The Staysure Tour makes its first of two stops in France in 2019 this week at the inaugural Senior Open Hauts de France by Jean van de Velde. French Legend Jean van de Velde acts as tournament host this week as Staysure Tour members look to make their moves up the Order of Merit.
Here are five things to know ahead of the action…
The host with the most
Three events on the Staysure Tour this year are hosted by one of the stars of the current over-50s circuit. Jean van de Velde acts as the first host of the 2019 season, with Ian Woosnam following at the Farmfoods European Legends Links Championship at Trevose in two weeks.
Van de Velde, a member of Europe’s 1999 Ryder Cup side, recorded his best result on the Staysure Tour toward the end of last season, finishing tenth at the Costa Blanca Benidorm Senior Masters.
A European debut
One player who has some history with this week’s tournament host is Paul Lawrie. Lawrie lifted the Claret Jug in 1999, winning The Open after a play-off against van de Velde and America’s Justin Leonard.
Lawrie will make his first appearance in a regular Staysure Tour event this week after turning 50 at the start of this year.
Major Appeal
Lawrie is one of three Major Champions set to tee it up in Arras, joined by 1991 Masters Tournament winner Woosnam and two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal.
After Seve Ballesteros opened the floodgates when he won the Green Jacket in 1980 and then 1983, five European golfers won the Masters on seven occasions in the preceding 11 years. Woosnam defeated Olazábal by one stroke in 1991, before the Spaniard earned his first in 1994, finishing two strokes ahead of Tom Lehman.
Five years later, Olazábal won his second at Augusta National – finishing two strokes ahead of Davis Love III.
Trois capitaines
Adding to their shared history, Olazábal and Woosnam have held the honour of leading Europe to victory in The Ryder Cup. Woosnam oversaw Europe’s record-equaling 18 ½ - 9 ½ victory at The K Club in 2006, while Olazábal masterminded the Miracle at Medinah in 2012.
Joining the pair is Paul McGinley, who presided over Europe’s victory at Gleneagles in 2014.
In addition, there are seven former Ryder Cup players teeing it up this week: Peter Baker, Gordon Brand Jnr, David Gilford, Lawrie, Phillip Price, Steven Richardson and tournament host van de Velde.
The French Connection
The legacy of The 2018 Ryder Cup is on full display throughout 2019, as the nation hosts seven European Tour-sanctioned events. The week after the Senior Hauts de France, players from the European Challenge Tour will compete for the Hauts de France – pas de Calais Golf Open some 80 kilometres north of Arras.
This is the first of four Challenge Tour events to take place in France, with Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge taking place in July, followed by the Open de Bretagne and Hopps Open de Provence in September.
The Staysure Tour will also return to France in September for the fourth edition of the Paris Legends Championship at Racing Club de France La Boulie before the Open de France returns to Le Golf National on the European Tour in October.
