The Swiss Seniors Open is celebrating its 20th anniversary on the European Senior Tour calendar and, ahead of this year’s landmark edition, we look back at the top five moments from the last two decades at Golf Club Bad Ragaz.
No long Waites for first win
England’s Brian Waites won the inaugural edition of the Swiss Seniors Open in 1997 in a play-off against compatriot Malcolm Gregson after the pair both shot 203 after three rounds at Bad Ragaz.
They were one shot ahead of Australian Noel Ratcliffe and South African Hugh Inggs as they battled for the title. Waites led after the first round, carding 63, and Inggs was just a shot behind following the second day’s play.
On the final day, Gregson moved up four places, firing a final round 66, to draw level with Waites, but the Englishman secured victory with a six-foot birdie putt on the third extra hole.
Ace Mase equals Horton’s record of Senior Tour victories
In 2010, Carl Mason equalled Tommy Horton’s record of 23 Senior Tour titles as he recorded a stunning victory in Switzerland with a final round that included a hole-in-one and five birdies.
Mason’s title hopes looked in tatters after the second hole on his final round when the Englishman shot a triple-bogey seven, but he reduced the damage with a remarkable ace on the par-three third hole.
Fowler wins against the odds
Fowler wins against the odds
Peter Fowler looked out of the running after the second round of the 2011 edition of the tournament, as he sat in fourth place, seven shots behind leader Angel Fernandez.
But the plucky Australian shot five birdies in the final round, matching his second round score of 65, to take the title two shots ahead of Scotland’s Andrew Oldcorn.
Gale forces his way to the top
Gale forces his way to the top
Australian Terry Gale extended his record of consecutive winning years on the Senior Tour to four as he won the 2005 edition of the tournament, two shots ahead of Argentina’s Luis Carbonetti and Frenchman Gery Watine.
Gale started with a three under par 67, five shots behind Jerry Bruner, but found himself just a shot behind after the second round. He then carded a superb 66 to claim his seventh Senior Tour title.
Sir Bob shoots 66
Sir Bob shoots 66
In 2012, at the age of 76, Sir Bob Charles beat his age by an incredible ten strokes to move into a share of third place after the first round of the 2012 Swiss Senior Open.
Charles’s superb first round 66 smashed his own previous Senior Tour record of five strokes less than his age, despite shooting a bogey five on the first hole.
He recovered with two birdies to make the turn one under and carded three more birdies on the back nine to add another chapter to his storied career, which, among nearly 80 titles, included Open Championship and Senior Open Championship victories in 1963 and 1993.
