this prestigious official event. This year’s Senior Open Championship is the third of five Major Championships on our 2011 schedule and will have a significant bearing on the season-long Charles Schwab Cup competition, as well as several other post-season awards. Last year at Carnoustie, Germany’s Bernhard Langer won the first of consecutive Major Championships, defeating Corey Pavin by a stroke in Scotland. It was his first Major title on the Champions Tour and players from 10 different countries have now won this Championship in its history. We appreciate the gracious hospitality of the English people, well demonstrated by the members and staff at Walton Heath. We hope you enjoy watching our players this week and being a part of this unique experience. Thank you again for your support of the Champions Tour.
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 7
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Welcome from
Walton Heath Golf Club
Robert Dyson Captain Walton Heath Golf Club
ON behalf of the Members of Walton Heath Golf Club I am delighted to welcome players, sponsors and spectators to The 25th Senior Open Championship. We welcome back all those who played at Walton Heath in The Ryder Cup of 1981. In particular, I welcome Bernhard Langer, the defending champion, and Paul Simson who won the Senior Open Amateur at Walton Heath in 2010. The Club is honoured to be hosting the Championship, the second occasion this event has been held at an inland course. Walton Heath was founded in 1903. The course architect was Herbert Fowler and the Old Course was his first design. James Braid, who was Open Champion five times, was the Club’s first professional and remained for 46 years. In the days when our Prime Ministers played golf, they played at Walton Heath. Lloyd George and Winston Churchill were both long-time Members. In 1971 Walton Heath became a Member’s club with the purchase of the clubhouse and courses from Rupert Murdoch and the News of the World for £262,000. The Club hosted the European Open five times between 1978 and 1991. Since 2005 Walton Heath has been the permanent home for the European Sectional Qualifying for the US Open and the South of England Open Amateur Championship. Since The Ryder Cup of 1981 the courses have been cleared of most of the silver birches and much of the gorse, scrub and brambles. There are now views right across both courses and, in the words of Bernard Darwin, the “terrifying splendour” of the open heath can once again be seen and appreciated. The fairways remain unwatered and there are no plans to change that. This will provide the players with a fast-running links style test of golf. The organisation of an event such as this takes many months and I am indebted to the European Senior Tour and the R&A for the huge efforts they have made in the preparation for this Championship. I also thank our Secretary, Stuart Christie, and all his staff for all their hard work. Our Course Manager, Ian McMillan, very sadly died in April at the age of 50, after seven years at the Club. He was an acknowledged expert on heathland golf. The magnificent condition of the course, the heather and the bunkers is due to his skill, energy and devotion. I also applaud the dedicated work of all his staff. I wish all who attend this tournament a memorable week and look forward to crowning a worthy champion.
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 9
2010 senior open review - Bernhard Langer
Langer’s major roll
2010 Final Leaderboard 1
LANGER Bernhard
GER
-5 67
71 69 72 279
2
PAVIN Corey
USA
-4 69
69 72 70 280
T3
SENIOR Peter
AUS
-1 71
72 72 68 283
T3
COCHRAN Russ
USA
-1 70
71 70 72 283
T3
BLAKE Jay Don
USA
-1 67
74 70 72 283
T3
FUNK Fred
USA
-1 75
69 67 72 283
Page 10 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
I
N A career littered with trophies and awards, Bernhard Langer will always lament one special trophy that got away – the Claret Jug at The Open Championship. The German twice slipped into the Green Jacket for winning the Masters Tournament but never crossed the line at The Open, finishing runner-up twice and third no less than four times. However, last summer Langer eased the pain by winning the next best thing – The Senior Open Championship –
with a one-stroke victory over American Corey Pavin. “This ranks very highly,” said Langer after clinching the replica Claret Jug. “Obviously, it comes pretty close to my two Masters Tournament wins and some of The Ryder Cup stuff I won – and it’s a thrill to finally hold this trophy. “Corey played very well all day. He’s a beautiful ball striker and bends the ball in both directions and he has a great short game. I knew he wouldn’t go away.” After a titanic battle, Langer came down the 18th hole 4
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 11
2010 senior open review - Bernhard Langer “It’s great to return to Walton Heath with two Senior Major titles to defend in successive weeks. Majors were fairly elusive for me on the regular Tour, so to win two Senior Majors in a row was a great feeling.”– Bernhard Langer
I was fortunate enough to play in a couple of European Opens at Walton Heath before making my first Ryder Cup appearance there in 1981. I loved it straight away. It’s parkland but with a ‘linksy’ look and feel to it. I enjoy the heathland, the trees, the heather and the bunkering – all in all it’s a great inland course in the mould of Sunningdale. – Bernhard Langer with a two-stroke lead and elected to play safe on the demanding par-4, laying up and taking a bogey with Pavin making a par. Langer signed for a one over 72 for a five under total, one clear of Pavin who shot a final round 70. “You still get nervous, and especially at a Championship that means something to you,” said Langer. “As you know, I’ve always wanted to win The Open Championship and this is the next best thing. I probably will not win The Open Championship, but I’m very pleased to win The Senior Open Championship on a great golf course like Carnoustie – it’s a wonderful, tough links course, maybe the toughest I’ve ever played.” Langer started the day three clear of Pavin, who was making his Senior Major debut, and it quickly developed into a two horse race as the rest of the field struggled to make any headway. Pavin was first to strike as he rolled in a birdie at the par-4 second hole to cut the deficit to two but Langer responded at the fifth with a birdie of his own. Langer then stretched his lead to four when Pavin bogeyed hole seven but back-toback bogeys for the German at eight and nine
cut it back to two. Pavin got to within one shot of Langer with a birdie at the 11th and then both players tapped in for par at the par-5 14th before a big swing at the 15th. The American looked to have the edge when Langer drove into the thick rough but Pavin proceeded to hook his approach into a greenside bunker. Langer punched his way out and then superbly got up-and-down for par while Pavin failed to make par from the sand.
Above: Bernhard Langer proudly raises the replica Claret Jug after winning the Senior Open Championship at Carnousite last July – his first Senior Major. Above, left: One week later Langer lifts the trophy high above his head after winning his second Senior Major – the US Senior Open at Sahalee Country Club.
‘Played it safe’ With his two stroke lead restored Langer made solid pars on the difficult holes 16 and 17, and with Pavin narrowly failing to convert his birdie chances he sealed his maiden Senior Major title with a calm bogey. “My goal was to come into the 18th with a three-shot lead and I had two shots so I played it safe and laid up. It’s tough to birdie that hole. I knew Corey would have to hit his 3-wood in there. He made it but his birdie putt came up short and gave me two putts for the win,” said Langer. “Corey played very well and I take my hat off to him.” Australia’s Peter Senior moved up 15 places
on the leaderboard into a share of third place alongside American trio Russ Cochran, Jay Don Blake and Fred Funk at, one under par, thanks to a superb final round 68. Welshman Ian Woosnam was the highest placed European after Langer but he fell five places overnight into a share of eighth place alongside Jay Haas and Tommy Armour III. With another intriguing Senior Open Championship concluded, Langer had little time to celebrate as he was whisked off to the West Coast of America to compete in the US Senior Open at Sahalee CC in Washington State, Seattle. There he showed his class by winning his second4 THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 13
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2010 senior open review - Bernhard Langer
It was an unbelievable year. I achieved a lot of my goals. I won two Senior Majors. I won the Charles Schwab Cup and won the money list again. It’s hard to do that year after year. There are so many great players out there. To come out on top is a great feeling and it’s been worth all the hard work over the years. – Bernhard Langer consecutive Senior Major and his fourth win of the season on the US Champions Tour. Another victory at the Boeing Classic in August – his 13th career title on the US Champions Tour – put him on course for topping both the money list and the Charles Schwab Cup points list and he duly sealed both titles with a third place finish at the seasonending Charles Schwab Cup Championship. “It was an unbelievable year,” said Langer. “I achieved a lot of my goals. I won two Senior Majors. I won the Charles Schwab Cup and won the money list again. It’s hard to do that year after year. There are so many great players out there. To come out on top is a great feeling and it’s been worth all the hard work over the years.” Langer pipped his past Ryder Cup foes Fred Couples and John Cook to top the 2010 Charles Schwab Cup list and when he tees it up at Walton Heath this week his emotions will be stirred by his return to the place where he made his Ryder Cup debut back in 1981. “I was fortunate enough to play in a couple of European Opens at Walton Heath before making my first Ryder Cup appearance there in 1981,” says Langer. “I loved it straight away. It’s parkland but with a ‘linksy’ look and feel to it. “I enjoy the heathland, the trees and the bunkering and the heather – all in all it’s a great inland course in the mould of Sunningdale. I
haven’t been back for quite a number of years so I am very excited to defend my Senior Open title there. “My Ryder Cup debut was obviously a memorable part of my life and I was pleased to win one and a half points from my four starts. Although we lost, we were beaten by one of the strongest American teams in history. It was the start of my love affair with the Ryder Cup.” “It’s great to return to Walton Heath with two Major titles to defend in successive weeks,” he says. “Majors were fairly elusive for me on the regular Tour, so to win two Senior Majors in a row was a great feeling.
Above left: Bernhard Langer plays towards the Carnoustie Hotel en route to his first Senior Major with a one-shot victory over Corey Pavin in the 2010 Senior Open. Above right: Langer borrows his caddie’s bib to celebrate his victory in the Charles Schwab Cup points list. He also topped the money list on the 2010 US Champions Tour.
Masters Tournament ended. He also missed the first Senior Major of the year at the Senior PGA Championship at Valhalla won by Tom Watson. He returned to action at the Berenberg Bank Masters on the European Senior Tour in his homeland last month and fired rounds of 69, 73 ‘It was a special two weeks’ and 75 for a one over par total and a share of 11th “Winning at Carnoustie was fantastic. I love the course and it was set up perfectly. Then to fly place. Now fully fit and ready to resume his campaign, straight to the West Coast of America for the US Senior Open, with an eight hour time change, and Langer is delighted to be back to Walton Heath to manage to win was quite a ride. It was a special where he expects a tough but fun test. “I know all the players are excited about two weeks in my career.” coming back to Walton Heath,” he says. “The This year Langer again got off to a great start with victory at The ACE Group Classic in February course is always in brilliant condition and we can be sure of a warm welcome. – his 14th win on the US Champions Tour – but “There are a lot of Major winners and a lot his season was cut short by a thumb injury which of Hall-Of-Famers out here now so it’s very he sustained in a biking accident the following competitive but it’s more friendly and more month. The injury required surgery and Langer’s relaxed. I’m raring to go.” n streak of 27 consecutive appearances in the THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 15
Walton heath & the 1981 ryder cup
Ryder Cup Re-union For Class of
‘81
Page 16 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2010
R
YDER CUP memories will hang gloriously thick in the air when The 25th Senior Open Championship gets underway at Walton Heath this week. For it was here on this famous composite heathland course of the Old Course and the New Course that the 24th Ryder Cup took place 30 years ago with the USA inflicting a crushing record 18½ -9½ defeat upon their European counterparts. It was to be the last time the Americans would dominate quite so emphatically and to this day no team from the US has won by such a margin. With eight of those players who took part in that famous contest in the field this week, spectators will be treated to a wonderful opportunity for a trip down Memory Lane. Make no mistake, John Jacobs’ youthful European Team had some exceedingly promising players in the ranks although in reality the likes of Sir Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Mark James and Sam Torrance would only really start to make their mark on the world game as the decade wore on. But they were up against an iconic American team led by Dave Marr that was full of Major Champions such as Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino and Larry Nelson. With 36 Major titles between them this US team was always going to prove a formidable force.
Swashbuckling manner Nelson in particular, who was the latest star of world golf having recently claimed his first Major with an emphatic four stroke victory over Fuzzy Zoeller in the US PGA Championship, was on fire at Walton Heath. The then 34-year-old continued his remarkable Ryder Cup run by winning all four of his matches, just as he had in his debut at The Greenbrier two years earlier. Nicklaus too – with 17 of his 18 Majors already under his belt – played in the swashbuckling manner you would expect from the undisputed King of Golf by compiling a 4-0 record in the tournament. After an evenly matched opening day of foursomes and fourballs the Europeans actually held the lead with a 4½ – 3½ advantage. But it wasn’t to last. The US roared out of the blocks on day two, winning seven of the eight points on offer in the second round of fourballs and foursomes to lead 10½- 5½ going into the final day’s singles matches. It was going to take a Herculean effort from Jacobs’ boys to overhaul such a deficit and with such strength in depth the Americans were never going to roll over. Trevino set the theme for the day with a crushing 5 and 3 victory over the 28-year-old Torrance and his team mates followed suit, winning a total of seven of the 12 matches and halving two to romp home emphatic winners. It was to prove a watershed moment for the
burgeoning Europeans. Faldo, Torrance, Lyle and Langer were all in Tony Jacklin’s team that travelled to PGA National in Florida two years later and pushed the US agonisingly close, falling one point short after a 14½ - 13½ defeat in the tournament that signalled the commencement of The Ryder Cup as a genuine contest once more.
Peak of a learning curve At The Belfry, just another two years down the line, a tearful Torrance would finally get his day in the sun when he sank the winning putt to give Europe their first victory in the competition for 28 years. It was the peak of a learning curve that had begun four years earlier here at Walton Heath with the gathering of a fledging group of Europeans who would form the nucleus of
Above: Jack Nicklaus gives Tom Watson a helping hand as he lines up a putt. Nicklaus and Watson teamed up to win three out of three of their fourballs and foursomes at Walton Heath in 1981, although Watson admits Nicklaus rescued the act.
the teams that went on to dominate The Ryder Cup in the late 1980s. Six of that team are back together in the field this week with Langer, Lyle, Torrance and James along with Des Smyth and Eamonn Darcy all in the hunt for Senior Open Championship glory. But that 1981 Ryder Cup also featured perhaps the greatest American team ever assembled and three of its key members – Tom Watson, Tom Kite and Jerry Pate – spearhead a formidable 4 THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011- Page 17
Walton heath & the 1981 ryder cup challenge from the US this week while the Walton Heath layout – a composite of the Old and New courses – has been set up exactly the same way as it was for The Ryder Cup in honour of those who competed, with the exception of the finishing hole, which will be the 18th of the Old Course instead of the 18th of the New Course as it was in 1981. “We’re delighted to have such a strong American contingent travelling over for The Senior Open Championship, including three members of the 1981 Ryder Cup Team,” said Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour. “It will be fantastic to see them back in action at Walton Heath alongside some of the European players they competed against as part of one of the greatest American teams we’ve seen in the competition. “The Senior Open Championship promises to be another memorable occasion and a superb opportunity for spectators to see some legends of golf from both sides of the Atlantic.”
Performances Watson – winner of his second Masters Tournament in 1981 for Major number four of the eight he would eventually win – was playing in his second Ryder Cup, having made his debut at the 1977 event at Royal Lytham and St Annes. He had developed a fascinating rivalry on the world stage with Nicklaus but the two gentlemen sportsmen also formed a successful Ryder Cup partnership. The pair scored a 4 and 3 victory over Faldo and Peter Oosterhuis in their opening foursomes match before producing another two stunning performances on day two when they dovetailed beautifully to inflict a 3 and 2 defeat upon José Maria Cañizáres and Des Smyth in the morning fourballs before winning by the same margin in the afternoon foursomes against Langer and Manuel Piñero. Depite contributing three points in joining forces with Nicklaus, Watson was to lose his singles when Howard Clark played out of his skin to defeat him 4 and 3 but by then the writing was already on the wall. Watson currently has three Senior Open Championship titles to his name and how he would love to add a fourth on a course that holds such fond memories, having already claimed the US Senior PGA Championship earlier this year. Tom Kite, was also playing his second Ryder Cup when the golfing world’s attention focussed on Walton Heath in 1981. Kite was one of the few members of Team USA without a Major at that time – although he would go on to rectify that with his two-stoke victory over Jeff Sluman in the 1992 US Open – but he was the best equipped member of the team for success here, having won the European Open the previous year with a one stroke victory over Lon Hinkle and Leonard Thompson. Kite
Ireland’s Des Smyth lines up a putt during the 1981 Ryder Cup at Walton Heath where he contributed three points to the European Team with a foursomes victory with Bernard Gallacher over Hale Irwin and Raymond Floyd, a fourballs win partnering José Maria Cañizares against Bill Rogers and Bruce Lietzke, plus another point when he joined forces again with Cañizares to defeat Tom Kite and Larry Nelson in the foursomes.
teamed up with double Major Champion Johnny Miller in the opening day’s fourball matches and the pair met a determined duo in Torrance and Clark, who ground out a hard-fought half point. Torrance, making his Ryder Cup debut, was to be thrown into the heat of the battle in his subsequent matches, twice coming up against the dazzling duo of Trevino and Pate. The American pair humbled Torrance and Faldo 7 and 5 in the Saturday morning fourballs before beating the Scotsman and partner Oosterhuis 2 and 1. Torrance could get no respite from the insatiable Trevino and must have winced when he was matched against him for the opening singles match on the final day. “It was my first Ryder Cup,” recalls Torrance, who lost to Trevino 5 and 3, “and it’s a happy memory to some extent even though we got hammered. But it stood me, and I think the rest of the European team, in good stead because it was a pretty steep learning curve to play against such top class opponents.”
