A grand total of 19 Major winners will descend upon Turnberry’s hallowed turf for The Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex from July 26-29, including legends such as Tony Jacklin, Bernhard Langer and Tom Watson.
The European Senior Tour’s second Major of the year will host some of the greatest players in the history of European golf as well as numerous masters from the other side of the Atlantic, all of whom will be hoping to take home the lion’s share of the $2million prize fund.
American Ross Cochran has admitted that his life has changed since winning his first Major title at last year’s Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex at Walton Heath, and he will return to defend his title at Turnberry.
Former European Ryder Cup Captains in the field include Mark James, Langer, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam – not to mention Jacklin, one of the greatest Ryder Cup Captains in history.
Jacklin will return to competitive golf for the first time in five years when he makes the journey to Turnberry, while Langer will be hoping to wrest back the title which he relinquished last year, having beaten Corey Pavin by a single shot to win at Carnoustie in 2010.
Tom Lehman, who captained the USA in The 2006 Ryder Cup, and 1997 USA Captain Tom Kite are also among those present, as is America’s Ryder Cup-winning Captain in 1993, Tom Watson.
The eight-time Major winner will be returning to the venue where he won The Open Championship in 1977, defeating Jack Nicklaus in the famous ‘Duel in the Sun’, and The Senior Open Championship in 2003, beating Carl Mason in a play-off. He also came agonisingly close to winning the Claret Jug over the Ailsa Course in 2009 at the age of 59, losing in a play-off to his compatriot Stewart Cink.
Another American in the field for The 2012 Senior Open Championship Presented by Rolex is former World Number One and Masters Tournament champion Fred Couples, who is making his debut in the event. Australian Greg Norman, Couples’ fellow Presidents Cup Captain and The 1986 Open Champion at Turnberry, is also in the field.
A pair of two-time winners on the Senior Tour this year, Gary Wolstenholme and Tim Thelen, will both be chasing a hat-trick of titles while US Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid Champion Roger Chapman will arrive in Scotland hopeful of a second successive Major, having clinched his maiden Senior Tour victory at Harbor Shores in May.
Tickets to see the world-class field can now be purchased onlinehere. Season passes are priced at just £70, whilst day passes are £25 each and entry for the Wednesday practice day is £10.
Hospitality packages for each of the four Championship days are also now available at £95 per person inc. VAT, which includes admittance to the course along with a three-course lunch and glass of champagne in ‘1906’, Turnberry’s signature restaurant, reserved parking, a Championship programme and a draw sheet.
