Teeing it up at the Farmfoods European Senior Masters are 14 former Ryder Cup players, equalling the highest number to play a regular Senior Tour event.
Senior Tour debutant and tournament host Peter Baker is amongst 11 Ryder Cup players who will join former captains, Paul McGinley, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam. In all, the 14 players made 38 appearances in golf’s greatest team event over the years.
One of the icons of The Ryder Cup, Torrance represented Europe eight times from 1981 to 1995. The Scotsman sank the winning putt at The Belfry in 1985, giving Europe their first ever Ryder Cup victory, and he would go on to taste success in 1987, 1989 and 1995.
In 2002, he became the second European captain to sink the winning putt and captain a winning team at separate Ryder Cups, after Seve Ballesteros, when he oversaw Europe’s 15 ½ - 12 ½ victory.
Joining Torrance on eight Ryder Cup appearances is the 1991 Masters Tournament champion Ian Woosnam. The Welshman represented Europe from 1983 to 1997, winning The Ryder Cup four times and retaining once.
Ian Woosnam and Peter Baker at The 1993 Ryder Cup
He formed a formidable partnership with Sir Nick Faldo from 1987 to 1991, winning six points from ten matches together.
Woosnam also partnered Peter Baker in 1993, and the pair defeated Fred Couples and Paul Azinger 6&5 – one of the largest margins of victory in Europe’s history.
McGinley made his Ryder Cup debut in 2002, the first of three appearances, and sank the decisive putt at The Belfry. After winning the coveted trophy in all three outings as a player, he went on to captain Europe at The 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles where Europe retained with a 16 ½ - 11 ½ victory.
Baker joins McGinley and Jarmo Sandelin as former players making their Senior Tour debuts in 2017. McGinley had his first start at the WINSTONgolf Senior Open, and Sandelin made his first appearance on American soil at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in May, going on to make his regular debut at the European Tour Properties Senior Classic.
Peter Baker, Costantino Rocca and Barry Lane with Joakim Haeggman at The 1993 Ryder Cup
Of the 14 players, Barry Lane is the most recent winner on the Senior Tour after his astonishing 22 under par total at the Willow Senior Golf Classic, at Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel & Country Club.
Lane recorded the lowest ever round in Senior Tour history, a 12 under par round of 60 as he secured his sixth over-50s title, and the lowest ever 54-hole score to par.
To register for free tickets for the Farmfoods European Senior Masters, clickhere.
Ryder Cup players at the Farmfoods European Senior Masters
Peter Baker: 1993
Gordon J Brand: 1983
Gordon Brand Jnr: 1987, 1989
Eamonn Darcy: 1975, 1977, 1981, 1987
David Gilford: 1991, 1995
Barry Lane: 1993
Paul McGinley: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2014 (captain)
Ronan Rafferty: 1989
Costantino Rocca: 1993, 1995, 1997
Jarmo Sandelin: 1999
Des Smyth: 1979, 1981
Sam Torrance: 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2002 (captain)
Philip Walton: 1995
Ian Woosnam: 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2006 (captain)
