Englishman Barry Lane will make his debut in the Casa Serena Open next month hoping to build on his maiden European Senior Tour success.
The former Ryder Cup player captured the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open last week and will travel to the Czech Republic looking to further his Order of Merit and Rookie of the Year aspirations.
Lane is currently 17th in the Order of Merit following his victory at Fairmont St Andrews and with a prize fund of €600,000 on offer at Casa Serena Golf – the largest on the Senior Tour outside the Major Championships – further silverware could propel him right into contention for the John Jacob Trophy given to the leading Senior Tour player.
It is the third edition of the Casa Serena Open and the past two years tournaments have both had a significant impact on the Order of Merit, with Ian Woosnam’s second place behind Bernhard Langer in 2008 helping him to the John Jacobs Trophy.
Similarly last year Peter Mitchell’s victory moved the Englishman up from 48th to fifth place in the Order of Merit courtesy of his three stroke victory over Peter Senior and Glenn Ralph and the €90,000 first prize helped him finish sixth in the end of season standings.
Lane will be to succeed his compatriot having joined the Senior Tour ranks upon turning 50 in June.
He won five times on The European Tour where he has made the second most career appearance after Sam Torrance. Lane also won €1million in the Accenture World Matchplay of Golf in 1995, two years after he played in The Ryder Cup at The Belfry.
He is among the leading contenders for the Rookie of the Year award along with Scot Andrew Oldcorn, who will also make his first appearance in the Casa Serena Open from September 17-19.
