Woburn hosts the Travis Perkins Masters for the 17th consecutive year this week. Here are five golfers to keep a close eye on over the Duke’s Course…
Gary Orr
The form horse on the European Senior Tour, Gary Orr has finished no lower than tied 11thin five regular events.
Making his debut in Finland at the European Tour Properties Senior Classic in June, Orr finished tied ninth and has also finished tied tenth, tied third, and solo second. His runner-up finish came at last week’s Willow Senior Golf Classic.
Orr is no stranger to the Duke’s Course at Woburn after winning the British Masters here in 2000, his last victory on the European Tour. Perhaps a return to this magnificent venue, where he set a course record of 62 (-10) 17 years ago, could see his first victory on the over-50s circuit.
Barry Lane
The Englishman made history at the Willow Senior Golf Classic last week, carding the lowest round ever on the European Senior Tour. His second round of 60 (-12) was the lowest ever recorded at a Senior Tour event and his combined score of 194 (-22) is the lowest ever to par.
The former Ryder Cup player won his first event in three years at the 2016 season-ending MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius, and secured his second title in less than nine months at Hanbury Manor.
The 57 year old has moved up to second in the Order of Merit and is bidding to be the fourth Englishman in six years to win the John Jacobs Trophy.
André Bossert
The defending champion, André Bossert has finished second and first in three appearances here at Woburn. The Swiss held off a challenge from 1991 Masters Tournament champion Ian Woosnam and 2003 HNA Open de France winner Philip Golding at last year’s event.
Although just nine golfers finished better than par in 2016, Bossert was the only golfer to card under par rounds over the three days, finishing with an impressive eight under par total, four ahead of Golding and Woosnam.
After a promising start to the season, seventh at the Sharjah Senior Golf Masters and tied second in Finland, perhaps Bossert can kick-start his 2017 campaign on the site of his first Senior Tour victory.
Ian Woosnam
The 1991 Masters champion and former Ryder Cup Captain took a share of the lead into the final round of last year’s Travis Perkins Masters but missed out on the title by four strokes from Bossert.
His tied second finish came shortly after a fourth place result and tied eighth finish, showing that the Welshman still has what it takes to contend on the Senior Tour.
In addition to his 29 European Tour victories, Woosnam is a five-time Senior Tour winner, former Senior Tour Number One and has 31 further top ten finishes on the over 50s circuit.
Magnus P Atlevi
After being forced to withdraw from this event through injury after last year’s first round, Atlevi has unfinished business at Woburn.
The Swede finished a respectable one under par after his first round and then birdied the first hole on the Saturday before pulling out two holes later.
The following week at the Paris Legends Championship, Atlevi went on to secure his first professional victory in 18 years as he triumphed at Le Golf National, host venue of The 2018 Ryder Cup.
