With nearly 40 Ryder Cup players, 20 Major Champions and 23 Senior Major winners in the field, a host of golf’s superstars have descended on the Old Course at St Andrews for The Senior Open Presented by Rolex this week. Here are five golfers to keep an eye on for the 32
nd
edition of this prestigious Championship.
Bernhard Langer
The two-time Masters Tournament winner became the most accomplished over-50s golfer in history at last year’s Senior Open Presented by Rolex, winning his tenth Senior Major Championship at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.
The German, who is just one month shy of his 61stbirthday, has shown no signs of slowing down as he prepares for his 52ndSenior Major appearance. His record at The Senior Open is simply incredible; in ten appearances he has won three times, finished runner-up twice, fourth twice, and in a share of sixth, ninth and 12th.
He finished runner-up to the late, great Seve Ballesteros on the Old Course at The 1984 Open and he made the cut at The 2015 Open, following his first victory at Royal Porthcawl the previous year, and will certainly want to make an impression on his return to St Andrews.
Paul Broadhurst
Winner of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship earlier this year, Paul Broadhurst is no stranger to success in Scotland.
Since turning 50, he has made four appearances on Scottish soil and won three times. His first victory came on his over-50s debut in 2015, winning the Prostate Cancer UK Scottish Senior Open, and he then followed that with victory at Carnoustie at The 2016 Senior Open Presented by Rolex.
His third victory, which was also his third on the Staysure Tour, saw him win the Scottish Senior Open a second time in 2017. His KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship victory in May was his seventh over-50s victory – having won twice on the PGA TOUR Champions circuit.
He made an impression on the Old Course in 1990, firing a then-course record 63 during his third round.
Vijay Singh
The Fijian, one of 20 Major Champions in the field, is a three-time winner on the over-50s circuit and secured his first Senior Major success earlier this season at the Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS Championship.
A two-time winner of the US PGA Championship and Green Jacket winner in 2000, Singh certainly enjoys teeing it up on the Old Course. In five Open appearances he has finished tied for fifth, tied for sixth and tied for 11th.
With two wins to his name already this season in the United States, expect the 55 year old to contend on the Old Course this week.
Colin Montgomerie
With three Senior Major Championship victories to his name, Colin Montgomerie would love nothing more than to win a maiden Senior Open title on home soil.
He finished second to Bernhard Langer in 2014 and was third behind his former Ryder Cup teammate Langer and eventual winner Marco Dawson the following year.
Monty won his first Staysure Tour event since the 2015 MCB Tour Championship at the inaugural Shipco Masters promoted by Simon’s Golf Club just last month, and will be hoping to secure what would be his tenth victory on the European over-50s circuit on the hallowed links of the Old Course.
His best performance in an Open Championship came on the Old Course in 2005 when he finished runner-up behind Tiger Woods, who completed his second career grand slam as he won his tenth Major.
Clark Dennis
The American enjoyed an incredible debut season on the Staysure Tour in 2017, finishing first on the Order of Merit after recording two victories and six further top ten finishes in 14 starts on the European over-50s circuit.
He already has a victory and a runner-up finish this season, successfully defending the Senior Italian Open presented by Villaverde Resort in June and losing in a play-off at the Sharjah Senior Golf Masters presented by Shurooq.
The 52 year old finished a respectable T31 at last year’s Senior Open Presented by Rolex in his first appearance in the Championship. In his first competitive appearance on the Old Course, he will want to follow in the footsteps of John Daly, Zach Johnson, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to name but a few of the American winners at St Andrews.