Winning combination Kite went on to pair with the imperious Nelson to defeat Lyle and James by 1 hole in a tight Saturday morning fourballs match and US Captain Marr decided to stick with the winning combination for the afternoon foursomes as they beat Des Smyth and Bernard Gallacher 3 and 2. Kite rounded off a stellar tournament with a 3 and 2 victory over Lyle in the second singles match. Kite has enjoyed some strong results here at The Senior Open and will be relishing the opportunity to return to a venue at which he’s enjoyed such success. Pate, the final member of that famous US team teeing it up this week, played in his one and only Ryder Cup at that 1981 contest. Having
Above: All smiles and ready for battle – John Jacobs Trophy winners Boonchu Ruangkit, winner of the European Senior Tour Order of Merit in 2010; Sam Torrance winner of the Order of Merit in 2005, 2006 and 2009; and Ian Woosnam, Order of Merit winner in 2008. US Champions Tour, Pate will be one of the star attractions this week. Scotsman Lyle, who along with Faldo, Langer, Ian Woosnam and Seve Ballesteros would later become known as Europe’s Big Five as they dominated the game throughout the 1980s, was playing in his second Ryder Cup here at Walton Heath. He made a winning start alongside James in their opening day’s foursomes match against
It was my first Ryder Cup and it is a happy memory to some extent even though we got hammered. But it stood me, and I think the rest of the European team, in good stead because it was a pretty steep learning curve to play against such top class opponents. – Sam Torrance
won the US Open during his rookie season of 1976 the extraordinarily talented Pate had been expected to go on to dominate the game for years to come but debilitating shoulder injuries were to sadly hamper his career. Pate and partner Ben Crenshaw were on the losing end of a 3 and 2 scoreline against Lyle and James before he found the winning combination in those two sparkling matches alongside master showman Trevino. The American’s roller-coaster Ryder Cup was rounded off when Spaniard Piñero triumphed 4 and 2 in their singles match. Now enjoying life as a Senior golfer, having won twice on the
Bill Rogers and Bruce Lietzke, getting a point on the board for Europe with a 2 and 1 victory and the Anglo-Scot pairing continued their fine form that afternoon with their fourballs victory over Crenshaw and Pate. However, the duo lost out in the Saturday morning fourballs to Nelson and Kite and then again in the Saturday afternoon foursomes when Rogers and Raymond Floyd ousted them 3 and 2 before Lyle’s misery was compounded by defeat at the hands of Kite in the singles. Having secured his first Senior Tour title at this year’s ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills China, Lyle, who
went on to win The Open Championship and the Masters Tournament, will be confident of putting on a good show when at Walton Heath this week. James, too, lost out in his singles match when Nelson completed his flawless tournament with a 2-hole victory. James had won four European Tour titles at the time but went on to amass 18 and carved out a reputation as one of the finest European players of his generation. He played in a total of seven Ryder Cups and was Captain of the European Team that narrowly lost out to the US in the famously fiery affair at Brookline in 1999. Debutant Langer would go on to play in an astounding 10 Ryder Cups, playing 42 matches and scoring 24 points – a European record only bettered by Faldo – before leading Europe to their own stunning 18½ - 9½ victory over the US at Oakland Hills Country Club, Michigan in 2004. He had a tough introduction to The Matches 30 years ago, losing in both foursomes sessions but getting a point on the board from his Saturday fourballs match with Piñero by beating Floyd and Hale Irwin 2 and 1. The German, who was to go on to claim the Masters Tournament twice (1985, 1993), also gained a half point from his singles match against Lietzke. The defending Senior Open Champion is one of the most feared players in the Senior game and he’s sure to be one of the front runners this week. Irishman Smyth, playing in his second Ryder Cup, joined James and Lyle as Europe’s top scorers in 1981 with two points from a 4 THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 19
Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters
Walton heath & the 1981 ryder cup
Above: Loren Roberts proudly hoists the replica Claret Jug for the second time after winning at Sunningdale in 2009, following his victory at Turnberry in 2006. Above right: Nick Price poses with the Claret Jug after winning The Open Championship at Tunberry in 1994, the second of three Major championships the Zimbabwean has won in his career. Middle: Tom Lehmen celebrates after securing a two stroke victory over Ernie Els and Mark McCumber at The Open Championship in 1996 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. Far right: Mark O’Meara proudly hoists the Claret Jug after defeating Brian Watts in a play-off at Royal Birkdale at The Open Championship in1998. Right: Mark Calcavecchia kisses the Claret Jug after defeating Wayne Grady and Greg Norman in a play-off at the 1989 Open Championship at Royal Troon.
possible four. He teamed up with Gallacher to defeat Irwin and Floyd 3 and 2 in the opening fourballs session before a stunning performance alongside José Maria Cañizares in the Friday afternoon foursomes yielded Europe’s biggest win with a 6 and 5 triumph over Rogers and Lietzke. Smyth, who won eight times on The European Tour, has claimed four titles on the European Senior Tour, including last month’s Van Lanschot Senior Open. He lost out to Tom Watson in a play-off for the 2005 Senior Open Championship and he’s come into form at just the right time as he bids to go one better this week. Smyth’s compatriot Eamonn Darcy is the final participant of the 1981 Ryder Cup taking his place in the field this week. Having already played in two Ryder Cups, Darcy was one of the more experienced members of the 1981 European team. But like his team-mates, he endured a tough time against
the sensational Americans, losing his opening day foursomes match with partner Gallacher 2 and 1 at the hands of Irwin and Floyd before anchorman Nicklaus put him to the sword in the final singles match with an inconsequential 5 and 3 victory when the Cup was already firmly in US hands. But, like team-mate Torrance, Darcy was to get his taste of Ryder Cup glory when, six years later, he sank a tricky four-foot downhill putt at Muirfield Village to defeat Ben Crenshaw and secure Europe’s first win on US soil. The players who graced Walton Heath in that Ryder Cup 30 years ago will no doubt feel a hint of nostalgia when they gather this week but with one of the most esteemed prizes in the Senior game up for grabs it’ll be down to business once they tee off. It’s not only their contemporaries from the ‘Class of 81’ they’ll have to watch out for. The field this week is arguably the strongest international line-up ever seen in Senior golf.
The American challenge will be strengthened by the likes of Corey Pavin, Mark Calcavecchia, Jay Haas, Tom Lehman, Mark O’Meara, Craig Stadler, Fred Funk and double Senior Open Champion Loren Roberts – all of whom are past Ryder Cup players. Then there are international talents of the calibre of legendary three-time Senior Open Championship winner Gary Player, three-time Major winner Nick Price, Eduardo Romero, Peter Senior, Mark McNulty, Joe Ozaki and two-time winner on this year’s European Senior Tour, Peter Fowler. On the European front Carl Mason, Gordon J. Brand, Gordon Brand Jnr, Andrew Oldcorn, Ian Woosnam and Costantino Rocca will all have their say. With so many former Ryder Cup legends and international luminaries on display spectators are in for a real treat and the 25th Senior Open Championship promises to produce a fiercely contested and fascinating spectacle of golf. n THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 21
tom watson
tom watson returns to take on the heath Three-time Senior Open Champion Tom Watson talks to Mike Gallemore on his return to Walton Heath, the scene of a one-sided Ryder Cup in 1981 in which he played a ‘supporting’ role. Watson is something of a links specialist with five Open Champion titles to sit alongside his three Senior Opens. He has fond memories of the Walton Heath layout.
2007
W
2005
HEN Tom Watson tees off at Walton Heath this week in search of his fourth Senior Open Championship title he’ll be hoping to put his performance in the 1981 Ryder Cup behind him. “The last time I was here I wasn’t playing very well at all, despite winning my second Masters title earlier that year,” says the six-time Senior Major winner and eighttime Major winner. “It’s funny how your form can desert you from one week to another. “But I was fortunate. I was playing in probably the strongest US Ryder Cup Team ever assembled and I had Jack Nicklaus as my playing partner. Walton Heath isn’t called ‘Heath’ for nothing. I kept driving the ball into the heather and Jack kept retrieving it. He was arguably the best in the business at playing out of the rough – and I gave him plenty of practice that week. (Watson and Nicklaus won all of their three fourballs and foursomes in the USA’s record 18.5-9.5 victory). “Yanks don’t get much opportunity to play on courses covered in heather,” says Watson, “and all that heather is a remarkable feature of Walton Heath. They must have more heather than any other golf course in the UK. Although I didn’t play well, I liked the routing of the course and the wide variety of holes. The fact that I just couldn’t find the fairway made it interesting – for Jack. “I was also lucky that week that virtually all the Members of our US Team were on the top of their form. Page 22 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
2003
It’s a difficult decision for the Captains in The Ryder Cup to make the judgement between using their wildcards to pick the big names or the not-so-big names who are on form. In 1993 at The Belfry when I captained the US Team I found it tough to make the call. Still, we managed to win 15-13, by virtue of our performance in the singles, and keep hold of the Cup.” Watson comes into the Championship as leader of the Order of Merit on the European Senior Tour, courtesy of winning the US Senior PGA Championship at Valhalla, beating David Eger in a play-off.
‘Accustomed to the links’ “I didn’t play particularly well but I put in a good final round and made the play-off and won it at the first extra hole – again down the 18th – with a birdie. It was good to win my sixth Senior Major, making three in the States and three on the links of Turnberry, Royal Aberdeen and Muirfield. “For a guy who decided that links golf was not for me after playing the opening round of my first Open at Carnoustie in 1975 I guess I must have got accustomed to the links.” (at Carnoustie Watson finished level with Jack Newton on the Sunday and then defeated him in an 18-hole play-off on Monday to win the first of his five Open Championship titles and went on to become, arguably, the finest links player of his generation). “I just couldn’t come to terms with seeing a really 4
4
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tom watson good shot getting a bad bounce and ending up in trouble. That really bothered me. But my hatred of links golf soon changed. I came to the realisation that there was no good fighting it. Instead I changed my attitude and decided the only way to win was to just get on with it and take the rough with the smooth. “I was a shy kid growing up but despite that, I just loved playing golf and I loved playing in front of a crowd. I’d like to impress my dad or my brother with my golf and I got a real kick – and still do – if I hit a good shot and the crowd applaud or shout encouragement. I’ve never been badly affected by crowds. They’ve always been an inspiration for me to play well.
‘I still love the game’
Above: Tom Watson proudly lifts the trophy after winning the US Senior PGA Championship earlier this season. Right: Tom Watson and playing partner Jack Nicklaus talk during the 1981 Ryder Cup here at Walton Heath. Below: Tom Watson in action at the 2009 Senior Open at Sunningdale.
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“I went through a tough period of my golf career when I just couldn’t win. You hear players talk about how you have to learn to win. Well, it’s true. That really is the case. Once you’ve got that knowledge you can go on and win, and keep on winning. I realised that I just had to win. Nobody remembers who came second or third. The only thing that mattered was winning. “Golf has been my career for a long time and I still love the game with a passion. I’ve learned to take the failures with the successes and enjoy what I’m doing. If I didn’t think I had the chance to win I wouldn’t be here. I enjoy playing in the UK and this time, playing The Open at Royal St. George’s and then The Senior Open will be a wonderful experience for me. I look forward to this two week visit to the UK every year. “Golf is part of the fabric of life in the UK, whereas that’s not the case in the US. Golf is
struggling in the US with the recession. We tend to do things to excess in the States and we have produced more golf courses than is sustainable, so we are now having to pay the piper. “The added problem is that people don’t seem to have the time to play golf in the US and the kids would rather spend their time gazing into a TV screen playing video games or tied up with Twitter or Facebook or some such thing. Or they’re forever on their cell phones, reading, calling or texting. “It’s a social trend that concerns me greatly. People don’t get much exercise these days and we’re seeing a generation of overweight youngsters growing up who don’t seem so interested in playing sport. I was talking to a friend of mine recently who’s a prominent American football coach and he said it gets progressively harder every year to recruit new, young players, because they have this obsession with video games, television and computers.” Despite that, Watson believes the professional game at the highest level is in good shape. “I like what I see in pro golf,” he says. “Right now the golf world is waiting for someone to take control at the top after the Tiger Woods era and with European Tour players at the head of the queue we’ll soon see a Champion who can win Majors and go on winning Majors. “I’m here this week to win but I appreciate that this is one of the strongest fields The Senior Open has ever seen, so it’s going to be a tough but enthralling week. Let’s hope this time I can keep it out of the heather. I don’t have Jack here to rescue it for me.” n
This is one of the strongest fields The Senior Open has ever seen, so it’s going to be a tough but enthralling week. Let’s hope this time I can keep it out of the heather. I don’t have Jack here to rescue it for me. – Tom Watson
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Sandy LylE
SANDY LYLE BACK IN THE WINNING GROOVE T
HEY say form is temporary but class is permanent and Sandy Lyle showed that he still has class in abundance by winning his first tournament in 19 years with victory in the inaugural ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills China, earlier this season. Now, with the confidence that winning brings Lyle tees it up this week at Walton Heath looking to join the elite group of Champions of Gary Player, Bob Charles and Tom Watson as winners of both The Open Championship and The Senior Open Championship. “It would mean a great deal to me to pair up The Senior Open with my Open Championship victory,” says Lyle, winner of the 1985 Open Championship at Royal St George’s. “Look at the players who have achieved that – they’re legends of the game. It would be an honour to join them as winners of both
tournaments.” Lyle had been without a win since he picked up the last of his 18 European Tour titles at the 1992 Volvo Masters, but the Scot ended that run with a commanding victory in Shenzhen, China, with a final round 70 for a 12 under par 204 total, three clear of Australia’s Peter Fowler. “You start to wonder after about four or five years whether you’ll ever win again, let alone nearly 20 years, so this is very special,” smiled Lyle. “I joined the European Senior Tour a couple of seasons ago and success didn’t happen as quickly as I expected it to, so you do have your doubts. My trophy cabinet has been gathering dust over the years and it hasn’t been getting any more crowded so I felt relieved to get a win. It’s even better that my first Senior Tour win was in China on the 2009 World Cup course. It answered a lot of questions I had about myself. 4
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Sandy lyle
“The victory was very sweet. It had been a long time since my last win. I said a couple of years ago that I’d be happy just to win a Par Three contest – it had been that long! “But I drove the ball well, which is always important and it’s a lot nicer going down the 18th with a two shot lead rather than a one shot lead when you’ve not won for so long.” Lyle started his 2011 campaign strongly with a second place finish at The Handa Australian Senior Open and then came fifth at the Handa Cup Senior Masters in Japan. In March he finished 18th at The Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum before his triumph a week later in China. Since his victory Lyle hasn’t had a top ten finish but he’s looking forward to returning to familiar surroundings this week at Walton Heath. “I’ve always enjoyed playing at Walton Heath,” says Lyle. “I played in the European Open here a few times, including once as defending champion in 1980 after winning the tournament at Turnberry the year before, and, of course, The Ryder Cup in 1981 when we were heavily defeated by a very strong American Team. It’s a lovely course and I can’t wait to play it again.” Lyle will be joined by five of his European Team-mates from that class of ’81 while three members of the famous USA team will be in the field. He’s looking forward to locking horns with everyone – both European friends and American foes – in a bid to hoist the replica Claret Jug. “It’s going to be great having so many past Page 28 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
Ryder Cup players back at Walton Heath,” he says. “I was paired with Mark James for all the foursomes and fourballs matches and we won both our games on the opening day. “But that was as good as it got really, because they came back on day two, winning seven points from the eight available and then they dominated the singles. Tom Kite beat me 3 and 2 on the Sunday and he’s in the field this week so it’d be nice to see him and hopefully I can beat him – and everyone else!” Lyle turned professional in 1977 shortly after winning the English Amateur and the British Youth’s Amateur Championships and towards the end of the year he won Qualifying School to earn his European Tour card.
