Category: Senior Tours

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Senior Tours

Star names announced for Farmfoods European Senior Masters 2021

The Farmfoods European Senior Masters 2021 has announced the first part of its star studded lineup with crowds set to return.

Running from 30th September to the 3rd October 2021, the esteemed golfing event will once again take centre stage at the Forest of Arden, Meriden, with none of other than Peter Baker, three-time European tour winner, as host. 

“I’m delighted to welcome back players and spectators to the European Senior Masters,” said Baker, who has hosted the contest every year to date.

“During the days of the pandemic, golf was one of the main sporting highlights for fans to enjoy from the comfort of their own sofas, but nothing beats being there in person.

“It’s therefore with great pleasure to say that not only do we have some of the best seniors in the game in action, but also, that fans will be able to experience it all first-hand, live and in person.”

Located at the stunning Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club, the four-day ESM event will certainly be a spectacle for golfing enthusiasts. 

Ian Woosnam OBE, Paul Lawrie OBE and Jarmo Sandelin are just some of the players who will be aiming for the prize this year, with a €150,000 total prize fund and an impressive €50,000 for the winner.

Last time out, Thomas Levet took the 2019 title, one shot clear of Markus Brier in second, with Lawrie, Sandelin, and Woosnam sharing third place.

Luckily, spectators will finally be allowed to come and watch the action unfold, with tickets costing just £20 for all four days, or £10 per day. 

The event format is as follows: 

Day one (Thursday): Pro-Am team event. One pro player will join three amateurs to play one round of the course, and whichever team tops the leader board wins the day.  

Day two/three (Friday/Saturday): The Alliance. This is where the action steps up a notch. Over the course of two days, one pro is paired with one amateur, and both players will traverse the course together, playing one round on both days. The pro’s scores count on the main leader board and the amateurs play for an amateur prize. After the play has finished on Saturday, the winning amateur will receive their prizes before stepping aside for the last day. 

Day four (Sunday): Final day’s play. Only professionals will play on this day, which will consist of one more round of the course. Whoever tops the leader board at the end of the day wins the title and prize money.  

With just over a month to go, event organisers Champions UK plc spoke of the preparation in delivering the high-profile event:

“We’re all busy preparing the final touches for the tournament,” said John Hayes, CEO of leading brand agency Champions UK plc.

“It’s exciting to see so many of our sponsors return to the iconic Forest of Arden course. It’s certainly shaping up to be an event to remember.”

Sponsors of the event include Lord’s Taverners, a leading disability sports charity and Farmfoods.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact [email protected]. 

To join us at this year’s tournament, please head to the tickets page: https://europeanseniormasters.com/booking/event-ticket/forest-of-arden-2021.  

Categories
PGA Tour Champions

Ancer wins historic play-off in Memphis

Abraham Ancer holding his championship trophy at the FedEx St. Jude Invitational 2021. (Photo: Getty Images)

Press Release

Abraham Ancer became the first Mexican to win a European Tour title after defeating Sam Burns and Hideki Matsuyama in a play-off at the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational.

The 30-year-old carded a 68 to finish at 16 under after 72 holes at TPC Southwind, with Matsuyama and Burns storming through the field on day four with rounds of 63 and 64 respectively.

Matsuyama almost won it on the first trip back up the last as he lipped out from 20 feet but Ancer put his approach to six feet at the second attempt before Burns incredibly got inside him.

Ancer piled on the pressure by making his putt and when Burns missed with his effort, Ancer had his first World Golf Championships win and moved to seventh in the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.

American Harris English had entered day four with a two shot lead at 18 under but fired a 73 to finish a shot out of the play-off, one clear of countryman Daniel Berger, England’s Paul Casey and Australian Cameron Smith.

Smith had been in line for a play-off place but a double bogey on the last saw him sign for a 72 and slip back alongside Berger, who finished with a 66, and Casey, who carded a 67.

DeChambeau’s 74 left him at 12 under alongside fellow American Will Zalatoris, a shot clear of England’s Ian Poulter and former World Number One Dustin Johnson.

Abraham Ancer:

“I was trying to kind of let it all sink in there in the ceremony on 18. It was really surreal, something that I’ve been working for since I was a little kid. Definitely a dream, a dream come true to win on the PGA TOUR, and to do it on a big stage like a WGC event was really, really cool, man. It was a crazy round. I thought I was going to need a really low one to have a chance today, but it just worked out that it was like pretty much survival mode on the back nine.

