We’ve picked out five players who could be challenging at the top of the European Tour Properties Senior Classic leaderboard on Sunday afternoon at Lighthouse Golf and Spa resort.
Stephen Dodd
Welshman Stephen Dodd already has one win to his name this season after triumphing at the WINSTONgolf Senior Open in July. Dodd finished six shots ahead of nearest challenger Jean-François Remésy in Germany for his third Staysure Tour title. After a tied 18thfinish at The Senior Open Presented by Rolex, Dodd has four consecutive top ten placings. He finished tied sixth at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship then was joint runner-up to David Shacklady at the VTB Russian Open Golf Championship (Senior), tied fourth at the Willow Senior Golf Classic and then third at the Travis Perkins Masters last week. He’s a man in form.
Santiago Luna
The reigning European Tour Properties Senior Classic Champion, Santiago Luna will tee it up in Bulgaria with the aim of defending his crown. The Spaniard won the maiden event in Finland last year having hit the front in the second round before holding his competitors at arm’s length on the final day. The three-time Staysure Tour winner has three top ten finishes to his name this season, including a tied third finish at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship.
Ian Woosnam
Lighthouse Golf and Spa Resort is home-from-home for Ian Woosnam, who helped with its design over ten years ago. The Welshman was part of the design team prior to the opening of the Bulgarian resort in 2008 and will tee it up this week in the first Staysure Tour event at the course. After a run of three consecutive top tens in The Shipco Masters Promoted by Simon’s Golf Club, Swiss Seniors Open and WINSTONgolf Senior Open. Most recently, he finished tied 18that the Travis Perkins Masters last week.
James Kingston
He’s been threatening to challenge for a title for a while now and this could be the week for James Kingston. The South African has five top ten finishes on the Staysure Tour this year, with a further two top 20 placings in the last month. He is yet to win on the Staysure Tour but his form suggests he could well join the winners’ circle soon. Kingston is a two-time European Tour winner with victories at the 2008 South African Airways Open and the 2009 Mercedes-Benz Championship at Golf Club Gut Lärchenhof in Germany.
Paul Streeter
Back-to-back wins is a rare occurrence in golf, but it’s something which Paul Streeter will be aiming for this week. The Englishman won his first Staysure Tour title at the Travis Perkins Masters last week, equalling Colin Montgomerie’s tournament record of 12 under par. Streeter’s victory came courtesy of two stunning opening rounds of 66-65 before holding off the charging Clark Dennis on Sunday with a one over par 73. The last man to win back-to-back events on the Staysure Tour was Peter Fowler in 2015, when he won the Acorn Jersey Open followed by the ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship.