Burst into the limelight After playing 18 events in 1978 he earned enough prize money to retain his card and the following year he burst into the limelight with three victories at the Jersey Open, the Scandinavian Enterprise Open and the European Open. He later made his Ryder Cup debut at The Greenbrier in West Virginia but tasted defeat as the USA triumphed 17-11. Indeed The Ryder Cup wasn’t a happy hunting ground for Lyle as two years later here at Walton Heath the USA stormed to victory and they made it three in a row in 1983 at PGA National in Florida with Lyle once again on the losing side. However, on an individual level things were
Above left: Sandy Lyle salutes the crowd after winning the 2011 ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills China earlier this season. Above top: Sandy Lyle hacks out of some fiendish rough at the 1991 European Open here at Walton Heath. Above bottom : Sandy Lyle is helped into the Green Jacket by Larry Mize after the Scot became the first ever British player to triumph at the Masters Tournament in 1988. Right: Sandy Lyle proudly shows off the Claret Jug to the legion of photographers after winning The Open Championship at Royal St George’s in 1985.
starting to happen for him. He became a regular winner on The European Tour and in 1985 he hit the big time with a one stroke victory over Payne Stewart at The Open Championship at Royal St. George’s – becoming the first Brit to lift the Claret Jug since Tony Jacklin in 1969. He went on to play a key role in Europe’s famous Ryder Cup victory at The Belfry later that year, winning his singles match against Peter Jacobsen. European golf was on a high and Lyle wasn’t finished re-writing golfing history and in 1988 he became the first Brit to wear the Green Jacket as he famously won the Masters Tournament. The Scot gave the watching public one of its most enduring images as he stuck a sublime 7-iron from the fairway bunker to within eight feet of the pin on the final hole before gently rolling in his birdie putt for a one stroke win over Mark Calcavecchia. “My career has gone very, very quickly,” laughs Lyle, looking back. “I mean, the mid 80s for me were crazy, with the wins and travelling around playing on the US PGA Tour, The European Tour and over in Asia. To remember my Masters win brings up the hairs on the back of my neck when I think about wearing the Green Jacket. “It’s scary that I’ve been playing now for almost 30 years – it doesn’t seem like it. I don’t recall
much of my mid 20s when I was growing up, I did so much travelling!” Lyle is now well into his next chapter as a European Senior Tour player and he’s enjoying the relaxed environment in which he’s continuing his golfing career. “Everybody is friendlier by far, with all the people being in the same age group and being around people I grew up with – whether it was Americans or fellow Europeans. These guys I knew in the early 80s are still banging away,” he says. “The competition is still tough but it’s just a nice, more pleasant way of playing towards the end of your career.”
‘Great confidence boost’ With a European Senior Tour title to his name to go alongside his 18 European Tour titles plus two Majors, Lyle fancies his chances as he goes out looking for more success. “A win is a win and the achievement of winning in a field like that at 53 years old is a great confidence boost,” he said, referring to his maiden win in China earlier this season. “Life isn’t over after 40 on the golf course. Tom Watson nearly won his sixth Open Championship at Turnberry in 2009 a few months short of his 60th birthday, so there are still some years left in me yet.” n
The competition is still tough but it’s just a nice, more pleasant way of playing towards the end of your career. Life isn’t over after 40 on the golf course. Tom Watson nearly won his sixth Open Championship at Turnberry in 2009 a few months short of his 60th birthday, so there are still some years left in me yet.
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boonchu ruangkit
hat-trick hero boonchu ARRIVES IN STYLE P
RIOR to last year few golf fans outside Asia had heard the name Boonchu Ruangkit. He has long been regarded as a hero in his native Thailand, where he’s known as ‘The Godfather of Thai God’, and is highly regarded throughout Asia for his efforts to grow the game from the grass roots up. But when he teed it up on the European Senior Tour at the beginning of last season he was something of an unknown quantity. Not for long. In the space of three devastating performances which yielded a hat-trick of glittering victories, Ruangkit’s name was imprinted on the mind of European golf fans and players alike in large, bold type. In an astonishing introduction to the Senior Tour the 55-year-old claimed a maiden victory in The Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum before following up with wins in his next two events, the Chang Thailand Senior Masters presented by ISPS and the Berenberg Bank Masters, to shoot straight to the top of the Order of Merit, breaking several records in the process. A string of good results followed before he scored his first win in Europe at the Benahavis Senior Masters in Spain. With an eighth place finish in his next event, the season-ending OKI Castellon Senior Tour Championship, Ruangkit followed in the footsteps of Ryder Cup legends Ian Woosnam (2008) and Sam Torrance (2009) by winning the John Jacobs Trophy for topping the Order of Merit – the first player from Asia to do so. As debut seasons go – it wasn’t a bad one! Page 30 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
“I’m so proud to follow great players like Ian and Sam,” said Ruangkit who accumulated season’s earnings of €266,609. Not surprisingly, he was named Senior Tour Rookie of the Year. “This is a great moment for me in my career. These European Senior Tour players are household names and it’s great that a Thai player like me can come and win on the Tour. Hopefully, this win will help inspire other Thai players. I’m the first Asian golfer to do this but I think there will be many more over the next few years.”
Record winning margin Ruangkit wasn’t even a member of the European Senior Tour when he teed off in The Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum and therefore the €44,332 he won after a play-off victory over Frankie Minoza didn’t count towards his season total. But it was a dramatic way to announce his arrival and when he lined up for the Chang Thailand Senior Masters presented by ISPS he had already become the man to beat. Nobody could get near him. To the delight of the home crowds Ruangkit blitzed the field with a Senior Tour record winning margin of 11 shots to take his third title on the bounce. His 21 under par winning total of 195 was the lowest 54-hole score in the Tour’s history. “To be honest, I didn’t know there was a chance to break some Senior Tour records,” said Ruangkit. “But I am delighted that I have managed to get my name in the history books and extremely proud to have done it in my home country as well.” Any notion that the ever-smiling 4
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 31
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boonchu ruangkit
Above: Boonchu Ruangkit is presented with the John Jacobs Trophy for topping the 2010 European Senior Tour Order of merit by Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour. Right: Three of a kind – Boonchu Ruangkit signals his third successive victory in his rookie year on the European Senior Tour after winning the 2010 Chang Thailand Senior Masters presented by ISPS by a Tour record winning margin of 11 shots. Thai player might not fair so well in colder climes was swiftly banished when a second place in his next event, the Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum at Stableford Park, Melton Mowbray, consolidated his position at the summit of the Order of Merit. He went one better in Marbella when his blistering final round of seven under par 64 saw him card ten birdies en-route to a seven-stroke Benahavis Senior Masters victory over defending champion Carl Mason and his fellow Englishman John Gould to all but seal the Order of the Merit. “I had no expectations at all coming into the season,” said Boonchu. “I just wanted to play well. I thought I could maybe win once but I never thought I could do it four times. It was the best year of my career.”
‘I’ve made a lot of friends’ Ruangkit came into the game late. He started playing golf as a teenager and developed his game after joining the army, where he played on the Royal Army Golf Course. He had a brief career as a kickboxer but decided on a change of direction when he was knocked out cold in only his third bout. He decided to concentrate his efforts on golf and turned pro at the age of 30. He made a name for himself on the Asian Tour, winning five times, including two Thailand Open titles – the second of which he won at the age of 47 – and finished runner-up on the Order of Merit twice. After winning the US Champions Tour Qualifying School in 2006 he began his senior career stateside but didn’t take to life in America and returned to Asia, almost becoming the oldest winner in Asian Tour history, when, in 2009, aged 53 years and 82 days, he lost in a play-off to
There’s a lot of talent in my home country of Thailand and I simply cannot afford to let all these talented youngsters go unnoticed. I tell them that if they want to take up golf as a career, they can play golf for a living while enjoying what they like to do best. – Boonchu Ruangkit Darren Beck at the Brunei Open. He didn’t have to wait too long before he tasted victory on the same Empire Hotel and Country Club course as his emphatic start to last season signalled the arrival of a new European Senior Tour star. Ruangkit admits to loving every minute of life on the over-50s circuit. “It’s a lot of fun. The only problem is that it’s a bit colder than I’ve been used to used back in Thailand! But I enjoy playing courses I haven’t played before, especially links courses like Jersey and Royal Porthcawl. It’s great to see the fans come out to support the Tour and to play in front of so many people. “I’ve made a lot of friends here on Tour – the other players are very nice to be around.” Ruangkit is proud of the role he’s played in popularising the game in his homeland, where he is President of
the Thai PGA. “I’m always thinking that I have to be an example to the new up-and-coming Thai players,” he said. “If I show them that I can do it, so can they. “There’s a lot of talent in my home country of Thailand and I simply cannot afford to let all these talented youngsters go unnoticed. I tell them that if they want to take up golf as a career, they can play golf for a living while enjoying what they like to do best. They can turn their hobby into a career. It’s always going to be tough at the beginning but once they succeed, everything will come through.” No Thai player has ever won the Senior Open Championship but as his breathtaking achievements of last year proved, firsts are precisely what Boonchu Ruangkit specialises in. n THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 33
Dr. Haruhisa Handa
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Dr. Haruhisa Handa presents Bill Longmuir with the impressive trophy for winning the 2010 Handa Senior Masters presented by the Stapleford Forum. at Melton Mowbray.
Hands on support from Dr. Handa T
HE European Senior Tour widens its horizons worldwide year on year and now with the help and support of International Ambassador Dr. Haruhisa Handa his organisation, the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS) the Tour has been able to go even further afield. The European Senior Tour 2011 season started last November with the Dr. Handa-sponsored Handa Australian Senior Open at Royal Perth Golf Club, which, fittingly was won by Australian Peter Senior with rounds of 65-70-72 for a nine under par wire to wire victory, three shots clear of second placed Sandy Lyle and four shots ahead of Gary Wolstenholme in third. Lyle commented: “Royal Perth is a real gem of a course – and Dr. Handa has done a wonderful job with the European Senior Tour worldwide.
‘Proud’ The following week the Senior Tour headed north to the Ohmurasaki Golf Club in Japan for the second tournament on the 2011 Schedule, the Handa Cup Senior Masters. Again the winner was another homegrown player, Massy Kuramoto, who produced weekend rounds of 66 and 65 to win by four shots on 17-underpar. Japanese players, Satoshi Higashi and Kiyoshi Murota shared second place with Filipino Frankie Minoza a shot further back and Boonchu Ruangkit, Andrew Oldcorn and ISPS ambassadors Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam sharing fifth place. The winner Kuramoto commented: “This is the first time the Japan Seniors Tour has co-sanctioned an event with The European Senior Tour and I was proud to be among these great players. I am delighted that ISPS and Dr. Handa made this tournament happen and for the efforts he makes for blind golf.” Dr. Handa was born in Japan in 1951 and has since 4 THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 35
Dr. Haruhisa Handa
Dr. Handa is an amazing man. He commands huge respect in so many different walks of life all around the world. His support of the European Senior Tour has been a huge boost for us and we look forward to further developing our relationship over the years to come. – Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the Euopean Senior Tour Above: ISPS Ambassadors, Sam Torrance, Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam supporting the International Blind Golf Association at the 2010 Handa Irish Senior Open at Carton House, County Kildare, near Dublin. Torrance commented: “I was horrified to watch events unfolding in Japan back in March. It was difficult to believe that was happening on our planet. My heart went out to everyone in Japan as they are surely going to have a long and difficult road back to normality, and we should all do everything that we can to support them” Opposite page, above : Japan’s Massy Kuramoto, is presented with the trophy by Dr. Handa after winning the 2010 Handa Cup Senior Masters. He commented: “This is the first time the Japan Seniors Tour has co-sanctioned an event with The European Senior Tour and I was proud to be among these great players. I am delighted that ISPS and Dr. Handa made this tournament happen and for the efforts he makes for blind golf.”
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become one of the world’s leading and most respected philanthropists. He helped found the International Blind Golf Association (IBGA) in Japan in 1998 and formed the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS) to raise awareness and funds for blind and disabled golfers around the world. He has a close association with the Japanese Seniors Tour through his promotion of the Handa Cup Senior Masters, won in 2009 (then named the PGA Philanthropy Cup) by 1991 Masters Champion Ian Woosnam, who took the John Jacobs Trophy in 2008 to become the first former European Tour Order of Merit winner to repeat the feat on the European Senior Tour. Following the devastating earthquake and tsunami which struck Japan earlier this year Dr Handa resolved to use the power of sport to help rebuild the lives and communities of those affected by establishing the ISPS Handa Japan Relief Fund. ISPS has committed to support the disaster relief in some of Japan’s worst hit areas with a fundraising target of $15 million. The ISPS
Handa Japan Relief Fund has gained support from ISPS Ambassadors Ian Woosnam, Sam Torrance and Sandy Lyle as well as other high profile golfers, who have shown, and continue to show their dedication through fundraising initiatives and generous personal donations. “We are delighted with the work that all our Ambassadors are doing to help towards the ISPS Handa Japan Relief Fund,” said Dr. Handa. “Their support is very much appreciated and will help us make great strides towards helping those in need.”
Support and goodwill To maximise fundraising potential ISPS will be harnessing their existing partnerships with golfing bodies around the world and are confident that with the support and goodwill of the golfing community they will be able to reach their target. “I was horrified to watch events unfolding in Japan back in March,” said former European Ryder Cup Captain Torrance. “It was difficult to believe that was
happening on our planet. My heart went out to everyone in Japan as they are surely going to have a long and difficult road back to normality, and we should all do everything that we can to support them” Last year Dr. Handa was appointed an International Ambassador to the European Senior Tour for his services to golf and the disabled. As a result of the collaboration of the European Senior Tour and Dr. Handa’s ISPS organisation, an advisory Board was set up to handle the future development of Senior Tour events in the Far East. The Board works closely with The European Tour Players Foundation on charitable issues, including fund-raising for the ISPS Handa Japan Relief Fund and increasing awareness for the IBGA. In March this year the European Senior Tour staged the inaugural ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills at Shenzhen , which was won by 1985 Open Champion and 1988 Masters Champion Lyle.
The Scotsman triumphed by three strokes over Australian Peter Fowler to move, temporarily, to the top of the Order of Merit. Two months later it was the Aussie’s turn to celebrate as he secured a three-stroke victory over Andrew Oldcorn at the ISPS Handa Senior Masters presented by the Stapleford Forum at Stapleford Park in Melton Mowbray, where there was a strong focus on raising funds and awareness for the ISPS Fund.
‘Huge respect’ “I’ve been trying to win again for the last 18 years so this is a great feeling,” said Fowler, whose last win was at the 1993 BMW International Open on The European Tour. Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour said: “Dr. Handa is an amazing man. He commands huge respect in so many different walks of life all around the world. His support of the European Senior Tour has been a huge boost for us and we look forward to further developing our relationship over the years to come.” n
We are delighted with the work that all our Ambassadors are doing to help towards the ISPS Handa Japan Relief Fund. Their support is very much appreciated and will help us make great strides towards helping those in need. Dr. Haruhisa Handa.
For further information on ISPS or to make a donation please visit www.ispsgolf.com THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 37
Walton HEath History
Walton Heath has a history made in Heaven
Above: The Open Champion, Harry Vardon, tees off on the first in the three-Champions exhibition event with J.H. Taylor and James Braid, the new Club Professional, at the formal opening of the course in 1904. Between them they had already won The Open eight times and were, by 1914, to have won The Open a total of 16 times.
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W
ALTON HEATH has an illustrious and fascinating history which few even older and equally renowned clubs can match. The very name evokes memories of legendary golfers, outstanding Championships, enthusiastic Royals, memorable elder statesmen and leaders of industry. In the early days, the Club’s Membership numbered the Who’s Who of London society. If you were a politician of any note, you were a Member of Walton Heath. The Prince of Wales
became Captain of Walton Heath in 1935 and upon the death of his father, George V, in January 1936, became Edward VIII. The Club thereby remains the only English Club to have had a reigning Monarch as Club Captain. Following his abdication, his brother, the Duke of York, became George VI and was Patron of the Club until his death. Four Prime Ministers have been Members of Walton Heath, namely A.J. Balfour, Bonar Law, Lloyd George and Winston Churchill, along with many of their Cabinet Members. At
Sir Henry Cosmo Orme Bonsor bought the 1,400 acre Kingswood Warren Estate. He was a giant of a man in every sense of the word. He was MP for Wimbledon, a JP, a Lieutenant of the City of London, Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey and a Director of the Bank of England. He was a benevolent squire, who rescued Guy’s Hospital at the request of the King, with a genial nature. But he was also an astute businessman who could see the limitless potential of the area. It was Bonsor who brought the railway to the region in 1900.
