Fresh from capturing his maiden professional title last month, England’s Gary Wolstenholme is hoping to continue the impressive start he has made to his fledgling Senior Tour career at this week’s inaugural Sicilian Senior Open.
The tournament is only Wolstenholme’s fifth Senior Tour appearance, but in that time the former World Amateur Number One has already climbed to 14th position on the Order of Merit with earnings of €112,990, thanks largely to his victory at the Casa Serena Open.
With a prize fund of €250,000 on offer to the field at this week’s event, which is being played at the picturesque Il Picciolo Golf Club on the holiday island of Sicily, another strong showing would see Wolstenholme leapfrog the likes of former Cup players Gordon J Brand of England and Scotland’s Sam Torrance, despite having played far fewer events than that illustrious duo.
By his own admission Wolstenholme’s lack of length off the tee prevented him from turning professional earlier in life, but that should prove less of a hindrance at the 6,427 yards, par 72 course at Il Picciolo Golf Club, which is overlooked by Europe’s largest active volcano.
He said: “The view from the course is just incredible. Who would’ve thought you could play golf in the shadow of Mount Etna? It’s amazing. I’ve played the course twice now, and it’s a very tough test. It’s certainly one of the tightest courses I’ve ever played, so accuracy off the tee here is essential. It’ll be very interesting to see who comes out on top, whether it’s the more established stars like Costantino [Rocca], or perhaps someone who comes out of the pack like I did. I probably can’t capitalise on some of the par fives like some of the other guys might be able to, but I’m still confident of making an impression up near the top of the leaderboard.
“The Tour suits me very well, because most of the courses are right up my street. They’ve all been different tests, bit ones I’ve enjoyed. They’re not geared up to reward big hitters especially, which is great for me. Whereas in my amateur days I was probably the shortest off the tee by some distance, out here I’m probably mid-division. So if I’m playing well, I’m confident of being in contention most weeks. I haven’t played particularly well for the last two weeks, but hopefully I’ll turn it around this week and have a decent finish to the season. I’m really enjoying playing on the Senior Tour so far, and hopefully I can stay competitive for the next ten years. If I can finish in the top ten on a fairly regular basis then I’ll be happy, and anything above and beyond that is a bonus.”
Wolstenholme has set his sights on capturing the Rookie of the Year title next season, which will be his first full campaign on the Senior Tour. But in the more immediate future the 50 year old, who has recently written his memoirs, is focused on attracting further sponsorship.
He said: “People assume that because you win a tournament you must have sponsors lining up, but it doesn’t necessarily work that way. I haven’t got a clothing or club manufacture deal in place yet, so I’m open to offers! My aim is to get a couple of companies on board before the start of next season, so that I can just concentrate fully on my golf without any financial worries. I’m a habitual worrier – I think it runs in the family! I’m very luck that Farm Foods agreed to get involved at the start of the season, when they took a bit of a punt which has so far worked out very well for them. But if over the winter I can attract a few more sponsors, then hopefully that’ll make my life that much easier for next season.
“My goal is to put enough aside to be able to afford to buy a house – hopefully I can achieve that over the next two or three years. I was brought up in Kendal up in Cumbria, and I’d love to buy a place up there because I’m passionate about the area. Beyond that, I’ve got aspirations to go into other areas of the game, like coaching, course design, commentating and even writing. As much as I love playing the clock is ticking, and so eventually I’ll have to hang my clubs up.
“But hopefully other opportunities will then open up to me. I’ve just had my autobiography ghost-written, and I really enjoyed it. I started out as a 23 handicapper aged 18, and 32 years later I’ve just won my first tournament as a professional. So I’d like to think I’ve got a story to tell. The transition from the amateur to the professional game hasn’t been that easy, but now I’m definitely starting to find my feet.”
That is something of an understatement from Wolstenholme, who finished third on his Senior Tour debut at the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters – where he was playing under a sponsor’s invitation – before holding off the challenge of Gordon Brand Jnr to take the title in the Czech Republic by three strokes on only his second appearance. That secured Wolstenholme €90,000 in prize money but, perhaps more importantly, also a two-year exemption on the Senior Tour.
He recalled: “I needed to finish in the top ten in my first event just to get into the next tournament, and fortunately I finished third. So that gave me a lot of confidence which I took to the Czech Republic with me. At first I didn’t think the course would suit me, but the more I played it, the more I liked it. I played very well that week – it was how I used to play when I was winning as an amateur. But the key, as it so often is, was my putting – I don’t think I could’ve putted any better.
“Gordon [Brand Jnr] put me under a lot of pressure, but whenever I got into any trouble, I just putted my way out of it. The win was huge, because all of a sudden I’d gone from uncertainty to certainty. For the next two years now I can plan my schedule, which is great because I’m the sort of person who needs to know where I’m going to be, and when. But you’re only as good as your last round, which I keep reminding myself, so I’m certainly not resting on my laurels.”
