Ian Woosnam gets his first opportunity to defend a European Senior Tour title this week when he returns to action in the Handa Irish Seniors Open presented by Fáilte Ireland.
The former World Number One produced one of the most remarkable final day displays of the 2009 season at Ballybunion Golf Club 12 months ago, coming from six shots back to tie with Bob Boyd on two under par 211 before defeating the American on the third extra hole.
That was the 2008 Order of Merit winner’s third Senior Tour victory, following the Parkridge Polish Seniors Championship and the Russian Seniors Open in his rookie campaign, but this will be the first chance he has had to defend a title on the Senior Tour.
While a different course awaits him this year with the tournament moving to Carton House in Co. Kildare, the Welshman will be hoping his superb record on Irish soil continues, having won back-to-back Irish Open titles on The European Tour in 1988 and 1989 before leading Europe to Ryder Cup glory at The K Club in 2006.
“I’ve had some great success in Ireland over the years so it is always special to return,” he said.
“I’m still searching for a bit of form at the moment but I’m hopeful I will be ready to defend my crown at Carton House.
“My other two Senior Tour titles were in Poland and Russia and unfortunately I did not get chance to defend them so this is the first time I will play a Senior Tour event as a defending champion which will be nice.”
Woosnam is an ambassador for new title sponsors International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS)and its Chairman Dr Haruhisa Handa, as is another former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance who won the Irish Seniors Open in 2006.
Torrance, who pipped Woosnam to last year’s Order of Merit crown, is also a two-time winner of the Irish Open and he will be looking to build on a strong start to the 2010 campaign, having recorded three top ten finishes so far.
The pair will take on the Montgomerie course at Carton House, designed by the current Ryder Cup Captain, and Woosnam will have three of his ‘support team’ from The K Club trying to prevent him from defending the title in Assistant Captains Sandy Lyle, D J Russell and Irishman Des Smyth.
Smyth leads the home challenge and will look to go one better than in 2008 when he was runner up to Juan Quiros at Ballyliffin Golf Club.
He is one of a number of former Ryder Cup players in the field including the 2007 champion Costantino Rocca of Italy and Scotland’s Gordon Brand Jnr, who captured his maiden Senior Tour title in last week’s Matrix Jersey Classic.
Brand Jnr finished five strokes clear of the field at La Moye Golf Club and he travels to Ireland full of confidence following that wire-to-wire victory – his first success in 17 years.
“I played exceptionally well for the first two days in Jersey and if I can keep that going I’ll be in extremely good shape in Ireland,” he said. “We are playing some exceptionally good courses over the next few weeks starting with Carton House so I’m looking forward to it and the rest of the month.”
Carl Mason, the 2004 Irish Seniors Open Champion, could become the first player to pass the €2million mark in career earnings on the Senior Tour, needing to win just €2,718 at Carton House to achieve that feat.
Mason, who could also created another piece of history by matching Tommy Horton’s record of 23 Senior Tour titles, is in good form after finishing joint runner up with Bobby Lincoln behind Brand Jnr in Jersey.