Sir Henry Cosmo Orme Bonsor, Bt, after a portrait painted by Sir Arthur Stockdale Cope, RA, circa 1908. Bonsor conceived the idea of a golf course, largely with the idea of promoting traffic for his new railway line.
the outbreak of World War I, the Club boasted at least 24 MPs and 21 Members of the Upper House. “The War is obviously being conducted from Walton’s 19th hole,” someone said after Lloyd George became Prime Minister of the coalition Government in 1916. Although it was Sir Henry Cosmo Orme Bonsor who conceived the whole idea of a golf course, largely with the idea of promoting traffic for his new railway line, ownership was taken over very quickly by a solicitor who had been told by his doctor to work less hard and take
more exercise. He satisfied the former by taking control of the News of the World (circulation 51,000) and the latter by taking up golf. His name was George Allardice Riddell, later Sir George, and later still Lord Riddell of Walton Heath.
Ruled with an iron fist For the following 30 years, until his death in 1934 (leaving more than £2million and with the News of the World circulation approaching eight million), he ruled over the Club with an
iron fist. He encouraged the great and the good, or indeed anyone who could help him and his newspaper, to join the Club and, very often, made them Honourary Members. Not only did he make the up-and-coming politician, David Lloyd George, a Member, but also arranged for a house, partly blown up by the suffragettes, to be built for him close to the clubhouse. Following Riddell’s death, the Club was taken over by the News of the World and the Carr family who, in turn, sold it to the Members in 4 THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 39
Walton HEath History
Below left: James Braid, painting by Sir James Gunn, RA, circa 1925. Braid, who had won his first Open in 1901 whilst professional at Romford Golf Club, wrote to Walton Heath offering his services and joined upon the opening of the course in 1914. and there began one of the most remarkable Pro records in golf. Braid remained in the job for 46 years, succeeded by renowned golf club maker Harry Busson, who was there for nearly 30 years. Ken Macpherson followed Busson as Club Pro and between the three of them they occupied the position for more than 100 years. Below right: William Herbert Fowler, painting by Sir James Gunn, RA, circa 1935. Fowler, one of the country’s leading amateur sportsmen, was brought in by Bonsor to design the Heath Course. Fowler was an accomplished county cricketer who had taken to golf comparatively late in life, but was soon representing England against Scotland. His various sporting endeavours had brought him to the brink of financial ruin until Bonsor offered him the job. Fowler’s credentials were minimal but he was obsessive about every aspect of golf, including course design. Bonsor was also his brother-in-law.
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1971, shortly after the takeover of the News of the World by Rupert Murdoch in 1969. To return to the beginning of Walton Heath, it all began when ‘beer baron’ Sir Henry Cosmo Orme Bonsor bought the 1,400 acre Kingswood Warren Estate. He was a giant of a man in every sense of the word. He was MP for Wimbledon, a JP, a Lieutenant of the City of London, Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey and a Director of the Bank of England. He was a benevolent squire, who rescued Guy’s Hospital at the request of the King, with a genial nature. But he was also an astute businessman who could see the limitless potential of the area. It was Bonsor who brought the railway to the region in 1900, with the line from Purley to Kingswood, Tadworth and Tattenham Corner, despite enormous opposition. Bonsor had considered the financial advantages of creating a golf course on the Heath and now having become Chairman of the
South Eastern and Chatham railway company it was an obvious move. Persuading the various interested parties that an 18-hole golf course was an advantage to all was not easy. The Lord of the Manor covering the area of the Heath, Henry Padwick, was not convinced of its merits. Eventually, in 1902, Bonsor bought out Padwick and added Lord of the Manor to his lengthening list of titles.
Sporting Endeavours Bonsor brought in one of the country’s leading amateur sportsmen, William Herbert Fowler, to design the Heath Course. Fowler was an accomplished county cricketer who had taken to golf comparatively late in life, but was soon representing England against Scotland. His various sporting endeavours had brought him to the brink of financial ruin until Bonsor offered him the job. Fowler’s credentials were minimal but he was obsessive about every aspect of golf, including course design.
Bonsor was also his brother-in-law. Fowler took advice from J.H.Taylor, already three times Open Champion, and towards the end of 1902 work began in earnest. In 1903 the course was heralded as the closest thing to a genuine Scottish links ever created on an inland English landscape. James Braid, who had won his first Open in 1901 whilst professional at Romford GC, wrote to the Club offering his services. He had heard about the laying out of this course in Surrey which would much more closely resemble the courses of his native Fife. He joined upon the opening of the course in 1914 and there began one of the most remarkable Pro records in golf. Braid remained in the job for 46 years, succeeded by renowned golf club maker Harry Busson, who was there for nearly 30 years. Ken Macpherson followed Busson as Club Pro and between the three of them they occupied the position for more than 100 years. That’s remarkable continuity and stability. When James
Braid joined J.H. Taylor and Harry Vardon to put on the Club’s first exhibition match in 1904 they had already won The Open eight times between them and were, by 1914, to have won the title a total of 16 times. The three Champions’ event constituted the formal opening of the Old Course in May 1904, and the first nine holes of the New Course followed in 1907 with the remaining nine holes being opened for play in 1913.
Equally challenging Both are equally challenging and highly regarded courses in their own right. The New Course remains almost entirely as it was laid out by Fowler, and, as such, can be considered a monument to his talents as a golf course architect of the highest order. However, when the Club hosted events such as the European Open (1978, 80, 87, 89, 91) and The Ryder Cup in 1981, a composite course , consisting of 15 holes on the Old Course and three from the New Course, was used. Over
the years Walton Heath has hosted more than 80 significant amateur and professional championships and the courses have deservedly gained an enviable reputation, being considered as two of the best courses in world golf. The Senior Open Championship will be contested on the same composite layout that hosted The Ryder Cup with just one exception – the finishing hole will be the 18th of the Old Course, instead of the 18th of the New Course, as it was in 1981. Walton Heath plays like a links course and is renowned for providing the perfect preparation for The Open. Many of the leading lights of The European Tour often spend time familiarising themselves with the vagaries of seaside golf prior to heading for the coast and The Open. The Senior Tour players from both sides of the Atlantic, who have battled it out on the links of many of the Senior Open venues, like Turnberry, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Royal Portrush, Royal County Down, Muirfield and Carnoustie will find themselves very much on familiar territory on the heathland of Walton Heath this week. n
Ownership was taken over by a solicitor who had been told by his doctor to work less hard and take more exercise. He satisfied the former by taking control of the News of the World (circulation 51,000) and the latter by taking up golf. His name was George Allardice Riddell, later Sir George, and later still Lord Riddell of Walton Heath. Walton Heath’s history makes compelling reading in the late Phil Pilley’s magnificent, excellently researched book, ‘Heather and Heaven’ ably assisted by Walton Heath Club Historian, Philip Truett. The book won the USGA’s 2003 International Book Award, becoming the first Club History to win this prestigious title. Published by Walton Heath Golf Club, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 7TP, copies can be acquired directly from the Club.
Left: Sir George Allardice Riddell, after a painting by Sir William Orpen, RA. THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 41
Carl mason
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Record Breaker Mason bidding for Major glory C
ARL Mason re-wrote the history books earlier this season with a sensational 24th win on the European Senior Tour, eclipsing the long-held record of Tommy Horton, with victory at the OKI Open de España Senior by Cleveland Golf/Srixon. When he tees it up here at Walton Heath in The Senior Open Championship he’ll be looking to add a special trophy to his crowded cabinet that has so far eluded him in his illustrious senior career – the replica Claret Jug. “The Senior Open is a tournament that I’d love to win,” says Mason, who finished in a share of 26th last season. “Carnoustie was enjoyable last year but it really takes it out of you. I’ve been looking forward to this week at Walton Heath. It’s a lovely course to hold such a great tournament on.” Mason arrives at Walton Heath on a high after his victory in Spain which earned him a cool €30,000, extending his record career earnings on the European Senior Tour to a staggering total of €2,191,552. “It has to be the highlight of my career,” said Mason shortly after defeating fellow Englishman George Ryall by four strokes in windy Murcia. “I will be having a couple of beers tonight and enjoying the victory. “It was very tough out there with the crosswinds and a tricky course but I played ever so well on the front nine which gave me the cushion I needed to take it easy on the back nine and not make any silly mistakes. I managed to do that and actually was able to enjoy the victory – there haven’t been too many like that in the 24!”
a two-year stint as a Tour rules official and won four times in his rookie season, earning €350,242 and topping the Order of Merit by a margin of almost €100,000 ahead of Bill Longmuir. It was also the year his love affair with The Senior Open Championship began. The man from Buxton, Derbyshire, was drawn with two legends of the game in the opening two rounds at Turnberry – Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, who had fought out their famous ‘Duel in the Sun’ over the same links course in 1977. Far from being overawed, during the next four days Mason did himself – and the European Senior Tour – proud. He reached 17 under par after 72 holes, level with Watson but was pipped at the post by the American in the resulting play-
BELOW: Carl Mason drives off the tee in the 2003 Senior Open Championship at Turnberry with the famous hotel up on the hill in the background, and with his illustrious playing partners in the first two rounds, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, looking on. Mason came within a stroke of winning, finishing level with Watson and then being defeated in the play-off.
As I was driving back from Turnberry with my wife, Beryl, we both agreed that if someone would have said I would lose The Senior Open in a play-off to Tom Watson I would have gladly settled for it. It turned out to be the springboard for all the success that followed.
‘One hell of a run’ Looking back on his Senior career, the 58-yearold can’t quite believe what he has achieved in such a relatively short space of time. “It has been one hell of a run,” he says. “I was delighted when I finally got the 24th win because it has been hanging over me a little bit. I never would have expected to beat Tommy’s record when I started out on the European Senior Tour. I can’t believe I have done it, to be honest. Everyone can stop asking me about it now – which is great!” Mason’s European Senior Tour career is something of a fairytail. In 2003 he turned 50 after THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 43
2012
Senior Open Championship
July 26 - 29, 2012 Turnberry Resort, Scotland
Carl mason off. Despite the loss Mason admits that it proved to be a catalyst for what was to come. “As I was driving back from Turnberry with my wife, Beryl, we both agreed that if someone had said I’d lose The Senior Open in a play-off to Tom Watson I would have gladly settled for it,” he says. “It turned out to be the springboard for all the success that followed.” The following year Mason ran away with the John Jacobs Trophy for topping the Order of Meritfor the second successive year with five wins. However, he had to play second fiddle to ‘new boy’ Sam Torrance for back to back years in 2005 and 2006 – despite winning five times in that period. Mason then showed his winning pedigree and determined spirit by clawing his way back to the top spot with five wins in 2007 and recordbreaking season earnings of €412, 376 to earn his third John Jacobs Trophy.
‘Playing from another planet’ Outgoing Order of Merit winner Torrance was gracious in his assessment of Mason’s season. “He’s been playing golf from another planet,” he said. “I know how hard it is to win the Order of Merit and I was hoping to make it three in a row but Carl has simply walked it. He deserves it, too.” In 2008 Mason continued his run of winning at least one title per year on the European Senior Tour with victory at the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open, courtesy of a superb nine under par 61 in the second round. It was the equal lowest round in Senior Tour history and he went on to close with a 65 to win by two from Bill Longmuir. A seventh place finish on the Order of Merit was followed by third place in 2009 after two wins but he was forced to withdraw from The Senior Open Championship at Sunningdale after a recurrence of his ongoing back trouble. “It was disappointing to withdraw at Sunningdale,” said Mason. “The Senior Open is such a big tournament but I was struggling during practice. I went to the physio about fives times and also saw the chiropractor but it just wasn’t to be and I had to withdraw. It did affect my chances of another John Jacobs Trophy because there was a lot of prize money on offer but I wasn’t too down about that. I’d won it three times and I didn’t feel I had anything to prove.”
‘Play to enjoy myself’ Mason was quick to bounce back when he returned to full fitness and ended the campaign strongly with victory at the Benahavis Senior Masters presented by ISPS in Spain after a play-off win over Gordon Brand Jnr. That victory put him on the cusp of matching Horton’s record and last year Mason sealed his 23rd European Senior Tour title with his third career victory at the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open. After his win, Mason finished runner-up twice in 2010 as he battled to reach that landmark 24th win and ended the campaign with eight top tens in total. This season he moved quickly to finally break the record, shooting rounds of 67, 65 and 68 in just
