Englishman Andrew Sherborne says he is relishing the chance to play competitive golf again after becoming the latest former European Tour winner to join the Senior Tour.
After seven years away from Tour life, Sherborne finished a respectable tied 16th on his Senior Tour debut in the ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills China, showing steady improvement over the three rounds carding 73, 72, and 71 for a one under par total of 216.
Sherborne celebrated his 50th birthday on the first day of the tournament and having watched compatriots Roger Chapman, Barry Lane and Gary Wolstenholme join the Senior Tour with considerable success over the past two seasons, he is raring to join them for the remainder of the 2011 campaign.
“It’s great to see all my old friends from my days on the European Tour,” said Sherborne. “Guys like Sam Torrance, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle – it’s been nice to catch up with them.
“I’ve spent the last few years teaching at the Kendleshire and playing in the West Region Pro-Ams to keep playing so it’s nice to play in a tournament that means something.
At 6ft 4in he joins Ross Drummond and Mike Harwood as the tallest players on the Senior Tour and he is also the third Bristol based professional to join the ranks following Gordon Brand Jnr and George Ryall, both of whom won in 2010.
Sherborne will be hoping to repeat the success that he enjoyed on The European Tour after winning the Madrid Open in 1991 and the Spanish Open the following year.
However, after such a protracted break from the game he is playing down his chances of an immediate return to the winners’ enclosure.
“I have been looking forward to the Senior Tour – without wanting to wish time away – but I’ve not really set any goals for the year. I’ll just find my feet again and then who knows?.
“You just try to play to the best of your own ability and see what happens. Hopefully I can play a full season and I’m looking forward to it.
“I had a good start. I played some good stuff and probably could have scored a bit better but all in all I wasn’t too displeased. I was a bit nervous on the first tee and over the first few holes but ironically I played some of my best shots then.”
