A quartet of victorious Ryder Cup captains - Bernhard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Sam Torrance, Ian Woosnam - are relishing the return of The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex to the one of the UK’s great golf courses, Sunningdale Golf Club.
Senior golf’s final Major Championship will be played over the historic Old Course for the first time since 2009 when many of the legends of the game will battle it out from July 23-26, as Langer attempts to retain the title he claimed in such dominant style last year.
Montgomerie is fresh from a superb 2014 season which yielded two Major triumphs in America and two further Senior Tour titles en route to lifting the John Jacobs Trophy for the first time. He is now relishing the opportunity to return to the Berkshire venue, having captained the Great Britain and Ireland side in the 2000 Seve Trophy.
“It’s fantastic that we’re able to go back there. I’ve always said it’s a gorgeous place to be, not just for playing golf but to just walk around. It will be a great success.”
Colin Montgomerie
Montgomerie’s compatriot, and fellow former Ryder Cup-winning Captain, Torrance is a man who knows Sunningdale’s Old Course inside out, as a long-time member of the club.
Torrance admits there was a great degree of pride for him the last time The Senior Open Championship was held there six years ago, when he finished in fifth place as American Loren Roberts triumphed after a three-way play-off with Fred Funk and Mark McNulty. He is sure the great and good of the senior game from both sides of the Atlantic will once again revel in the testing and picturesque nature of the course.
“I love the golf course,” said Torrance. “I’ve been there for the last 44 years, I was assistant pro there in 1971 so there’s not a blade of grass that I’m not familiar with. I can’t wait to get out there.
“I think the best thing about the last time was the glowing reports from every player in the field, how much they enjoyed it. It’s just a class golf course in a beautiful part of the world.
“It’s obviously our biggest tournament of the year and the best field by a mile with all the Americans who come over and play, so it’ll be fantastic.”
Woosnam, who was the captain’s pick for Montgomerie at the Seve Trophy in 2000, will be hoping to improve on his tied 19th place finish the last time Europe’s only Senior Major was played at Sunningdale, and he thinks it will be a week to remember.
“It’s a course that I always love to play and I think it’s great for The Senior Open to go there,” said the former Masters Champion and World Number One. “The crowds are going to be magnificent. No-one can complain because it’s such a lovely old golf course.
“It’s the sort of golf course, with the heather and everything, that you’ve got to keep it on the fairway, but it’s not a long golf course. You have to use the right clubs off the tee and they are very small greens so you have to be accurate as well.”
“It’s great for us to come back to Sunningdale to play this prestigious event,” said Langer, who also claimed the Senior Open crown at Carnoustie in 2010. “It’s one of the all-time great courses. It’s a wonderful heathland course and it’s always in great condition. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like Sunningdale.”
Tickets to see Langer, Montgomerie, Torrance and Woosnam, as well as a host of other legendary players, in action are already on sale at
www.senioropengolf.com
with discounted tickets available before July 1.
Season tickets cost just £70, while one day tickets are £25 and Wednesday practice day tickets are only £12. Under 16s are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult and parking is also free.
To purchase tickets for this event please click on
www.senioropengolf.com
or telephone +44 (0)800 0232557 for more details and to register an interest in Hospitality packages.