The European Senior Tour is getting stronger and stronger as each year goes by. But I know I’m a good putter and as soon as you start rolling a few in you start feeling better and you play better – everything in your game gets better as you’re not thinking about the putts. When I get in that mode I putt quickly and see the lines. The less you try, the better you get and, for me, that works. his third start of the campaign, in Spain, and he’ll look to extend his run of wins on the European Senior Tour as long as the enjoyment is still there. “Seniors golf is difficult because there is a definite peak just when you reach 50 and then age sort of catches up with you,” he says. “It’s obviously been wonderful to have achieved everything I have. Now I’m at that stage where I just go out to play to enjoy myself and whatever happens – happens. “The European Senior Tour is getting stronger and stronger as each year goes by. But I know I’m a good putter and as soon as you start rolling a few in you start feeling better and you play better everything in your game gets better as you’re not thinking about the putts, I’m convinced of that. When I get in that mode I putt quickly and see the lines. The less you try, the better you get and, for
Top: Carl Mason is presented with the John Jacobs Trophy for winning the 2007 Order of Merit by John Jacobs OBE after The Kingdom of Bahrain Trophy at The Buckinghamshire. Above: Carl Mason currently averages 29 putts per round and is one of the front runners on the greens. me, that works.” Having broken Tommy Horton’s record for the highest number of Senior Tour wins what a wonderful feat it would be if Mason could add the Senior Open Championship title that he came within a stroke of winning at Turnberry in his battle with Tom Watson in 2003. If he gets that putter of his hot then he'll be up there with the best on Sunday afternoon. n THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 45
66 67 68 73 78
73 74 73 72 73
67 72 70 68 78
73 67 74 73 70
279 280 285 286 289
(-1) (par) (+5) (+6) (+9)
65 68 70 70 70
66 65 68 69 70
72 72 68 68 68
79 68 68 70 73
272 (-8) 273 (-7) 274 (-6) 277 (-3) 281 (+1)
70 69 71 74 72
68 69 71 68 74
65 65 65 69 67
66 75 71 71 69
269 (-11) 276 (-4) 279 (-1) 282 (+2) 282 (+2)
69 67 66 66 67
65 66 70 68 70
71 67 69 69 69
75 81 76 79 79
280 281 281 282 283
(par) (+1) (+1) (+2) (+3)
70 70 67 70 74
285 286 286 289 290
(-1) (par) (par) (+3) (+4)
1988 – Turnberry 1 2 3 4 5
Gary Player Billy Casper Harold Henning Bob Charles Jim O’Hern
1994 – Royal Lytham & St Annes 1 Tom Wargo 2= Bob Charles 2= Doug Dalziel 4= Gary Player 4= Brian Huggett
73 70 75 73 78
68 69 66 69 58
68 72 71 71 79
71 71 70 74 71
280 282 282 287 287
(-8) (-6) (-6) (-1) (-1)
67 69 68 73 68 71
77 73 75 73 67 73
70 72 68 66 70 69
281 281 282 282 283 283
(-7) (-7) (-6) (-6) (-5) (-5)
65 69 68 74 71 74
66 69 75 69 72 69
74 74 68 70 70 75
277 (-11) 280 (-8) 280 (-8) 281 (-7) 283 (-5) 283 (-5)
70 72 65 71 70 70 72
72 70 75 71 72 69 68
68 70 69 68 68 72 66
278 (-10) 278 (-10) 279 (-9) 279 (-9) 281 (-7) 282 (-6) 282 (-6)
70 71 73 71 70 68 71 73
71 71 68 71 75 69 72 71
71 70 73 69 71 77 67 71
283 283 284 285 286 286 286 286
69 71 74 74 73 71
68 71 66 70 67 76
69 70 72 72 77 70
282 (-6) 285 (-3) 286 (-2) 287 (-1) 289 (+1) 289 (+1)
1995 – Royal Portrush 1 Brian Barnes (P) 2 Bob Murphy 3= John Morgan 3= Bob Charles 5= Tommy Horton 5= John Fourie
67 68 71 70 78 70
1988
Neil Coles Bob Charles Arnold Palmer Peter Butler Harold Henning
1989
1 2 3 4 5
1990
1987 – Turnberry
1987
past winners
1 Bobby Verwey 2= Tommy Horton 2= Bob Charles 4 Charles Green (A) 5 Gary Player
70 69 69 72 70
74 76 76 75 73
71 71 74 72 73
1992 – Royal Lytham & St Annes 1 John Fourie 2= Bob Charles 2= Neil Coles 4 Peter Butler 5= Tommy Horton 5= Akio Toyoda
75 71 69 70 74 75
67 69 71 71 70 71
71 72 72 72 69 70
69 73 73 73 75 72
282 285 285 286 288 288
(-2) (+1) (+1) (+2) (+4) (+4)
73 74 72 73 71
71 72 73 71 74
1992 1993
68 66 70 69 71 71 76
1998 – Royal Portrush 1 Brian Huggett (P) 2 Eddie Polland 3 Brian Barnes 4 Noel Ratcliffe 5= Terry Gale 5= Tommy Horton 5= Malcolm Gregson 5= Denis O’ Sullivan
71 71 70 74 70 72 76 71
(-5) (-5) (-4) (-3) (-2) (-2) (-2) (-2)
74 73 74 72 77
291 292 292 293 293
(+7) (+8) (+8) (+9) (+9)
1 Christy O’ ConnoR Jr 76 2 John Bland 73 3 Gary Player 74 4 John Morgan 71 5= Bob Charles 72 5= Stewart Ginn 72
1998
73 73 73 77 73
1 Gary Player (P) 2 John Bland 3= Noel Ratcliffe 3= Jim Rhodes 5 Bobby Verwey 6= Tom Wargo 6= Jose Maria Canizares
1999 – Royal Portrush
1993 – Royal Lytham & St Annes 1 Bob Charles 2= Gary Player 2= Tommy Horton 4 Anthony Grubb 5 Joel S. Hirsch (A)
1997 – Royal Portrush
1994
1991 – Royal Lytham & St Annes
72 68 71 68 70 67
1995
1 Gary Player 2= Deane Beman 2= Brian Waites 4 Arnold Palmer 5 Simon Hobday
1 Brian Barnes 2= Bob Charles 2= David Oakley 4 Tommy Horton 5 John Morgan 6 Malcolm Gregson
1996
1990 – Turnberry
1996 – Royal Portrush
1997
1 Bob Charles 2 Billy Casper 3 Bryant Hiskey 4= Gary Player 4= David Butler
1991
1989 – Turnberry
Page 46 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
1999 2002
2001
2000
2000 – Royal County Down 1 2 3 4 5
Christy O’Connor Jr John Bland Hubert Green John Morgan Bob Charles
69 68 68 71 75
68 67 72 71 68
2007 – Muirfield 70 71 68 69 71
68 71 71 69 67
275 277 279 280 281
(-9) (-7) (-5) (-4) (-3)
70 72 72 70 69
69 69 70 69 72
278 (-6) 278 (-6) 281 (-3) 281 (-3) 284 (par)
2001 – Royal County Down 1 Ian Stanley (P) 2 Bob Charles 3= John Morgan 3= Jack Nicklaus 5 Bobby Verwey
70 69 69 70 74
69 69 70 72 69
2005
2004
2003
2002 – Royal County Down 1 Noboru Sugai 2 John Irwin 3 Christy O’ Connor Jnr 4 John Chillas 5= Kazunari Takahashi 5= Seiji Ebihara 5= Barry Vivian
67 71 73 69 71 72 71
67 68 70 69 69 71 72
73 74 73 77 77 77 78
74 70 70 72 72 69 68
281 283 286 287 289 289 289
(-3) (-1) (+2) (+3) (+5) (+5) (+5)
66 67 68 66 69
67 64 65 67 63
66 65 66 66 65
64 67 65 67 73
263 263 264 266 270
(-17) (-17) (-16) (-14) (-10)
2003 – Turnberry 1 2 3 4 5
Tom Watson (P) Carl Mason Bruce Summerhays Tom Kite D. A. Weibring
2008
2007
2006
2004 – Royal Portrush 1 Pete Oakley 2= Tom Kite 2= Eduardo Romero 4 Mark James 5= Mark McNulty 5= Don Pooley
73 71 69 72 72 69
68 71 75 70 69 72
73 74 74 74 74 74
70 69 67 70 72 72
284 285 285 286 287 287
(-4) (-3) (-3) (-2) (-1) (-1)
75 73 76 73 72
71 72 67 68 74
64 68 70 70 71
70 67 68 72 67
280 280 281 283 284
(-4) (-4) (-3) (-1) (Par)
65 67 71 65 66
65 63 67 66 67
69 73 70 77 72
75 71 67 70 74
274 274 275 278 279
(-6) (-6) (-5) (-2) (-1)
1 Tom Watson 2= Stewart Ginn 2= Mark O’Meara 4= Jay Haas 4= Lonnie Nielsen 4= Loren Roberts 4= Eduardo Romero
70 71 72 70 69 74 70
71 70 71 75 74 72 71
70 69 70 73 74 71 73
73 75 72 70 71 71 74
284 285 285 288 288 288 288
Par +1 +1 +4 +4 +4 +4
1 Bruce Vaughan (P) 68 2 John Cook 69 3 Eduardo Romero 68 4 Bernhard Langer 70 5= Tom Watson 70 5= Gene Jones 70 5= Greg Norman 75
71 71 73 71 71 76 72
69 67 68 71 71 68 67
70 71 70 68 70 68 68
278 278 279 280 282 282 282
-6 -6 -5 -4 -2 -2 -2
68 64 69 72 67 67 69
68 65 67 67 65 69 70
67 72 68 65 71 64 64
67 67 64 65 67 71 68
268 268 268 269 270 271 271
-12 -12 -12 -11 -10 -9 -9
1 Bernhard LANGER 67 2 Corey Pavin 69 3= Jay Don Blake 67 3= Russ Cochran 70 3= Fred Funk 75 3 Peter Senior 71 7 Trevor Dodds 74
71 69 74 71 69 72 71
69 72 70 70 67 72 69
72 70 72 72 72 68 70
279 280 283 283 283 283 284
-5 -4 -1 -1 -1 -1 0
2008 – Royal Troon
2009 – Sunningdale 1 Loren Roberts (P) 2= Fred Funk 2= Mark McNulty 4 Bernhard Langer 5 Sam Torrance 6= Greg Norman 6= Larry Mize
2010 – Carnoustie
2010 – Bernhard Langer
2005 – Royal Aberdeen 1 2 3 4 5
TOM WATSON (P) Des Smyth Greg Norman Craig Stadler Loren Roberts
1 2 3 4 5
Loren Roberts (P) Eduardo Romero Dick Mast Craig Stadler Tim Simpson
2010
2009
2006 – Turnberry
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011- Page 47
2011 EXEMPT ENTRIES as at Monday 11th July Entries in Category 1 Exempt Players 1 Tom KITE 2 Corey PAVIN 3 Eduardo ROMERO 4 Jeff SLUMAN 5 Isao AOKI 6 Bruce VAUGHAN 7 Loren ROBERTS TPC Southwind 8 Sammy DANIELS King David GC 9 Gary HALLBERG 10 Tommy ARMOUR III Madison Club 11 Mark O’MEARA 12 Joe OZAKI 13 Nick PRICE McArthur G.C., Florida 14 Craig STADLER 15 Fred FUNK Pablo Creek 16 Michael ALLEN Troon GC 17 Philip BLACKMAR 18 Mark WIEBE 19 Bob TWAY Oak Tree GC 20 Jim THORPE 21 Larry MIZE 22 Scott SIMPSON 23 Wayne SMITH Royal Perth GC 24 Jim RUTLEDGE Uplands GC 25 John COOK 26 Mark CALCAVECCHIA 27 Jay HAAS 28 Chip BECK Merit Club 29 Chien Soon LU Friendly Hills CC 30 Steve PATE North Ranch CC 31 Mike REID 32 Jim CARTER TPC Scottsdale 33 Steve JONES Whirlwind GC 34 Jerry PATE Pensacola CC 35 John HUSTON Innisbrrok Resort 36 Derek JAMES Southbroom GC 37 Trevor DODDS Boone Valley St Louis 38 Hideki KASE 39 Noboru SUGAI PGA of Japan 40 Mark BROOKS 41 Jay Don BLAKE 42 Jim GALLAGHER JNR Old Waverley GC 43 Russ COCHRAN The Dye Preserve, Florida 44 Tom LEHMAN DC Ranch 45 JD KIM Yamazen Kosan 46 Bob GILDER Pumpkin Ridge GC 47 Olin BROWNE The Medalist 48 Willie WOOD Oak Tree National 49 David PEOPLES 50 Tom BYRUM 51 Lee RINKER Emerald Dunes GC 52 Tom PERNICE Jnr 53 Paul SIMSON (AM) 54 Rod SPITTLE Little Turtle CC 55 Mike GOODES 56 James D MASON The Orchard 57 Randy HAAG (AM) 58 Ted SCHULZ Cardinal Club 59 Akihito YOKOYAMA ISPS 60 Ernie GONZALEZ TPC Summerlin 61 Gordon J BRAND Pinheiros Altos 62 Gordon BRAND JNR The Players Club 63 Roger CHAPMAN
USA USA ARG USA JPN USA USA RSA USA USA USA JPN ZIM USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA AUS CAN USA USA USA USA TPE USA USA USA USA USA USA RSA NAM JPN JPN USA USA USA USA USA KOR USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA CAN USA USA USA USA JPN USA ENG SCO ENG
64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119
Eamonn DARCY Druids Glen GC Rodger DAVIS Ross DRUMMOND Denis DURNIAN A6 Physio Anders FORSBRAND David FROST Stellenbosch GC Wayne GRADY Mark JAMES Ilkley GC Nick JOB Eligo Tony JOHNSTONE Cleveland Golf Bernhard LANGER Bill LONGMUIR The London GC Sandy LYLE Carl MASON The Fox Club Florida Mark MOULAND Farm Foods Christy O’CONNOR JNR Christy O’Connor Jnr Golf Design Andrew OLDCORN Kings Acre Gary PLAYER Gary Player Country Club Juan QUIROS Reinoxmetal Glenn RALPH Trevose G&CC Noel RATCLIFFE Costantino ROCCA José RIVERO David J RUSSELL Archerfield Links Peter SENIOR Hope Island Resort Andrew SHERBORNE The Kendleshire Des SMYTH Sam TORRANCE Fairmont St Andrews Tom WATSON The Greenbrier GC Ian WOOSNAM RAW Golf Course Design Peter FOWLER Ping Mike CUNNING Moon Valley CC Barry LANE Kevin SPURGEON Ferndown GC Marc FARRY Constance Hotel Group Mark MCNULTY Lake Nona CC Paul CURRY Braintree Golf Club Mike HARWOOD Chris WILLIAMS Modderfontein GC Massy KURAMOTO John HARRISON Matfen Hall George RYALL The Players Club Peter MITCHELL Les mas Candille Domingo HOSPITAL R.C.G El Prat Jerry BRUNER Bob CAMERON Italpack Boonchu RUANGKIT Singha Mark BELSHAM Princes Golf Club Bobby LINCOLN Dainfern CC Angel FRANCO Parana CC Gary WOLSTENHOLME Carus Green GC Tim THELEN The Falls Resort & CC Angel FERNANDEZ Club de Golf la Dehesa Pete OAKLEY The Rookery GC Bertus SMIT Mosselbay CC David MERRIMAN Bonnie Doon GC
IRL AUS SCO ENG SWE RSA AUS ENG ENG ZIM GER SCO SCO ENG WAL IRL SCO RSA ESP ENG AUS ITA ESP ENG AUS ENG IRL SCO USA WAL AUS USA ENG ENG FRA IRL ENG AUS RSA JPN ENG ENG ENG ESP USA ENG THA ENG RSA PAR ENG USA CHI USA RSA AUS
The complete field of 144 is made up of exempt players outlined above plus those successful qualifiers who came through the 18 hole stroke play qualifying rounds at either Betchworth Park Golf Club, Kingswood Golf & Country Club or Burhill Golf Club on Monday 18th July. THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 49
PLAYER PROFILES Mark Calcavecchia MARK Calcavecchia made his Senior Major debut here at The Senior Open Championship last summer and finished in a share of 14th place. ‘Calc’, as he is known on Tour, made six top tens in his rookie campaign last year and he has the same number of top tens so far this season. Calcavecchia spent approaching 30 years on the US PGA Tour, winning 13 times including one Major at The Open Championship in 1989 at Royal Troon. The American had already won twice that year in America before he defeated Wayne Grady and Greg Norman in a four-hole play-off. He ended the season a career-best fifth on the money list. A year earlier Calcavecchia finished runner-up to Sandy Lyle in the Masters Tournament when the Scot birdied the final hole to win and avoid a play-off. Calcavecchia’s form toward the end of the 1980s was rewarded as he played in three Ryder Cups in a row from 1987 – 1991 and was also a member of the 2002 US team at The Belfry. In 2007 Calcavecchia won the PODS Championship on the US PGA Tour at the age of 46, defeating John Senden and Heath Slocum by one shot. He took home $954,000 for the win which helped him to a season total of $2,993,332 and 13th place on the money list – his highest finish since 1998 when he claimed 12th spot. At the age of 13 Calcavecchia was a keen golfer but concentrated on the game fully when his family moved from Nebraska to Florida where he would play up to 72 holes a day in the longer summer months.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: October 2, 1957 BIRTHPLACE: Toledo, Ohio, USA US PGA Tour titles: 11 US Champions Tour titles: 8
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STATISTICS Date of Birth: June 12, 1960 BIRTHPLACE: Laurel, Nebraska, USA Major titles: 1 European Tour titles: 1 US PGA Tour titles: 13
John Cook JOHN Cook is enjoying a superb season on the US Champions Tour with three victories under his belt already in 2011. Cook won the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai with a two-stroke win over Tom Lehman before adding a second title at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in April with a play-off victory over Jay Don Blake. Earlier this month he shot rounds of 6366-66 to win his eighth US Champions Tour title at the Montreal Championship by three strokes from Chien Soon Lu. Cook turned 50 in October 2007 and won on his second start as a Senior on the US Champions Tour, triumphing at the AT&T Championship with a two-stroke victory over Mark O’Meara. In 2008 he posted 15 topten finishes, including victory in his defence of the AT&T Championship, and he ended the year with earnings of $1,721,038 to finish fifth on the money list. The following year he won twice, including the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, and last season he successfully defended his title at the season-ending tournament. Cook won 11 times during his time on the US PGA Tour and twice came close to winning a Major when he was runner-up behind Sir Nick Faldo at The Open Championship at Muirfield in 1992 and then the US PGA Championship later that year. Cook won his first title in 1981 at the Big Crosby National Pro-Am shortly after he turned professional in 1979. His last US PGA Tour title came in 2001 at the RenoTahoe Open.
