There is only one event of the 2019 Staysure Tour season left to play but the winner of the John Jacobs Trophy is still undecided. Six players still have a chance to be crowned Staysure Tour Number One, five whom are aiming to do so for the first time.
Paul Broadhurst won his second John Jacobs Trophy 12 months ago, two years after his first, in a season where he claimed the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship triumph. This year, the trophy, which is awarded to the season’s leading player, could be won or lost on the final putt of the season.
Phillip Price
The 2002 Ryder Cup hero has led the Order of Merit since the beginning of October and is arguably the most consistent player on the over 50s circuit in 2019, claiming 11 top tens.
The Welshman won the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship in August, clinching his second Staysure Tour title and winning for the first time since his debut victory at the WINSTONgolf Senior Open in July 2017.
The current Staysure Tour Number One has held off the challenge of the chasing pack so far and leads second place by 556.2 points.
To win:
If none of the players ranked second to sixth win, Price wins the Order of Merit
If Kingston wins, Price must finish ninth or better
If Lane wins, Price must finish 11th or better
If Shacklady wins, Price must finish 11th or better
If Fowler wins, Price must finish 15th or better
If Coceres wins, Price must finish 34th or better
James Kingston
The South African has come close to winning his maiden Staysure Tour title several times this season. He has recorded three runner-up finishes and two third place results in a year where he has claimed nine top tens, including three in a row ahead of the MCB Tour Championship – Mauritius.
Hindsight is a marvellous thing and if Kingston would have turned one of his runner-up spots into a victory, then he might be in pole position to seal a maiden John Jacobs Trophy. However, the two-time European Tour winner is 556.2 points behind Price but has the best chance out of the chasing pack to claim the season-long title.
To win: Kingston must win, Price must finish tenth or below.
Barry Lane
The Englishman has won twice in 2019, first at the Senior Italian Open in June and then became the first winner of a European Tour-sanctioned event in Madagascar when he clinched the MCB Tour Championship – Madagascar title two weeks ago. It has been another evergreen year for Lane.
Surprisingly the eight-time Staysure Tour champion has never been crowned Number One on the over 50s circuit, finishing second in 2011 and 2012 and third in 2014 and 2015. This year has been his best chance to better those results as he lies in third place on the Order of Merit, 567.8 points behind Price.
To win: Lane must win, Price must finish 12th or below.
David Shacklady
Another two-time winner during the 2019 season and one of last year’s standout players in his rookie campaign, the Englishman has kicked on once again. Shacklady enjoyed a successful September when he won back-to-back events on Tour at The Sinclair Invitational and the Druh Belts presents Paris Legends Championship by Renault Z.E.
The victories came straight after his tied fourth finish at the Scottish Senior Open, one of six top tens, including the two triumphs this year, which sees him occupy fourth place, 573.3 points off the top.
To win: Shacklady must win, Price must finish 12th or below.
Peter Fowler
The Australian has made a late charge for the John Jacobs Trophy following his victory at the MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles last week. Fowler’s seventh Staysure Tour victory and his first at the age of 60 showed that age is just a number as the 2011 Staysure Tour Number One goes in search of his second season-long title.
Six top tens in 2019 show that Fowler, who has been a regular on the Staysure Tour for 11 years, can still challenge leaderboards, as he sits in fifth place on the Order of Merit 596.6 points behind Price.
To win: Fowler must win, Price must finish 16th or below.
José Coceres
One of three two-time winners on the Staysure Tour in 2019. The Argentine lifted his first Staysure Tour trophy at the Swiss Seniors Open in July before doubling his over 50s wins in September at the inaugural Murhof Legends – Austrian Senior Open.
Coceres started off the year in fine form, finishing tied fourth – the highest placed Staysure Tour player – at the Jordan Mixed Open presented by Ayla, before missing a play-off by a single shot at the Senior Italian Open.
Five top tens for the two-time European Tour winner have him in sixth on the Order of Merit, 636.8 points behind Price.
To win: Coceres must win, Price must finish 35th or below.
