Norman to play Senior British Open
IN: News | European Seniors | Senior British Open (2005) | General | 06 Jul 2005
Two-times Open Champion Greg Norman will take his European Seniors Tour bow in Scotland, where a stellar cast has been confirmed for the 19th Senior British Open Championship, presented by Aberdeen Asset Management, from July 21-24 2005.
Close of entries this week sees the 50-year-old Australian - nicknamed The Great White Shark - take his place alongside the likes of Bob Charles, Tom Kite, Gary Player, Craig Stadler and Tom Watson - five players who have all enjoyed Major success on the regular Tours in the United States and Europe before capturing titles at Senior level. The sextet has accumulated a remarkable 39 Major victories.
Both the leading money winners on this season's European Seniors and US Champions Tours, Carl Mason and Dana Quigley respectively, are also confirmed for the €1,000,000 event at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, as are two Ryder Cup assistants. Des Smyth, twice a winner on the 2005 Champions Tour, will support European Team Captain Ian Woosnam at The K Club next September while Loren Roberts, who lost a play-off at the 1994 US Open, has been selected as Tom Lehman's right-hand man.
Mason came within a whisker of clinching the 2003 Senior British Open at Turnberry, on the event's last visit to Scotland, but lost out to Watson.
The American, who won four of his five Open Championships in Scotland, has a special affinity with this year's course, the Balgownie links, which he played prior to The Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes nine years ago.
He said: "I played at Royal Aberdeen in 1996 and thoroughly enjoyed it. The first ten holes are in the dunes and the last eight holes are back up the hill coming in. I really enjoyed the elevation changes and the beauty of the golf course. I have many good memories of playing and competing in Scotland and look forward to returning."
Kite, meanwhile, will be hoping to go one better than last year when he had to settle for a share of second place with Eduardo Romero at Royal Portrush Golf Club. European Seniors Tour rookie Pete Oakley had started the final day with a one stroke lead and held his nerve to produce the biggest upset in the Championship's 19 year history.
Oakley will defend his title and Romero is making a rare excursion away from the main European Tour to play. Other star attractions include Howard Clark, Jay Haas, John A Jacobs, Peter Jacobsen, Mark James, Graham Marsh, Mark McNulty, Andy North, two-times winner Christy O'Connor Jnr, Jerry Pate, Don Pooley and Ian Stanley.
This event is the first of a three year deal between Aberdeen Asset Management, the internationally-based Fund Management Group, The R&A and the European Seniors Tour to support the Senior British Open, which was accorded Senior Major status two years ago.
Source - European Tour
Photo - Anthony Powter