“I felt really good the whole week and I’ve been feeling good for a long, long time. I just needed to be patient and just keep putting myself in good positions to win the tournament. Today, obviously the guys had to come back for me to have a chance there with being at 16 under, but like I said before, there’s some tournaments I felt that I played good enough to win and had a great round and things just didn’t go my way and I ended up not winning the tournament. So you’ve got to get lucky times to win events and I’m happy things went my way this week.

“I was probably more nervous of the trophy presentation than in the actual play-off or during the tournament. I felt really calm, I felt like I was ready, I felt like he was there with me. I know he (father) busted his butt his whole life to just get me to tournaments and just have a chance to compete and get better. He definitely would be extremely proud. I know he is extremely proud and having a big old party up there, man.

“I think it’s huge. I know Mexico is in a better spot than some years prior, right now, Mexican golf, but I think it’s getting a lot better. Hopefully this week will inspire some kids to get out there and play golf and learn about the game and just grow the game in general. I’m really pumped where things are headed in my country. Carlos (Ortiz) has been playing some really good golf as well. I feel like we’ve done a really good job. There’s a lot more to come.”

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Senior Tours

Thomas Bjørn to headline star-studded field at Trevose

Image: Getty

Thomas Bjørn, the 2018 Ryder Cup winning captain and 15-time European Tour winner, will make his Legends Tour debut at the Farmfoods European Legends Links Championship hosted by Ian Woosnam at Trevose Golf & Country Club from June 18-20, 2021.

The most successful Danish golfer of all-time turned 50 earlier this year and will make his Legends Tour bow in the first event on European soil since the Tour rebranded in 2020.

The three-time Ryder Cup winning player will be joined in Cornwall by tournament host and 1991 Masters Champion Ian Woosnam and 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie.

Bjørn is entering the next phase of his career on the Legends Tour after competing on the European Tour for 25 consecutive seasons, since earning his card by winning the 1995 Challenge Tour Rankings.

“I am really looking forward to making my Legends Tour debut,” he said. “I have known many of these guys for a long time, so I am excited to be able to catch up and spend some time with them again.

“The guys are still incredibly competitive, and the standard of golf will be very high, so I know I will need to be razor sharp in order to compete where I want to be at the top of leaderboards.

“I think it is a really exciting time to be involved with the Legends Tour following the changes over the last 12 months and I am intrigued to see what the future holds.”

Legends Tour Ambassador Lawrie, who won his maiden over-50s title at the Scottish Senior Open en route to being named Rookie of the Year in 2019, is looking forward to teeing it up on the links once more after his first visit to Trevose did not quite go to plan.

“I absolutely love links golf, it’s what I am used to living in Scotland, and hopefully I’ll have a better experience than last time I was down there.

“I got disqualified for playing the wrong ball in 2019. It was just one of those things that happens and you learn from.  Although the week didn’t go as I planned, I was able to appreciate the beauty of the venue and also the quality of the golf course.

(Text: European Tour Communications)

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Senior Tours

Legends Tour launches Celebrity Series

The Legends Tour today launched the innovative Celebrity Series and confirmed its first five Celebrity Ambassadors, who will be joined by other stars of sport and screen to compete for a spot in the Grand Final, which will take place in the Indian Ocean at the end of the year.

There will be four Celebrity Series qualifying events in 2021, taking place in the days prior to tournaments on the Legends Tour International Schedule, culminating in the Celebrity Series Grand Final in the Indian Ocean.

Harry Redknapp, Georgie Bingham, Glen Johnson, Sir AP McCoy and Dan Walker, all highly-respected figures in their chosen fields, have signed up to be Celebrity Ambassadors and will be the face of Celebrity Series.

The Celebrity Series events will take place prior to the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at Formby Golf Club, the Irish Legends presented by the McGinley Foundation at Rosapenna Golf Club, the Senior Scottish Open hosted by Paul Lawrie at Royal Aberdeen, and at an additional European venue to be announced.

The Series finale will take place in the Indian Ocean at the end of the year, where the five ambassadors will be joined by the five highest-ranked celebrities on the Order of Merit.

Sir AP McCoy, the 20-time Champion jump jockey, winner of two Cheltenham Gold Cups, the Grand National and BBC Sports Personality of the Year, will play in Celebrity Series events at Formby Golf Club and at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club.

