The French Riviera Masters celebrates its fifth anniversary this week, as the next European country to host a Ryder Cup welcomes an impressive cast of past players from the biennial contest.
Former Ryder Cup Captains Mark James and Ian Woosnam are part of the strong field at Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort, along with Ireland’s Des Smyth, who was part of Paul McGinley’s backroom staff at Gleneagles last week.
Ex-Ryder Cup players Gordon Brand, Gordon Brand Jnr, Antonio Garrido, Manuel Pinero, Barry Lane, Ronan Rafferty and Philip Walton also feature, as well as DJ Russell, who was a vice captain under Woosnam in 2006.
Englishman Russell won the French Riviera Masters title in 2012 when the tournament was first played at Terre Blanche following two years at Cannes Mougins. He was succeeded as champion last year by Australian Peter Fowler, who overturned Andrew Oldcorn’s four shot lead to finish three strokes clear of the Scot and Spaniard Santiago Luna.
Fowler, the 2011 European Senior Tour Order of Merit winner, posted a final round of 66 to claim his third European Tour title and will return to Provence with three top ten finishes under his belt already this season.
Woosnam is searching for his first Senior Tour win in three years and will be hoping that he can build on his fifth place finish at Terre Blanche 12 months ago.
Also in the field is Canadian Rick Gibson, who is enjoying a fine season on the Senior Tour following his victory in the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open and three more top ten finishes. He heads to the south of France in third place on the Senior Tour Order of Merit, while Argentine Cesar Monasterio will be aiming to continue an impressive rookie campaign that has yielded a victory and five other top ten finishes.
Terre Blanche, a European Tour Destination and part of the European Tour Properties portfolio, hosts the tournament for the third consecutive year. The resort was the first to be afforded European Tour Performance Institute status.