Eamonn Darcy EAMONN Darcy’s 2011 season has been hampered by ongoing back injuries but last month he posted an eighth place finish at the OKI Open de Espana Senior by Cleveland Golf/Srixon which included a final round 66. With four European Tour titles to his name and 11 international victories, Darcy is one of Ireland’s most successful golfers, having amassed more than €2 million in prize money from his time on the Tour. He was a member of the 1981 European Ryder Cup team here at Walton Heath. Since joining the European Senior Tour towards the end of the 2002 season Darcy has been runner-up no fewer than eight times, with his most recent second place finish coming in 2009 when he was defeated by former Ryder Cup team-mate Mark James in a play-off at the Son Gual Mallorca Senior Open. Darcy gained his card for the U.S. Champions Tour in 2003 after graduating through qualifying school and he enjoyed some good results, finishing in the top 20 on seven occasions, including runner-up spots at the MasterCard Classic and the Farmers Charity Classic. He also played five events on the European Senior Tour that year, finishing in the top ten three times, to end the season 25th on the Order of Merit. Darcy began playing on the European Senior Tour full time in 2005 and carded six top ten finishes, including two as runner-up, to finish 18th on the Order of Merit. In 2006 Darcy finished 14th on the Order of Merit in his most successful season on the Senior Tour. He made four top tens and finished with earnings of €112,503.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: June 9, 1959 BIRTHPLACE: Hornsby, Australia European Tour titles: 1 European senior Tour titles: 2
STATISTICS Date of Birth: August 7, 1952 BIRTHPLACE: Delgany, Ireland EUropean Tour titles: 4
Peter fowler AUSTRALIA’S Peter Fowler is a two-time winner on the European Senior Tour this season with victories at the ISPS Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum and the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open. Fowler made his breakthrough last month with a solid three-stroke victory over Andrew Oldcorn in Melton Mowbray and picked up his second title in Switzerland earlier this month where he again pipped Oldcorn to the title by two strokes. Fowler initially struggled with a back injury upon joining the European Senior Tour in 2009 but had a steady year last season with four top-ten finishes. This year he has found his form with his two wins and five additional top tens, including runner-up at the ISPS Handa Senior Masters presented by Mission Hills, China, and last month’s Van Lanschot Senior Open in Holland. Fowler turned professional in 1977 and six years later won the Australian Open – the first of four titles he won on his native PGA Tour of Australasia. He also competed on The European Tour and was a runner-up no fewer than six times before he finally stepped into the winner’s circle in 1993 when he defeated Ian Woosnam by three strokes at the BMW International Open. In 1989 Fowler teamed up with Wayne Grady to win the World Cup of Golf and he also took home the individual trophy. In a strange twist of fate Fowler made his European Senior Tour debut at the 2009 Jersey Seniors Classic, 26 years after making his European Tour debut at the same venue. THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 51
PLAYER PROFILES Fred funk THREE-time Senior Major winner Fred Funk joined the US Champions Tour in 2006 and won his first title as a Senior at the AT&T Championship in October that year. Before signing up to the US Champions Tour Funk won seven times on the US PGA Tour but he’s added another title to his collection since turning 50. In 2007 Funk won the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico, just weeks after winning his second US Champions Tour title at the Turtle Bay Championship. Funk won twice on the US Champions Tour in 2008 and ended the season third on the money list with $1,825,931 in earnings. He took the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai with a two-shot victory over Allen Doyle and then won his first Major at the JELD-WEN Tradition that August. In 2009 Funk was runner-up at The Senior Open Championship before going on to pick up his second Senior Major title with a six-stroke victory at the US Senior Open. He went on to end the season fifth on the money list with earnings of $1,563,810 after ten additional top-ten finishes. Last year Funk won his third Senior Major at the JELDWEN Tradition with a one-stroke victory over Michael Allen and Chien-Soon Lu and he went on to end the season with eight top tens for sixth place on the money list. So far this season Funk has posted three top-ten finishes, including runner-up at The ACE Group Classic in February.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: July 26, 1957 BIRTHPLACE: Brisbane, Australia major titles: 1 European Tour titles: 1 us pga tour titles: 2
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STATISTICS Date of Birth: June 14, 1956 BIRTHPLACE: Takoma Park, Maryland, USA Senior Major titles: 3 US PGA TOUR titles: 8 european senior Tour titles: 1 US CHAMPIONS Tour titles: 6
wayne grady WAYNE Grady, who made his Senior debut at the 2007 Senior Open Championship at Muirfield, claimed his first professional title at the 1978 Westlakes Classic in his homeland. He then had 17 runner-up finishes on the Australasian Tour before he finally claimed his second Tour victory at the 1984 German Open on The European Tour. He moved to the US PGA Tour but lost his card in 1986. Two years later he defeated Greg Norman in a four-hole playoff at the Australian PGA Championship before moving back to the US PGA Tour in 1989 where he won his first title at the Westchester Classic – also a play-off victory, this time over Ronnie Black. Three weeks after his victory, Grady, now a respected commentator for the BBC, came over to play on British soil and took the 54-hole lead at The Open Championship at Royal Troon. He finished level with Greg Norman and Mark Calcaveccia after bogeying the 17th and lost the resulting four-hole play-off to the American. However, a year later Grady put the disappointment behind him as he claimed Major glory at the 1990 US PGA Championship at Shoal Creek with a three-stroke victory over Fred Couples. In 1998 Grady was an Assistant Captain to fellow Australian Peter Thompson in The Presidents Cup in Australia where the International Team scored a famous victory over the USA. He held the same honour two years later when the International Team lost in the US. Grady’s best result on the European Senior Tour this season is 15th at the Handa Cup Senior Masters.
STATISTICS
mark james
Date of Birth: October 28, 1953
FORMER Ryder Cup Captain Mark James joined the European Senior Tour in 2004 and played only one event, finishing fourth here at The Senior Open Championship at Royal Portrush, two shots behind winner Pete Oakley. James won his first Senior title with a Major in 2004 with victory at the US Champions Tour’s Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship. His victory made him the first European to win a US Champions Tour Major, beating former Ryder Cup teammate José Maria Cañizares by one shot. In 2005 he played three tournaments on the European Senior Tour and won the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters, beating his former Ryder Cup teammate Sam Torrance in a play-off. He also claimed The ACE Group Classic in Florida. James endured a barren spell as a Senior throughout 2006 but returned to winning ways in his first event of the 2007 US Champions Tour season when beat Jay Haas by two strokes at the Allianz Championship. In 2009 James won his second European Senior Tour title at the Son Gual Mallorca Senior Open after he defeated another of his former Ryder Cup teammates – Ireland’s Eamonn Darcy – in a play-off. James finished in 20th place here at The Senior Open Championship last season and so far this year his best finish is fifth place at the Berenberg Bank Masters. In a successful professional career spanning 25 years, James won 18 titles on The European Tour. He played in seven Ryder Cups, including the 1981 event here at Walton Heath, and was captain of the European Ryder Cup Team at Brookline in 1999.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: December 9, 1949 BIRTHPLACE: McKinney, Texas, USA MAJOR titles: 1 Senior Major titles: 1 european Tour titles: 3 US pga Tour titles: 19 US champions Tour titles: 10
BIRTHPLACE: Manchester, England SENIOR major titles: 1 European Tour titles: 18 European SENIOR Tour titles: 2 us champions Tour titles: 3
tom kIte IN a playing career that has spanned almost 40 years, Tom Kite has racked up an impressive collection of titles and is one of the game’s biggest money winners. He was the first player in US PGA Tour history to reach the $6 million, $7 million, $8 million and $9 million marks in career earnings and topped the money list in 1981 and 1989 – when he set a single season’s earnings record by eclipsing $1million. In 1980 he won the European Open here at Walton Heath and between 1981 and 1993 Kite claimed at least one US PGA Tour title every year except 1988 when he was runner-up three times. The 1992 US Open winner has continued his success on the US Champions Tour since 2000, winning ten titles including a Major at the JELD-WEN Tradition in his rookie year. Kite, who won twice in 2006, had a winless season in 2007 but got back to winning ways in 2008 with a twostroke victory over Scott Simpson at the Boeing Classic. In 2009 he finished 18th on the money list and last year posted two third place finishes on his way to 21st on the money list. So far this season his best result is seventh place at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. Kite played in seven instalments of The Ryder Cup was on the winning side four times – including the 1981 edition here at Walton Heath. He was later awarded the honour of Captaining the American side in 1997 at Valderrama in Spain where his team was defeated by Europe by just a single point. THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 53
PLAYER PROFILES barry lane BARRY Lane turned 50 last year and almost made a winning debut on the European Senior Tour at the De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship at Slaley Hall but had to settle for second place, two shots behind winner David J Russell. He won his first title three starts later with a four-stroke victory over Glenn Ralph and Jim Rhodes at the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open and went on to finish ninth on the Order of Merit. So far this season Lane has four top tens on the European Senior Tour. Lane joined The European Tour in 1986 and won his first title two years later, at the Scottish Open at Gleneagles, on his way to finishing 14th on the Order of Merit. In 1992 Lane had the best season of his career with one win, two runner-up finishes and ten additional top-ten finishes. Lane finished second at the Roma Masters and the Piaget Belgian Open before stepping into the winner’s circle in Germany at the Mercedes German Masters and earning €100,000 which helped him end the year in fifth place on the Order of Merit. A year later he won the Canon European Masters and in 1994 he won the Turespana Open de Baleares but then went through a ten-year drought before winning his fifth European Tour title. Lane secured the biggest title of his career with a superb three-stroke victory over Argentine pair Eduardo Romero and Angel Cabrera at The Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters at the Marriott Forest of Arden in 2004.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: March 7, 1959 BIRTHPLACE: Austin, Minnesota, USA major titles: 1 senior major titles: 1 european Tour titles: 1 US pga Tour titles: 5 european senior titles: 1 US champions Tour titles: 5
STATISTICS Date of Birth: June 21, 1960 BIRTHPLACE: Hayes, England european tour titles: 5 european senior TOUR titles: 1
tom lehman TOM Lehman has taken the US Champions Tour by storm since turning 50 in 2009. He won on his debut at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in April that year and then the following season made his second title a Senior Major by defeating Fred Couples and David Frost in a play-off at the US Senior PGA Championship. This year Lehman has taken it up a notch with three victories so far. He won the Allianz Championship in February, the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic in April and then the Regions Tradition in May and he currently leads the money list and the Charles Schwab Cup standings. Lehman turned professional in 1982 but didn’t win his first US PGA Tour title until the 1994 Memorial Tournament. He followed that a year later with victory at the Colonial National Invitational and then won his first Major in 1996 at The Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Lehman went on to win The Tour Championship in a stunning season which saw him finish in the top 25 in 19 of his 22 tournaments which included his two wins and two runner-up finishes. He ended the year top of the money list with $1,780,159 and was named the US PGA Tour Player of the Year. Lehman won his last US PGA Tour title at the 2000 Phoenix Open and ended the year with a career-best haul of $2,068,499 in prize money. The American played in three instalments of The Ryder Cup (1995, 97, 99) and was the Captain in 2006 at The K Club where the Europeans romped to an 18½-9½ victory.
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 55
PLAYER PROFILES bill longmuir BILL Longmuir won his eighth European Senior Tour title last year with a resounding victory at the Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum in Leicestershire. Longmuir finished with a 20 under par total for a seven-stroke triumph over Roger Chapman and Boonchu Ruangkit and went on to end the season with two additional top tens for 11th place on the Order of Merit. So far this season Longmuir’s best finish is third at the OKI Open de Espana Senior by Cleveland Golf/Srixon. In June 2003 Longmuir joined the European Senior Tour and made an immediate impact. He finished tied eighth in his first start and claimed his first win in only his third event, the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open. He then went on to pick up his second title at the PGA Seniors Championship on his way to finishing second on the Order of Merit. Longmuir’s success continued in 2004 as he won two more titles - The Mobile Cup in June and the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open. He then won his fifth title at the 2005 Scandinavian Senior Open after finishing four strokes clear of Giuseppe Cali. After a winless season in 2006, Longmuir claimed his sixth Senior Tour title at the 2007 Midas English Seniors Open with a two-stroke victory over Carl Mason and ended the season 13th on the Order of Merit after four further top tens. Longmuir made a winning start to the 2008 season by taking the DGM Barbados Open by three shots from Bob Cameron and went on to end the year fifth on the Order of Merit.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: October 25, 1953 BIRTHPLACE: Bindwa, Zimbabwe senior major titles: 1 European Tour titles: 16 US Champions Tour titles: 8
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STATISTICS Date of Birth: June 10, 1953 BIRTHPLACE: Thundersleigh, Essex, England european senior Tour titles: 8
mark Mcnulty MARK McNulty won his eighth US Champions Tour title earlier this season when he teamed up with David Eger to win the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. The pair defeated Kenny Perry and Scott Hoch in a play-off after both teams carded 21 under par totals. McNulty joined the US Champions Tour in 2004 and despite struggling with various health issues he still managed to claim three titles to finish seventh on the money list with $1,423,048. This tremendous achievement was capped off by clinching the honour of Rookie of the Year. McNulty continued his success with two titles in 2005 and he won his first Senior Major two years later with a five-stroke victory over David Edwards at the JELD-WEN Tradition. In 2008 McNulty was winless but did post ten top-ten finishes and he was back in the winner’s circle the following season with a play-off victory over Nick Price and Fred Funk at the Principal Charity Classic. Since turning professional in 1977 McNulty has been a model of consistency, winning 55 international titles in a career spanning over two decades. From 1978 he spent a consecutive 25 years on The European Tour and he has career earnings of €5,366,794. McNulty won 36 times on the Sunshine Tour of South Africa and topped the Order of Merit nine times with his best season coming in 1986 when he won seven times. In addition to his victory this season McNulty has one top-ten finish which came at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai where took a share of eighth place.
larry mize LARRY Mize won his first US Champions Tour title last season with a one-stroke victory over John Cook at the Montreal Championship in Canada. Mize shot a superb final round eight under par 64 to Cook’s 68 to seal the win on his 36th start on the US Champions Tour. He posted a total of six top tens last year, including his victory, on his way to ending the season in 17th place on the money list. So far this season Mize has three top tens to his name including a share of eighth place at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in his home state of Georgia in April. Mize is most widely known for his sensational chip-in for victory over Greg Norman in a play-off for the 1987 Masters Tournament. Mize, a native of Augusta who as a youngster worked one of the scoreboards at Augusta National during the Masters Tournament, pitched in from 140 feet for an unlikely birdie for victory on the 11th hole. Mize won his first US PGA Tour title in 1983 at the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic, four years prior to his Masters Tournament triumph. Mize then had to wait six years before his next win on American soil which came at the 1993 Northern Telecom Open. Later that year he claimed the Buick Open to post his career-best season earnings haul of $724,660 for 13th place on the money list. Mize is a two-time winner of the Dunlop Phoenix Open in Japan having won back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: August 19, 1948 BIRTHPLACE: Galway, Ireland senior MAJOR titles: 2 European Tour titles: 4 european senior tour titles: 2 US Champions Tour titles: 2
STATISTICS Date of Birth: September 23, 1958 BIRTHPLACE: Augusta, Georgia, USA major Tour titles: 1 European Tour titles: 1 us pga Tour titles: 4 us champions Tour titles: 1
chrisTy o’connor jnr A COMBINATION of injury and golf course design commitments have severely limited Christy O’Connor Jnr’s playing schedule over the past few years but he returns this week for the tournament he has won twice. O’Connor Jnr joined the European Senior Tour ranks in August 1998 and immediately finished in a tie for fourth in the Charles Church Scottish Seniors Open, one of just three events he played that year. The following year he made a big impact on the US Champions Tour, winning the State Farm Senior Classic and the Foremost Insurance Championship and amassing $710,749 in prize money. He won his first Senior Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 1999, shooting six under par 282 to win by three shots from John Bland and in 2000 at Royal County Down he became only the second player to successfully defend the title, again beating Bland, this time by two shots with a nine under par 275 total. Having missed most of the 2001 season after he broke his ankle when his motorcycle fell on him, he returned to the Tour to finish a career-high fifth on the 2002 Order of Merit with five top tens from just six events. His best result was at the Wales Seniors Open where he was runner-up behind Seiji Ebihara. O’Connor Jnr won four titles on The European Tour but is perhaps best remembered for a wonderful twoiron to the 18th green during his singles match against Fred Couples in the 1989 Ryder Cup at The Belfry, which helped Europe halve The Matches. THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 57
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PLAYER PROFILES andrew oldcorn ANDREW Oldcorn turned 50 in March last year and joined the European Senior Tour, making his debut at the Handa Senior Masters and finishing in a share of 27th place. He posted eight top-ten finishes in his rookie year, including second place at the Van Lanschot Senior Open, and he ended the campaign in seventh place on the Order of Merit with €163,114 in prize money. This year Oldcorn made his breakthrough as he cruised to a superb nine shot victory over Gordon Brand Jnr at The De Vere Club PGA Seniors Championship at Slaley Hall. The Scot has been in superb form all season with seven top tens from his nine outings so far including two runner-up finishes. Oldcorn, who turned professional in 1983, was a regular on The European Tour. He won three titles, the highlight of which was a stunning victory at the 2001 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club. Oldcorn held off the likes of Sir Nick Faldo and Angel Cabrera to win The European Tour’s flagship event by three strokes. As an Amateur Oldcorn won the English Amateur Championship in 1982 and prior to turning professional a year later he won all four of his games in The Walker Cup. He continued his fine displays by winning Qualifying School to earn his card for The European Tour. Oldcorn won his first European Tour title at the Turespana Masters Open de Andalucia in 1993 and added the DHL Jersey Open in 1995 before his careerdefining Wentworth victory.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: January 13, 1957 BIRTHPLACE: Goldsboro, North Carolina, USA major titles: 2 senior major titles: 1 European Tour titles: 6 us pga Tour titles: 16 US Champions Tour titles: 2
STATISTICS Date of Birth: March 31, 1960 BIRTHPLACE: Bolton, England european tour titles: 3 european senior TOUR titles: 1
mark o’meara MARK O’Meara picked up his first Senior Major last season with a play-off victory over Michael Allen at the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship. Earlier in 2010 O’Meara won the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf and he ended the season with $1,210,430 in prize money and in eighth place on the money list. So far this season O’Meara has four top tens and he hasn’t finished outside the top 20 in any of his 11 events. O’Meara turned 50 in 2007 and made a steady start to life as a Senior golfer. He posted four runner-up finishes on the US Champions Tour, including a tie for second place here at The Senior Open Championship, and ended the season 14th on the money list. In 2008 he made two top-ten finishes and finished 62nd on the money list but improved his standing last year with ten top tens, including four runner-up spots, to finish eighth on the table. Prior to turning 50, O’Meara had an exceptional career on the US PGA Tour. In 1998, at the age of 41, he became the oldest player to win two Majors in the same year, at The Open Championship and the Masters Tournament. That same year he was voted US PGA Player of the Year by his fellow players. His last victory came in 2004 when he defeated Paul McGinley at the Dubai Desert Classic on The European Tour. O’Meara has represented the US in five Ryder Cups and two Presidents Cups and he won the World Cup for the US in 1999 with close friend Tiger Woods. THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 59
PLAYER PROFILES Jerry pate JERRY Pate joined the US Champions Tour in 2004 and won his first tournament two years later at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. The win ended a 24year title drought as his last victory was at The Players Championship in 1982, before constant shoulder injuries ended his days as a serious competitor on the US PGA Tour. In his prime, Pate was considered one of the best players around. He played on the US PGA Tour from 1976-1995, with the exception of the 1993 season. His first victory was a Major and it came in his rookie season of 1976 at the US Open when he won by two strokes from Al Geiberger and Tom Weiskopf. He added the Canadian Open and was awarded both Rookie of the Year and joint Player of the Year (with Jack Nicklaus) that year. Pate was a member of the victorious 1981 Ryder Cup team here at Walton Heath where he scored two points from a possible four to help the USA to a record 18 ½ - 9 ½ victory over Europe. The American won a further six US PGA Tour titles before his injury troubles began soon after his Players Championship win. He was due to join the US Champions Tour in 2003 but shoulder surgery forced him to put back joining by one year and last season he had arthroscopic left-knee surgery, forcing him to limit his schedule on Tour. Pate won his second US Champions Tour title in 2008 with a two-stroke victory over Fulton Allem and Jim Thorpe at the Turtle Bay Championship.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: November 16, 1959 BIRTHPLACE: Oxnard, California, USA major titles: 1 European Tour titles: 3 US pga Tour titles: 15
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STATISTICS Date of Birth: September 16, 1953 BIRTHPLACE: Macon, Georgia, USA Major titles: 1 US PGA TOUR titles: 8 US CHAMPIONS Tour titles: 2
corey pavin COREY Pavin narrowly missed out on marking his Senior Open Championship debut with a victory last summer as he was pipped at the post by one stroke by Bernhard Langer at Carnoustie. The 2010 US Ryder Cup Captain posted seven top-ten finishes on the US Champions Tour last year and was runner-up once on the US PGA Tour, at the Travellers Championship. He ended his rookie season on the US Champions Tour in 17th place on the money list with prize money of $921,524. So far this season Pavin has four top tens to his name including a share of third place at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. Pavin spent 25 years on the US PGA Tour, winning 15 titles including one Major at the 1995 US Open at Shinnecock Hills. Pavin started the final round three shots behind Greg Norman but closed with a 68, the highlight of which was a daring 228 yard four wood approach to the 18th which rested five feet from the hole. A two putt par gave him his first Major by two strokes from Norman. Pavin turned professional in 1982 and won his first professional title on The European Tour at the German Open in 1983. Later that year he graduated to the US PGA Tour through Q School and after joining the Tour full time in 1994 he never lost his card. Pavin’s last victory came in 2006 when he won the US Bank Championship in Milwaukee, defeating fellow American Jerry Kelly by two strokes.