He said: “I think the new Legends Tour events will be brilliant, not only for the pros playing but for people like myself who want to try and do something competitive on an Order of Merit.

“I think it’ll help the game of golf but I also think it will help those who rarely have the opportunity to be involved in sport. I think it will be great for former sportspeople like myself to keep competitive.”

Harry Redknapp, FA Cup winning manager, ex-footballer and TV personality, said: “I had a great day playing at Wentworth at the launch of the Legends Tour and I really am delighted to be signed up as a Celebrity Ambassador.

“I played in lots of Pro-Ams now and it’s nerve-wracking. When you stand on that first tee and you get an audience there and you’re playing with a professional golfer, you’re out of your comfort zone. When you hit a good shot or you sink a good putt, it’s so satisfying. The buzz you get is amazing.”

Dan Walker, journalist and TV presenter, said: “I love golf and when the opportunity to compete in the Legends Tour Celebrity Series arose, I knew I had to go for it.

“I have been fortunate enough to play alongside some of the world’s best players in Pro-Ams over the years but this is something really special.

“I grew up watching the likes of Woosie win the Masters and so many Legends Tour players competing in Ryder Cups and I am delighted to now have the chance to spend some time with them in the Legends Tour Celebrity Series.”

Georgie Bingham, the TV and radio presenter best-known for hosting shows on talkSPORT, ESPN and Sky, said: “I am over the moon to have been asked to be a Celebrity Ambassador for the Legends Tour and I can’t wait to get out on the course.

“I have been lucky enough to play in many Pro-Ams and I can honestly say they are so much fun. Being able to play golf with Legends of the game is so appealing and I am sure the Celebrity Series will be a great success.”

Glen Johnson, ex-Liverpool and England international footballer, Premier League winner with Chelsea and FA Cup winner with Portsmouth, will play in three of the four Celebrity Series events, said: “After retiring from professional football, golf became my sporting passion and being involved with the Legends Tour is a dream come true.

“It is a great initiative by the Legends Tour to launch this series and I am sure it will be hugely popular and will attract more people to the sport.

“It will be amazing to tee it up with my fellow Celebrity Ambassadors and the pros on the Legends Tour, many of whom I have watched on TV over the years winning Majors and Ryder Cups.”

Ryan Howsam, CEO of the Legends Tour, said: “When I took over as CEO of the Legends Tour, launching a Celebrity Pro-Am Series was something I was really eager to do and therefore today is a very proud day.

“Bringing together the Legends of golf with some of the biggest celebrity names is a winning combination and I’m excited to see these guys tee it up throughout the year. I have admired all five ambassadors for a number of years as they have excelled in their respective fields and it is wonderful to welcome them to the Legends Tour.”

(Text: European Tour Communications)

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Senior Tours

Four qualifying venues confirmed for The 2021 Senior Open Presented by Rolex

A view over Sunningdale Golf Club (Image: Getty)

Three of England’s finest golf courses have been named as venues for the Monday Qualifying event for The Senior Open, with an overseas qualifier set to take place in the United States for the first time in the Championship’s history to enable overseas players the opportunity to earn a spot in the field while minimising international travel.

Bearwood Lakes Golf Club, Burhill Golf Club, Hindhead Golf Club in England, and Firestone Country Club (Fazio Course) in Akron, Ohio, United States, will play host to hopefuls in their bid to secure a spot in Europe’s only Senior Major Championship when it returns to the Old Course at Sunningdale Golf Club from July 22-25, 2021, a year after the Championship was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A number of spots will be available for players hoping to tee it up alongside some of the world’s greatest over-50s players at the stunning Berkshire venue.

A record 591 players entered Qualifying events in 2018, while 525 golfers fought for 49 places at The 2019 Senior Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Burhill’s New Course was opened in 2001 and hosted Regional Qualifying for The 148th Open at Royal Portrush, while Bearwood Lakes, which opened in 1996, is set amidst 200 acres of beautiful Berkshire countryside and was one of the host venues for the Rose Ladies Series in 2020.

Hindhead Golf Club, which was founded in 1904 and ranks among Britain’s best, is a true Surrey heathland course and hosted Regional Qualifying for The Open from 2000 – 2005.

The United States’ Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio will host Qualifying for the first time, on the Fazio Course, which was designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 2002. The links-inspired course will play host to Qualifying on Monday June 21, in the lead up to the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship, which will be contested from June 24-27 on Firestone Country Club’s South Course.

