The Italian Senior Open will be contested for the first time since 2010 when the European Senior Tour heads to Golf Club Udine next week. We look back at the first five editions of a tournament which was first contested in 2004…
Gale blows away the competition
In 2004, Australia’s Terry Gale looked as though he was out of contention after his second round at Golf Club Venezia.
After a three under par first round, he carded a round of 74 to sit just one under par going into the final day.
Gale trailed DJ Russell, who made his Senior Tour debut the previous week, by one stroke with four holes to play, but birded the 15th, 17th and 18th holes to finish one shot ahead of the Englishman and win his sixth title on the over-50s circuit.
He would then go on to finish 12th on the Order of Merit, his second highest career finish.
Watine and Darcy take it to the wire
Facing off in the final group at the 2005 Italian Senior Open, France’s Gery Watine and Ireland’s Ryder Cup hero Eamonn Darcy had to be separated by a play-off in Venice.
They stood on the 18th tee tied for the lead on ten under par, with South Africa’s Gavan Levenson just one shot behind.
Both Darcy and Watine made birdie and they went back down the 18th to play their first extra hole.
Darcy proceeded to make par and Watine, who had a birdie chance from 18 feet to end a 13 year wait for a victory, kept his cool and added to his win on the Challenge Tour in 1992.
Torrance stays at the top of the tree
Ryder Cup legend Sam Torrance topped the Senior Tour Order of Merit in 2005, and his Italian Senior Open success in 2006 was the first of four victories en route to his second John Jacobs Trophy.
He finished four strokes ahead of the previous year’s runner-up Eamonn Darcy, as a final round 67 steered him to his 37th professional victory.
His Venetian triumph added to two Italian Open wins on the European Tour, and he wouldn’t have long to wait for his second title in 2006 as he won the Irish Senior Open the following month.
Play-off drama as Owen beats three
There was drama at the 2007 edition of the Italian Senior Open as four players contested a play-off after finishing eight under par at Circolo Golf Venezia.
Tony Allen, John Benda, Carl Mason and Simon Owen were tied after 54 holes, and there could have been a fifth with Ross Drummond finishing a shot further back on seven under par.
Mason started the final day nine strokes off the pace, but carded a seven under par round of 65 to join the trio at the top.
Owen beat his three opponents on the first play-off hole as he found the green with a superb second shot, giving him a tap in to secure his first Senior Tour title in six years.
Mitchell secures third Senior Tour title
England’s Peter Mitchell had to fight off challenges from two former European Ryder Cup players as he secured a third title in his debut Senior Tour season in 2008.
On his way to a third-place finish in the Senior Tour Order of Merit, Mitchell had previously won both the Wales Senior Open and Scottish Senior Open earlier in the year.
In Italy, he started the final day tied with Chile’s Guillermo Encina, but ended the day one shot ahead of both Gordon J Brand and Ian Woosnam.
Mitchell would go on to finish the year behind the pair on the Order of Merit, with Woosnam topping the rankings and Brand taking second place.
