With less than €60,000 separating third and 15th place on the European Senior Tour Order of Merit, the Senior Open Championship leaves a lot of room for manoeuvre. Senior Tour members will certainly have their eye on the competition in Carnoustie.
Some players have had notable performances in the last few weeks that will certainly have turned a few heads. Former Ryder Cup star Paul Broadhurst, playing in his first full season on the Senior Tour, sits in third place on the Order of Merit but has placed second, tied eighth, tied eighth and second in his last four events; amassing an impressive €96,648 in 2016.
A closing 67 and a finish of eight under par at the WINSTONgolf Senior Open was encouraging for the Englishman, particularly as this was played on a links course. Broadhurst will certainly feel well placed to battle the links at Carnoustie.
The most recent big move up the Order of Merit belongs to veteran Scotsman Andrew Oldcorn after his victory at WINSTONgolf. One more strong finish would see Oldcorn leapfrog both Broadhurst and South African David Frost, such is the tight knit nature of the places below first and second.
Former John Jacobs Trophy winners Peter Fowler and Ian Woosnam sit 14th and 15th respectively. The pair each have two top ten finishes to their names in 2016, with Fowler’s best result coming at the WINSTONgolf Senior Open, where the Australian finished third.
Woosnam settled for a runner-up finish at the Acorn Jersey Open after a play-off against winner Gordon Manson and Gary Wolstenholme. However, having won the Masters in 1991, Woosnam will be hoping to add to his Major haul next week at Carnoustie.
The Senior Order of Merit is topped by the usual suspects this season. However, it is two-time defending John Jacobs Trophy winner Colin Montgomerie that sits in first place after his second placed finish at the US Senior PGA Championship.
Ten-time Ryder Cup player Bernard Langer sits in second, €106,562 behind Montgomerie. However, given Langer’s pedigree in the Senior Open Championship that gap may be swiftly eradicated next week.
Whatever happens at Carnoustie, the Senior Tour Order of Merit will see a lot of action across the board with the potential for members to make big moves up the rankings.