David Williams, Tournament Director of The Senior Open Presented by Rolex, said: “We have chosen four fine golf courses to stage the Qualifying events for The Senior Open in 2021 and they will provide a true test of golf for the hundreds of players aiming to earn a spot at Sunningdale Golf Club.

“We thank our friends at PGA TOUR Champions for their support in helping us stage a qualifier in the United States as we provide the best opportunity to American golfers to take part in this prestigious Championship.

“After last year’s tournament was cancelled, we are extremely excited for this year’s Championship and the qualifying events will be a thrilling start to the week.”

Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships at The R&A, said: “We are greatly looking forward to the return of the Senior Open at Sunningdale and to the drama of the Qualifying events at four such outstanding courses.

“We appreciate the tremendous support we have received from the PGA TOUR Champions in staging an additional qualifying event this year at Firestone which will give players from around the world the opportunity to qualify and greatly assist us amid the continuing challenges with travel caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The Qualifying events in England are planned to be held on Monday July 19, 2021, with official practice days taking place on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18. The Qualifying event at Firestone CC will take place on Monday June 21. 

(Text: European Tour Communications)

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Senior Tours

Royal Aberdeen to host Scottish Senior Open

A view of the clubhouse of the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, where the first 3 Scottish Senior Opens were held between 1993-95. (Image: Legends Tour)

Royal Aberdeen Golf Club will provide the setting for the 2021 Scottish Senior Open hosted by Paul Lawrie, when the Legends Tour returns to the venue for the first time in 26 years from September 10-12, 2021.

The 2021 Scottish Senior Open marks professional golf’s return to Balgownie Links – one of two courses at Royal Aberdeen – after it hosted the first three editions of the Scottish Senior Open from 1993-1995, The 2005 Senior Open, the 2011 Walker Cup and the 2014 Scottish Open.

Aberdeen native and 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie, who is an Honorary Member of Royal Aberdeen, takes on hosting duties as well as returning to the event as defending champion, after winning his first Legends Tour title in the 2019 edition at Craigielaw Golf Club.

Royal Aberdeen Golf Club has a rich and storied history having been initially founded in 1780, making it the sixth-oldest golf club in the world, before receiving royal patronage in 1903. It was originally designed by the Simpson brothers, Archie and Robert of Carnoustie, and re-bunkered and lengthened by James Braid.

The renowned front nine at Balgownie Links is widely regarded as one of the best in the world as it weaves through the wonderful dune formation down towards the sea, while the inward nine boasts spectacular views of the Aberdeenshire landscape.

There will be opportunities to play alongside the professionals in both the pre-tournament Pro-Am and the Alliance Pro-Am, where amateur players are given the opportunity to play alongside the stars of the Legends Tour in tournament play.

Mark Aspland, Head of the Legends Tour, said: “We are incredibly excited to be returning to Royal Aberdeen for the first time in 26 years for the 2021 Scottish Senior Open hosted by Paul Lawrie.

“It is a club steeped in history and is a true gem in a country which is inundated with outstanding golf courses. We thought it was important to take this event somewhere which means something to Paul, as tournament host, and having a venue of such stature on his doorstep makes complete sense.

“Paul will be a fantastic host and I am sure he will be working closely with Keith Grant and his team at Royal Aberdeen to ensure we enjoy a brilliant event in September.”

Paul Lawrie, tournament host and defending champion, said: “I am incredibly excited to be given the opportunity to host the Scottish Senior Open at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, which is such a wonderful venue.

“It is a truly stunning golf course and being a local lad, it is a venue close to my heart and I cannot wait to welcome my fellow Legends Tour players to Aberdeenshire in September.

“I am looking forward to working closely with Keith Grant and his team at Royal Aberdeen, as well as Mark Aspland and the Legends Tour, to deliver the best event possible and help to show off our region.”

Richard Noble, Captain of Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming the Scottish Senior Open to Balgownie Links in September 2021, with a field including 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie, who will be defending the title he won at Craigielaw in 2019.

“We hope that by September fans will be able to attend the event and support the venue as they have done in the past, when we have proudly been host to The Senior Open, Scottish Open, the Walker Cup and The Amateur Championship.”

Paul Bush, Director of Events at VisitScotland, said: “It’s exciting to see the Scottish Senior Open heading to such an iconic venue as Royal Aberdeen in 2021.

