Former Ryder Cup Captain Mark James will return to Woburn Golf Club for next week’s Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters hoping to rekindle memories of his victory in the event six years ago.
The 57 year old captured his maiden European Senor Tour title over the Duke’s Course at Woburn in 2005 and he returns to the event for the first time since 2008 buoyed by his joint sixth place finish in last week’s Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open.
James, who led Europe in The 1999 Ryder Cup at Brookline, is one of three Ryder Cup Captains in the field for the 11th edition of the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters from September 2-4, where he is joined by Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam.
They will be competing for an increased prize fund of £285,000 at Woburn Golf Club, which has a new look club house following a multi-million pound refurbishment programme.
James’ 2005 victory was the first of four consecutive wins for Englishmen in the event, with Carl Mason capturing the title in 2006 and 2007 and Gordon J Brand crowned champion 2008.
Last year Irishman Des Smyth, the former Ryder Cup player, held off an impressive field to capture the title and deny Carl Mason a record breaking 24th European Senior Tour title. Mason has since achieved that groundbreaking feat and will be again among the field for the tournament. The Englishman is the only player to win the title twice and he will attempt to capture a hat-trick in September.