gary player THE winner of 163 tournaments worldwide in his remarkable career, Gary Player is one of golf’s true legends. The South African is one of only five players – along with Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods – to have won the ‘Grand Slam’ of all four Major Championships. Player’s first Major came in The 1959 Open Championship at Muirfield, and he won it again at Carnoustie in 1968 and at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 1974. Player also won the US Open in 1965, the US PGA Championship in 1962 and 1972 and the Masters Tournament in 1961, 1974 and 1978. In his native country, Player has been the South African Open Champion on 13 occasions and the South African Masters Champion ten times. Between 1955 and 1982, he went 27 successive years winning two or more tournaments in each season. When Player turned 50 at the end of 1985, he won the first US Champions Tour event he entered, and made it two out of three when he won the US PGA Seniors Championship early in 1986. He has won a total of nine Senior Major Championships including three Senior Open Championships – two at Turnberry in 1988 and 1990 and one at Royal Portrush in 1997. Last year Player teamed up with Bob Charles to win the Demaret Division at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in Georgia. Player won his first professional tournament in the UK in the 1956 Dunlop PGA 90-hole Tournament.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: January 28, 1957 BIRTHPLACE: Durban, South Africa MAJOR titles: 3 European Tour titles: 7 US PGA Tour titles: 18 US Champions Tour titles: 4
STATISTICS Date of Birth: November 1, 1935 BIRTHPLACE: Johannesburg, South Africa major titles: 9 SENIOR MAJOR titles: 9 European Tour titles: 12 us pga Tour titles: 24 European SENIOR Tour titles: 5 us champions Tour titles: 20
nick price NICK Price won his fourth US Champions Tour title earlier this season with a wire-to-wire one-stroke victory over Mark Wiebe at the Toshiba Classic in March. Price made his debut on the US Champions Tour at the Allianz Championship in February 2007 in his home state of Florida and finished in a tie for 20th place, nine shots behind winner Mark James. He played in 15 events in his rookie year, finishing in the top ten four times and ending the season 40th on the money list. He won his first US Champions Tour trophy in 2009 at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am and 11 additional top tens – including two runner-up finishes – helped him end the campaign in 10th place on the money list. Last season Price finished a career-best fifth on the money list with victories at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf and the Principal Charity Classic. Price enjoyed a long and distinguished career on the US PGA Tour, where he claimed 18 titles, including Major triumphs at the US PGA Championship in 1992 and 1994 and The Open Championship in 1994. He finished in the top ten on the money list four times, topping the table in 1993 and 1994. Like many other successful golfers before him, Price, a World Golf Hall of Fame member, has entered the field of golf course architecture and recently formed his own company, Nick Price Golf Course Design.
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 61
PLAYER PROFILES loren roberts LOREN Roberts secured his second Senior Open Championship title – and fourth Senior Major - in 2009 with a play-off victory with Fred Funk and Mark McNulty at Sunningdale after the trio finished on 12 under par. The win capped an outstanding season for Roberts. In addition to his Major win here at The Senior Open he took home two US Champions Tour titles at The ACE Group Classic and the Boeing Classic to top the Charles Schwab Cup standings by 319 points ahead of John Cook. Roberts joined the Champions Tour in the summer of 2005 and made his first title a Major as he beat Dana Quigley in a two-hole play-off at the JELD-WEN Tradition. A year later he won his second Major here at The Senior Open Championship at Turnberry after beating Eduardo Romero in a play-off. He claimed three additional US Champions Tour titles that year but was edged into second place on the money list by Jay Haas. In 2007 Roberts claimed his third Senior Major at the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship and won The Boeing Championship at Sandestin. He posted an additional 12 top-ten finishes throughout the season and beat Haas into second place on the Charles Schwab Cup Points List by 165 points. Last year Roberts won his 12th US Champions Tour title at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open and so far this season has three top ten finishes to his name. Nicknamed the ‘Boss of the Moss’ by David Ogrin in 1985, due to his prowess on the putting green, Roberts remains one of the most consistent players on Tour.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: July 31, 1959 BIRTHPLACE: Singapore European Tour titles: 4 European senior Tour titles: 1
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STATISTICS Date of Birth: June 24, 1955 BIRTHPLACE: San Luis Obispo, California, USA senior Major titles: 4 US PGA TOUR titles: 8 european senior Tour titles: 2 US CHAMPIONS Tour titles: 12
peter Senior PETER Senior turned 50 in July 2009 and played three events on The European Senior Tour, finishing inside the top four in each event and runner-up at two. Last year he finished third here at The Senior Open Championship and earlier this season won his first European Senior Tour title at The Handa Australian Senior Open, completing a superb wire-to-wire three-stroke victory over Sandy Lyle in Perth in the first tournament on the 2011 European Senior Tour schedule. Senior has also competed on the US Champions Tour this year and came close to winning his first title at the Regions Tradition in May but was defeated by Tom Lehman in a play-off. Senior had a successful career on The European Tour before turning 50. He won four times, with his best finish on the Order of Merit coming in 1987 when he was seventh. The Australian won his first European Tour title in 1986 at the PLM Open in Sweden and followed it a year later with victory at the Johnnie Walker Monte Carlo Open. In 1990 he won his third title at The European Open and two years after that he won the Benson and Hedges International Open. During his career Senior also played on his native PGA Tour of Australasia and the Japan Golf Tour and won 22 international titles. He claimed the prestigious Dunlop Open in Japan in 1995 and is a three-time winner of Australian PGA Championship (1989, 2003, 2010). Senior was a two-time Presidents Cup player and represented Australia twice in the World Cup of Golf.
des Smyth DES Smyth picked up his fourth European Senior Tour title at last month’s Van Lanschot Senior Open with a twostroke victory over American Tim Thelen and Australia’s Peter Fowler. Smyth initially joined the US Champions Tour upon turning 50 in 2003 after winning qualifying school in 2002. He finished 18th on the money list in his rookie campaign before winning his first title in 2005 at the SBC Classic which was quickly followed by another victory at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. Smyth continued his good form with a runner-up finish here at The Senior Open Championship and he went on to win his maiden European Senior Tour title at The Kingdom of Bahrain Trophy – Seniors Tour Championship. He ended the season tenth on the US Champions Tour money list and third on the European Senior Tour Order of Merit. In 2007 Smyth won his second European Senior Tour title at the Wentworth Senior Masters with a two-stroke victory over Bob Charles and posted two further top-ten finishes as well as five top tens on the US Champions Tour. Smyth notched three top tens on the European Senior Tour in 2008 including runner-up at the Irish Seniors Open and third place at the Scottish Seniors Open. The following year he posted six top tens and last year he ended a three-year drought with a three-stroke victory over Carl Mason at the Travis Perkins PLC Senior Masters at Woburn. In addition to his win this season Smyth has two topten finishes on the European Senior Tour.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: June 2, 1953 BIRTHPLACE: San Diego, California, USA major titles: 1 senior major titles: 2 European Tour titles: 2 us pga Tour titles: 13 US Champions Tour titles: 8
STATISTICS Date of Birth: February 12, 1953 BIRTHPLACE: Drogheda, Ireland european tour titles: 8 european senior tour titles: 4 US CHAMPIONS Tour titles: 2
craig Stadler CRAIG Stadler, winner of 13 US PGA Tour titles including the 1982 Masters Tournament, enjoyed his best season on the US Champions Tour in 2004 when he won a careerbest five titles, including the JELD-WEN Tradition, to top the money list with $2,306,066. He was voted Player of the Year and also won the Byron Nelson Trophy for the best scoring average (69.30) – an award he retained the following year. After turning 50 in June 2003, Stadler, nicknamed the ‘Walrus’, made history when he became the first US Champions Tour player to win a US PGA Tour event at the B.C. Open. The previous week, Stadler had made his first US Champions Tour title a Major at the Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship, becoming the youngest winner of the event. He won a further two US Champions Tour titles, ending the year 14th on the money list and winning the Rookie of the Year Award. After his stunning season in 2004 Stadler finished ninth on the money list in 2005 with $1,274,719. Stadler hasn’t won since 2004 but has posted nine runner-up finishes with two in 2005 and 2006, one in 2007, two in 2008 and one in 2009 at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf. Stadler teamed up with Jeff Sluman in Georgia but the pair were defeated by Bernhard Langer and Tom Lehman on the second hole of a play-off. Golf runs in the Stadler family as Craig’s son, Kevin, is a professional who won the 2006 Johnnie Walker Classic on The European Tour. THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 63
PLAYER PROFILES STATISTICS
sam torrance
Date of Birth: November 1, 1935
THREE-time Order of Merit winner Sam Torrance has had a glittering career, winning 21 times on The European Tour before turning 50 in August 2003 and going on to clinch 11 titles on the European Senior Tour. He won his first European Senior Tour title at the Wentworth Senior Masters in 2004 to finish 18th on the Order of Merit after only playing in five events. He then topped the Order of Merit in 2005 and 2006 after seven victories spread out over the two years – three in 2005 and four in 2006. In 2007 Torrance won his ninth Senior Tour title at the Bendinat London Seniors Masters and in 2008 he was victorious at the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship. The following year Torrance won the seasonopening DGM Barbados Open and went on to post a further five top tens and top the Order of Merit with €170,696 in prize money. Last season Torrance carded five top tens and finished tenth on the Order of Merit and so far in 2011 his best result is fourth place at the Van Lanschot Senior Open. Torrance is a Ryder Cup legend having been a winner for the European Team as both a player and as Captain. He played in eight Ryder Cups, including the 1981 event here at Walton Heath, and was victorious three times – in 1985, 1987 and 1995 (the 1989 Match was halved) before a winning Captaincy in 2002 at The Belfry.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: May 4, 1959 BIRTHPLACE: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA MAJOR titles: 1 US PGA Tour titles: 8
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BIRTHPLACE: Largs, Scotland European Tour titles: 21 European SENIOR Tour titles: 11
bob tway BOB Tway turned professional in 1981 and joined the US PGA Tour three years later. He had to wait two years for his first victory but had a sensational season in 1986 with four victories including the US PGA Championship at Inverness for his first Major title. Tway sealed the win in spectacular fashion, holing out from a greenside bunker on the final hole to win by two strokes from Greg Norman. He ended the season a career-best second on the money list behind Norman and was named the PGA of America Player of the Year. Tway made 683 career starts on the US PGA Tour and posted 103 top-ten finishes. He won the last of his eight titles in 2003 at the Canadian Open. Tway turned 50 in May 2009 and made nine starts on the US Champions Tour, finishing the season 48th on the money list. Last year Tway had three top tens, including a fourth place finish at the Ensure Classic at Rock Barn, and so far this season has five top 15 finishes to his name. Last month he made a strong bid for his first US Champions Tour title at the Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn after holding the lead through 18 and 38 holes but a final round one under par 71 saw him finish in a share of eighth. Tway was introduced to the game at the age of five after following his father and grandfather whenever they played and he took part in his first junior competition aged seven.
tom watson TOM Watson is enjoying another stellar season as a Senior golfer. He’s currently top of the European Senior Tour after winning his sixth Senior Major with a play-off victory over David Eger in the Senior PGA Championship to become, at 61, the second oldest Senior Major champion in history. Watson is a true legend of the game, winning eight Majors including five Open Championships. He was the US PGA Tour’s leading money winner five times, including four years in a row (1977-1980, and in 1984). He played on four Ryder Cup teams, including the imperious group that triumphed here at Walton Heath, and captained the 1993 US team to victory. Since turning 50 in 1999 Watson has continued his success into the Senior game. He is a three-time winner of The Senior Open Championship, winning in playoffs in both the 2003 and 2005 Championships, before winning for a third time at Muirfield in 2007 with a onestroke victory over Stewart Ginn and Mark O’Meara. Watson’s first win on the US Champions Tour was at the 1999 Bank One Championship and his first Senior Major came at the 2001 US Senior PGA Championship. His best season to date on the US Champions Tour was in 2003. As well as his Senior Open Championship win he won the JELD-WEN Tradition and took the runner-up spot at the US Senior Open. He topped the money list with $1,853,108 and scooped all of the US Champions Tour’s top honours. In 2009 Watson almost became the oldest Major champion ever when he was defeated in a play-off by Stewart Cink at The Open Championship at Turnberry.
STATISTICS Date of Birth: March 2, 1958 BIRTHPLACE: Oswestry, England major titles: 1 European Tour titles: 29 us pga tour titles: 2 European senior Tour titles: 4
STATISTICS Date of Birth: September 4, 1949 BIRTHPLACE: Kansas City, Missouri, USA Major titles: 8 senior Major titles: 6 european TOUR titles: 8 us pga Tour titles: 39 european senior TOUR titles: 5 US CHAMPIONS Tour titles: 14
ian woosnam WELSHMAN Ian Woosnam is one of Europe’s greatest golfers having won 29 European Tour titles throughout his career including one Major – the 1991 Masters Tournament. Woosnam played in eight Ryder Cups, with Europe winning on four occasions and halving once. In 2006 he was the European Captain and led his side to a stunning 18½-9½ victory at The K Club – a feat he was honoured for with an OBE in the 2007 New Year’s Honours List. In 1987 Woosnam was named The European Tour’s Player of the Year and in 1992 he was given Honorary Life Membership. Woosnam set six course records in his time on The European Tour, including a nine under par 60 at the Torras Monte Carlo Open in 1990 and two ten under par 62s later that year. He won his last European Tour title at the 2001 World Match Play Championship, beating Padraig Harrington 2 and 1 in the final. In 2008 Woosnam turned 50 and had a dream debut season on the European Senior Tour with two victories on his way to topping the Order of Merit with €320,120. Woosnam won the Parkridge Polish Seniors Championship by one stroke from Domingo Hospital and later claimed the Russian Seniors Open. In 2009 Woosnam won his third European Senior Tour title with a superb victory at the Irish Seniors Open and earlier this year he took home his fourth title at the Berenberg Bank Masters in Germany. Woosnam shot a final round 66 for a two-stroke victory over Angel Franco to take home prize money of €60,000.
