Gary Wolstenholme enters his title defence at the Casa Serena Open this week carrying high ambitions as he targets a top five finish in the European Senior Tour Order of Merit.
Wolstenholme is already hot favourite to pick up the Rookie of the Year award in what is his first season as a full tour member, as he lies in ninth place in the rankings on €108,193 and €47,713 clear of the next best rookie, Tim Thelen of the USA.
As the Englishman prepares to defend his crown in the Czech Republic this week though, he has set even higher targets following a tied fifth place finish at the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters two weeks ago.
“If I keep playing solidly, hopefully I can maintain my high rankings position and even push a little higher up the Order of Merit,” he said.
“I’d like to feel that I can finish top five this year and I want to start with a good finish this week in what is a big event with big prize money.
“Obviously I’ve done well to stay in front of some good players for the Rookie of the Year, the likes of Thelen, Mark Mouland and Gordon Manson.
“I’m a grinder and that’s what I’m trying to do, hopefully there are some good signs of improvement and I’ve just got to keep working hard, which I’ve always done.”
Wolstenholme secured his first ever Senior Tour title over the Casa Serena course, designed byEuropean Golf Design(EGD), in Kutná Hora last year in what was only his second appearance as a professional on the Senior Tour, following a glittering amateur career in which he made a record six Walker Cup appearances.
The 51 year old has made steady progress since The Senior Open Championship at Walton Heath in July, when he finished tied 31st before a 13th place finish in the Cleveland Golf / Srixon Scottish Senior Open was followed by his tied fifth place at the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters.
This week he returns to the scene of his greatest moment in professional golf and he is looking forward to the week, whether his title defence is a successful one or not.
“Casa Serena is a beautiful golf course and it’ll be in great condition I’m sure,” he enthused.
“I have been looking forward to it for a year, going back there. Whether I do any good or not, it’s a venue I’ll always enjoy.
“The greens are just perfect, as good as we see anywhere on any tour as far as I’m concerned. It’s a proper venue and the people are great and it’s an opportunity for the Senior Tour to show what golf is all about to a country that hasn’t really adopted golf as yet fully.
“I think they will do in the future, I think most of Eastern Europe now will take golf very much to their hearts.”
Mark James, meanwhile, makes his Casa Serena debut with the hopes of emulating fellow former Ryder Cup captain and 2008 champion Bernhard Langer by lifting the trophy and he is relishing the opportunity to experience a new venue.
“While I haven’t been yet, I’ve heard great things; that it’s a beautiful course and a good venue and I hear the town of Kutná Hora is fantastic,” said James, who also represented Europe in The Ryder Cup seven times as a player.
“It’s a Langer event and they’re usually very well run and always on very good courses so I’m looking forward to it.
“The field is also strong so all the more reason for me to head to the putting green in the coming days and get working on my game.”
Also in the field is Order of Merit leader Peter Fowler, who finished tied fifth at the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters two weeks ago alongside Wolstenholme and another Casa Serena-bound former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance.
Barry Lane will be hoping to continue his superb form having narrowly missed out on a second successive victory at Woburn, finishing tied second after his win at the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open two weeks previous.
Scotsman Gordon Brand Jnr, meanwhile, travels to the Czech Republic still chasing that elusive first victory of 2011, having earned two second placed finishes and two more top fives in seven appearances this season.