“The Scottish Senior Open has long been an important part of Scotland’s world-class golf event portfolio and it is great to see it return this year. We look forward to working with colleagues at the Legends Tour to support them in delivering the best possible event this September.”

(Text: European Tour Communications)

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Live Satellite Tours Senior Tours

Legends Tour announces initial part of 2021 schedule

Paul McGinley of Ireland in action during the launch of the Legends Tour at Wentworth. (Image: Getty)

The Legends Tour today announces the first part of its International Schedule for 2021, marking the return of over-50s professional golf in Europe following the cancellation of the Tour’s 2020 season.

It follows the ground-breaking joint venture between Staysure Group CEO Ryan Howsam and the European Tour earlier this year, when Howsam acquired a controlling stake in the Staysure Tour which was rebranded as the Legends Tour, placing golf’s most iconic names at the forefront of the brand. 

Some of those iconic names, including Major Champions, former World Number Ones and Ryder Cup Captains, will host Legends Tour events in 2021 where amateurs will be able to tee it up alongside their golfing heroes in the innovative Alliance Pro-Am format. 

The season will begin in Austria when the Riegler & Partner Legends takes place from May 7-9 at Golf Club Murhof, with the Tour returning to the venue for the second time after its first appearance on the schedule in 2019. The Italian Senior Open will take place a week later from May 14-16 at a venue to be confirmed, before the first Senior Major Championship of the year, the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Oklahoma, from May 27-30. 

June will begin with a return to Jersey for the first time since 2016 for the ICL Jersey Legends at La Moye Golf Club from June 4-6, before the Tour makes its first trip of the year to mainland Britain for the Farmfoods European Legends Links Championship at Trevose Golf & Country Club, England, from June 18-20. 

The U.S. Senior Open will take place at Omaha Country Club, Nebraska, from July 8-11, while the long-running Swiss Seniors Open at Golf Club Bad Ragaz, will return for its 24th edition at a date to be confirmed in July. 

The WINSTONgolf Senior Open returns to WINSTONLinks, Vorbeck, Germany, from July 16-18, one week prior to The Senior Open Presented by Rolex at Sunningdale Golf Club, England, from July 22-25. The Championship will be hosted at Sunningdale one year on from its original date following its cancellation due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

The prestigious Staysure PGA Seniors Championship will take place at Formby Golf Club, Southport, England, from July 29-August 1, moving from London Golf Club where it has been hosted since its return to the International Schedule in 2018. 

Former Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley will then welcome the Legends Tour to the island of Ireland for the first time since 2010 when the Irish Legends Presented by The McGinley Foundation takes place in Donegal at the stunning Rosapenna Hotel & Golf Resort from August 20-22. 

The Scottish Senior Open Hosted by Paul Lawrie will take place in September where the 1999 Open Champion will look to defend his maiden over-50s title which he picked up at Craigielaw in 2019. The date and venue for the event are still to be confirmed. The Farmfoods European Senior Masters will take place once again at Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club, England, from October 1-3. 

Mark Aspland, Head of the Legends Tour, said: “We have been extremely excited to announce this schedule after the cancellation of our 2020 Schedule and we cannot wait to begin again next year. 

“We have used the time productively to strengthen our schedule for 2021 and give our members as many playing opportunities as possible. 

“I must place on record my thanks to all the partners, sponsors and federations who have made this schedule possible. We have a fantastic mix of old and new events and we are looking forward to visiting places we know well and venues and territories that are new to many of us. 

“We will be concluding the 2021 season with the Indian Ocean Swing Tour Championship events and we are working hard to add events through the season, particularly in the Autumn. Further announcements will be made early in 2021.” 

Ryan Howsam, Group CEO, said: “I would firstly like to say well done to Mark Aspland and his team for putting this schedule together. Following the announcement of the joint venture in September, we have been working together on the brand and marketing channels to improve the commercial value of the Tour and therefore enhance the playing opportunities for the Legends Tour members. We have identified several exciting projects that will enhance the Legends Tour over the coming years.

“There will be plenty of opportunity for amateur golfers to get involved in Legends Tour events, from playing in the Celebrity Pro-Ams, teeing it up in Alliance events and joining the Legends Club, our exclusive Membership Club for people who desire a more in-depth involvement in the Tour and our events.”

For anyone wishing to purchase playing spots in Celebrity Pro-Ams, Alliance events or to enquire about Legends Club Membership, please email Legends Tour concierge via: [email protected].

(Press release: Legends Tour)