The 1991 Masters Tournament champion Ian Woosnam will lead the charge of former Ryder Cup stars at this week’s Swiss Seniors Open.
The Welshman, affectionately known as Woosie, is one of 11 former Ryder Cup players in the 54-man field at this week’s tournament at Golf Club Bad Ragaz.
He will be looking to continue his form from the Acorn Jersey Open, where he finished runner-up to winner Gordon Manson after a three-way play-off which included Gary Wolstenholme.
This will be his fourth appearance at Bad Ragaz, a venue where he finished third in 2012 with a score of nine under par behind winner Tim Thelen, also in this week’s field.
Woosnam made eight appearances in the biannual tournament from The 1983 Ryder Cup, at the PGA National Golf Club, Florida, to The 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama Golf Club, Spain. He jointly holds the record with Spaniard José María Olazábal for the most fourball points won at 10 ½.
He will partner defending champion Manson and fellow Ryder Cup player Barry Lane, who represented Europe in The 1993 Ryder Cup, for the first two rounds of this year’s Swiss Seniors Open.
Maurice Bembridge, who will have played in all 20 editions of the Swiss Seniors Open when he tees off on Friday, made four appearances from 1969 to 1975 when the trophy was contested between Great Britain & Ireland and the United States.
Italian Costantino Rocca makes a welcome return to the Senior Tour circuit with his first appearance since the 2015 French Riviera Masters. Rocca made three appearances for Europe in the Ryder Cup from 1993 to 1997, and he partners Spain’s Pedro Linhart, and Irishman Des Smyth, who took part in the first two Ryder Cups contested between Europe and the United States in 1979 and 1981.
Spaniard José Rivero also made two appearances for Europe from 1985 to 1987, picking up two points as Europe successfully defended the Ryder Cup on both occasions.
As well as the three Swiss Senior Open debutants who have played in the Ryder Cup; Paul Broadhurst, David Gilford and Ronan Rafferty, Gordon J Brand and Philip Walton, who represented Europe in 1983 and 1985 respectively, also join the field for the fourth event of the 2016 European Senior Tour calendar.