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 65
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Hole Guide HOLE
1
Par 4 4 3 5 yards
A good tee shot will take advantage of this downhill fairway. Take into account the upslope when selecting your club to hit this big green. Ground conditions dictate your landing area and approach shots must navigate the subtle undulations of the apron, short of the green.
HOLE
2
Par 5 5 1 9 yards
This wide fairway is a very inviting target but control your yardage and direction to stay out of the centre bunker. Again, approach shots must navigate the subtle undulations of the apron, short of the green.
Page 70 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
Pictures of Walton Heath Golf Course kindly supplied by Charles Briscoe-Knight, Mark Bass and 301 Design.
HOLE
3
Par 4 4 3 7 yards
Any tee shot on the fairway is a good one here, but longer hitters need to favour the left half. The undulating green can be tricky, so keep your approach just short of the flag and you will have an easier putt.
HOLE
4
Par 4 4 2 7 yards
A tee shot hit to the right half of the fairway will keep you out of the bunkers. If conditions allow, try to carry your approach onto the green to avoid unwanted bounces from the undulations short of the green. As you reach the fairway, note the pin position on the 9th green to your right.
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 71
Hole Guide HOLE
5
Par 3 1 8 7 yards
Ground conditions dictate where you land the ball on this par 3. Most shots bounce to the left on this green, but a well struck shot will hold the putting surface.
HOLE
6
Par 5 5 5 8 yards
This great par 5 has a steep slope on the front edge of the green which needs to be navigated. Decide to pitch the ball on top of the slope or control your trajectory with a running shot. Remember to check the flag position on the 7th as you walk up the fairway.
Page 72 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
Pictures of Walton Heath Golf Course kindly supplied by Charles Briscoe-Knight, Mark Bass and 301 Design.
HOLE
7
Par 4 4 0 0 yards
The further you are down this fairway the better, as a conservative tee shot won’t allow you to play for the left side of the green as easily. High approach shots can attack any flag position on this green, however, lower flighted shots must use the mouth of the green.
HOLE
8
Par 4 4 4 2 yards
Long hitters can take advantage of the downhill fairway, but you must keep out of the left fairway bunker. The green slopes towards the tee from back to front so it is more receptive to approach shots.
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 73
Hole Guide HOLE
9
Par 3 1 8 9 yards
Ball striking is important on this great par 3. For the best putt to all the pin positions on this green, leave the ball slightly short and left of the hole.
10
HOLE
Par 4 3 9 6 yards
Most birdies are made here from a tee shot short of the pathway. The ideal approach is played from between the fairway bunker and the centre of this dog-leg fairway. This gives you a level lie and the best line to all pin positions.
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Pictures of Walton Heath Golf Course kindly supplied by Charles Briscoe-Knight, Mark Bass and 301 Design.
HOLE
11
Par 5 5 2 9 yards
Plot your way along this par 5 avoiding the bunkers. The front apron of the green can be receptive but the rest of the green slopes downhill towards the back. You need to make use of the contours in this green to get the ball close to some pin positions.
HOLE
12
Par 4 4 5 1 yards
To find the middle of this fairway, hit towards the centre of the green. Only a back left pin position requires your tee shot to favour the right half of the fairway. This green slopes slightly towards you making it receptive to approach shots.
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 75
Hole Guide 13
HOLE
Par 4 4 6 5 yards
Longer hitters should be aware of the first fairway bunker on this hole. The two tier green challenges you to hit the correct level. It slopes almost entirely from back to front and putting from below the hole is always an advantage.
14
HOLE
Par 4 4 7 0 yards
If your tee shot can carry the left fairway bunker, you can take advantage of the ‘fastlane’ and get more distance from your tee shot. This is another green where you can use the contours to get the ball close to the hole.
Page 76 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
Pictures of Walton Heath Golf Course kindly supplied by Charles Briscoe-Knight, Mark Bass and 301 Design.
HOLE
15
Par 4 4 0 8 yards
A confident tee shot down the centre of the fairway is required here. Try to make your approach shot finish just right of the hole as this will give you an uphill putt. Take care with the back right portion of the green as it slopes to the right and off the green.
HOLE
16
Par 4 4 7 5 yards
A good tee shot is essential if you are to reach this raised green with your second shot. Approach shots landing short will bounce towards the greenside bunker, so make sure you carry the ball onto the green, or to the more level left-hand apron.
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 77
Hole Guide 17
HOLE
Par 3 2 0 6 yards
The longest par 3 on the course. A confident strike to the middle of the green is required here. What is not obvious from the tee is that the green narrows towards the back, so the further back the pin is positioned the more accurate you need to be.
18
HOLE
Par 4 4 0 4 yards
Whether you choose ‘The Driver’ or a more conservative strategy your main aim is to get the ball on the fairway so that you can carry the cross bunker in front of the green with your second shot. Be aware this bunker is positioned a few yards short of the putting surface. This creates a helpful landing area when conditions are firm as it gives you room to drop the ball short and run up to any front pin positions. Page 78 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
E u r o p e a n S e n i o r T o u r 2011 Schedule From - To
Tournament & Venue
Winner
Nov 19 – Nov 21 Nov 25 – Nov 28 Dec 10 – Dec 12 Mar 04 – Mar 06 Mar 11 – Mar 13 May 18 – May 20 May 26 – May 29 Jun 03 – Jun 05 Jun 09 – Jun 12 Jun 17 – Jun 19
The Handa Australian Senior Open, Royal Perth Golf Club, Perth, Australia Handa Cup Senior Masters, Ohmurasaki Golf Club, Japan Mauritius Commercial Bank Open, Constance Belle Mare Plage, Mauritius The Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum, Brunei ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills, China OKI Open de Espana Senior by Cleveland Golf/Srixon, Spain US SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, Valhalla GC, Kentucky, USA ISPS Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum, England The De Vere Club PGA Seniors Championship, De Vere Slaley Hall, England Berenberg Bank Masters, Cologne Golf und Land Club, Cologne, Germany
Peter SENIOR Massy KURAMOTO David FROST Chris WILLIAMS Sandy LYLE Carl MASON Tom WATSON Peter FOWLER Andrew OLDCORN Ian WOOSNAM
Jun 24 – Jun 26 Jul 01 – Jul 03 Jul 21 – Jul 24 Jul 28 – Jul 31 Aug 19 – Aug 21 Sep 02 – Sep 04 Sep 16 – Sep 18 Sep 22 – Sep 24 Sep 29 – Oct 01 Oct 14 – Oct 16 Nov 18 – Nov 20 Dec 09 – Dec 11
Van Lanschot Senior Open, The Royal Haagsche Golf & Country Club, Netherlands Des SMYTH Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open, Golf Club Bad Ragaz, Switzerland Peter FOWLER THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, Walton Heath G.C., Surrey, England US SENIOR OPEN, Inverness Club, Ohio, USA Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open, Fairmont St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland £250,000 Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters, Woburn GC, England Casa Serena Open, Casa Serena Golf, Prague, Czech Republic Cannes Mougins Masters, Cannes Mougins, Cannes, France Belas Clube de Campo Senior Open de Portugal, Belas Clube de Campo, Lisbon, Portugal €300,000 Benahavis Senior Masters, La Quinta Golf & Country Club, Marbella, Spain Fubon Senior Open, Miramar Golf & Country Club, Taipei, Taiwan MCB Tour Championship, Constance Belle Mare Plage, Poste de Flacq, Mauritius
€ €284,568 €1,031,511 €280,000 €230,790 €249,643 €200,000 €1,466,133 €228,849 €284,365 €399,600 €249,750 €249,488 $2,000,000 $2,600,000 £285,000 €400,000 €250,000 €180,000 $400,000 €400,000
2 0 1 0 F i n a l E u r o p e a n S e n i o r T o u r Order of Merit Top 20 Rank Name
Country
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
THA RSA PAR SCO ENG ENG SCO FRA IRL SCO
Boonchu RUANGKIT Chris WILLIAMS Angel FRANCO Gordon BRAND JNR Carl MASON David J. RUSSELL Andrew OLDCORN Marc FARRY Des SMYTH Sam TORRANCE
Tournaments 17 19 18 13 16 19 15 18 15 16
Prize Money €266,609 €227,350 €217,308 €197,017 €190,008 €165,722 €163,114 €146,570 €142,749 €141,047
Rank Name
Country
Tournaments
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
SCO USA ENG USA ENG SCO ENG ESP AUS ENG
18 19 17 17 19 18 6 18 19 7
Bill LONGMUIR Jerry BRUNER Roger CHAPMAN Mike CUNNING Gordon J. BRAND Ross DRUMMOND Gary WOLSTENHOLME Juan QUIROS David MERRIMAN Barry LANE
Prize Money €138,180 €130,779 €127,428 €123,431 €122,758 €122,013 €120,014 €118,052 €111,942 €110,895
2011 European Senior Tour Order of Merit Top 20 after the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open Rank Name
Country
Tournaments Prize Money
Rank Name
Country
Tournaments Prize Money
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
USA AUS SCO WAL SCO AUS AUS THA RSA ENG
1 10 9 8 7 2 10 10 12 12
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
ENG IRL PAR CHI RSA SCO SCO SCO USA FRA
8 8 10 6 3 4 7 11 3 11
Tom WATSON Peter FOWLER Andrew OLDCORN Ian WOOSNAM Sandy LYLE Peter SENIOR Mike HARWOOD Boonchu RUANGKIT Chris WILLIAMS Gary WOLSTENHOLME
€254,651 €166,585 €162,341 €126,722 €110,156 €104,721 €101,075 €85,703 €84,284 €78,848
Barry LANE Des SMYTH Angel FRANCO Angel FERNANDEZ David FROST Gordon BRAND JNR Ross DRUMMOND Bill LONGMUIR Tim THELEN Marc FARRY
€73,014 €69,668 €63,728 €63,543 €60,433 €58,928 €56,985 €55,760 €54,625 €54,115
THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011 - Page 79
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and officials European Tour / European Senior Tour
George O’Grady Andy Stubbs Simon Harris Michael Petch
Chief Executive, European Tour Managing Director, European Senior Tour Commercial Development Manager Tournament Director
Andy McFee Derrick Cooper Kevin Feeney Guy Hunt Steve Kavanagh Barrie Hill Carmel Treacy Lisa Collett Kelly Tyrrell Gaia Zonchello Mike McClellan Ivor Robson
Chief Referee Rules Official Rules Official Rules Official Rules Official Rules and Player Registration Office Manager Rules and Player Registration Office Assistant Rules and Player Registration Office Assistant Players’ Lounge Coordinator Recorder Meteorologist Official Starter
The R&A
Jim McArthur Johnnie Cole-Hamilton Steve Otto Richard Souter Paul Baxter John Crawshaw
Chairman, Championship Committee Assistant Director, Championships Director – Research and Testing Rules Official Rules Official Rules Official
Scoreboard
Paul Dempster Paul White Andrew Mason Robert Hennessy Jeanette Hocking Darren Mitchell Colin Cousins
Scoring Manager Scoring Manager Scoring Co-ordinator Scoring Co-ordinator Scoring Co-ordinator Technical Support Technical Support
Champions Tour
Mike Stevens Brian Claar Butch Brooks Jim Halliday Joe Terry
President Rules Official Rules Official Rules Official Rules Official
WALTON HEATH GOLF CLUB Andrew Brown Simon Creagh Chapman Robert Dyson Jackie Leonard Stuart Christie Caroline Edwards Carol Marshall Alan Strachan Mick Haynes Robert Foster Sharon Langton Simon Peaford John Sparks Graham Wallage John Woodcock Jackie Leonard Philip Truett Patsy Richardson
Chairman Chairman of the Green Captain Lady Captain Club Secretary Assistant Secretary Administration Secretary Course Manager Deputy Course Manager Catering Manager House Manager Club Professional Caddie Master Chief Marshal Deputy Chief Marshal Scoring Co-Ordinator Club Historian Technical Support
Championship Office
Edward Kitson Antonia Beggs Paul Dunstan Louise Sandford George Griffith Rashid Mumtaz
Media centre
Steve Todd Paul Symes Frances Jennings Phil Stambaugh
Championship Director Assistant Championship Director Championship Manager Championship Office Manager Consultant Tournament Accounts Executive
Press Officer Press Officer Media Communications Manager Champions Tour Media Official
Betchworth park golf club
Richard Hall Shaun Sturrock Andy Tocher
Club Manager Course Manager Professional
Burhill Golf Club
Pip Elson Rob Surgey Mike Evans
Director of Golf Course Manager Professional
Kingswood Golf & Country Club
Mark Stewart David Gibbs Terry Simm
Secretary Course Manager Professional
Conditions of Play a) The Championship is a 72 hole stroke play event with 18 holes being played each day. b) A field of 144 competitors are eligible to play in the Championship. The field shall include all exempt and qualified Amateurs. c) Players not qualified under any of the exempt categories listed under section 4 of the entry form are required to play an 18-hole stroke play qualifying round at either Betchworth Park Golf Club, Burhill Golf Club or Kingswood Golf & Country Club. A minimum of 24 (total) spots will be available. Ties for qualifying and alternate places will be determined by hole-by-hole play-offs. d) The field plays one round on each of the first two days, after which the leading 70 players (and those who tie for the 70th place) will go forward to the third and fourth rounds. e) In the event of a tie for the first place there will be a hole-by-hole play-off. f) Play shall be in accordance with the Rules of Golf published by R&A Rules Limited and the Conditions of Competition and Local Rules as approved by R&A Championships Limited and the European Senior Tour. g) The specimen conditions in the Rules of Golf are in effect as regards Driving Clubs, Conforming Golf Balls, One Ball Condition and Time of Starting. The specimen condition in Decision 4-1/1 of Decisions on the Rules of Golf is in effect for Grooves and Punch Marks, except during the qualifying round on Monday 18 July. h) Competitors must walk at all times during a stipulated round unless permitted to ride by the Championship Committee. Page 80 - THE SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2011
PRIZE FUND BREAKDOWN (US$2,000,000) 1
£191,270
38
£7,900
2
£127,580
39
£7,685
3
£71,820
40
£7,470
4
£57,400
41
£7,250
5
£48,630
42
£7,030
6
£40,170
43
£6,810
7
£34,420
44
£6,595
8
£28,670
45
£6,375
9
£25,720
46
£6,160
10
£22,920
47
£5,940
11
£21,115
48
£5,720
12
£19,670
49
£5,500
13
£18,375
50
£5,285
14
£17,625
51
£5,065
15
£16,870
52
£4,850
16
£16,120
53
£4,630
17
£15,370
54
£4,410
18
£14,800
55
£4,205
19
£14,340
56
£4,000
20
£13,915
57
£3,820
21
£13,525
58
£3,635
22
£13,140
59
£3,480
23
£12,750
60
£3,320
24
£12,365
61
£3,175
25
£11,975
62
£3,030
26
£11,560
63
£2,910
27
£11,200
64
£2,790
28
£10,810
65
£2,665
29
£10,450
66
£2,560
30
£10,110
67
£2,520
31
£9,770
68
£2,340
32
£9,455
69
£2,230
33
£9,150
70
£2,120
34
£8,875
71-90
£1,210
35
£8,605
91-110
£970
36
£8,365
111-130
£730
37
£8,120
131-144
£600
The approximate prize fund breakdown is based on an exchange rate of UK£1 = US$1.65. The Fred Daly Award of UK£3,000 will be awarded to the leading professional aged 60 years or over returning the lowest aggregate score over 72 holes.
Official wine supplier
Senior Open Championship 21st - 24th July 2011
'$/
info@folladorprosecco.com www.folladorprosecco.com tel: +39 0438 898222 via Gravette 42 I-31010 Col San Martino (Treviso)
A P A S S I O N AT E R I V A L R Y; A P O W E R F U L FRIENDSHIP. THEIR TEE SHOTS L AUNCHED THE GAME HIGHER AND HIGHER, WHILE T H E I R P U T T S S A N K D E E P I N TO H E A R T S E V E R Y W H E R E. T H E Y B R O K E R E C O R D S THAT UNITED US ALL. AMBASSADORS WITH UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR THE GAME. THE BIG THREE CONTINUE TO MOVE MILLIONS.
gary player, jack nicklaus, arnold palmer
OYSTER PERPETUAL DAY-DATE II IN PL ATINUM