Smyth Starts Season 34th in Japan

Masahiro Kuramoto claimed a four stroke victory in the Handa Cup Senior Masters on the European Senior Tour’s first visit to Japan and immediately announced plans to compete in Europe.

Kuramoto of Japan shot a final round of 65 for a 17 under par total of 271 at Ohmurasaki Golf Club to finish ahead of Frankie Minoza of the Philippines and the Japanese pairing of Satoshi Higashi and Kiyoshi Murota.

Major Champions Sandy Lyle of Scotland and Welshman Ian Woosnam, Scot Andrew Oldcorn and European Senior Tour Number One Boonchu Ruangkit of Thailand all shared fifth place on 12 under par but were unable to threaten the leader.

Woosnam, the defending champion, did however have the consolation of a course record 63 in the final round.

“I am very happy to win this tournament as it is the first time we have co-sanctioned with the European Senior Tour,” said the Kuramoto. “In the future I want to play in Europe and aim to play the Senior Open Championship and other events next year.

“I am delighted that Dr Handa has made this tournament happen and for the efforts he makes for blind golf. I want to help in the future. And I am proud to win amongst these great players.”

Woosnam made ten birdies and one bogey in his defence of the title, finishing his golfing year off in style.

“I played reasonably yesterday but I couldn’t hole the putts but today they started going in early on and it’s just nice to get a good one for the last one of the year.

“It was a good defence. I wasn’t feeling well at the beginning of the week, but I’m starting to feel better now. I’ve still got it now and again. I will be back to try to win again.”

Fellow Masters Champion Lyle carded a final round 70 to claim a second successive top five finish to round of the year while Oldcorn finished with a 69.

“My number going out today was 69 so I’m happy to have achieved that,” said Oldcorn. “I’ve got through emotional ups and downs today. I was tense all day, I think due to the reality of not being in that position in a big event in a long time. I’m delighted really, it turned out to be a great week after all.”

Runagkit proved once again why he was the European Senior Tour’s Number One golfer of 2010 with a strong finish with a 66 to join the group at 12 under par.

“I wanted to win it, but it is still an ok start to the new season,” he said. “The last two times in Japan I was leading until the final round so here I was hoping to win.”

Des Smyth finished tied34th after a final round 75.

Ruangkit Receives John Jacobs

Boonchu Ruangkit’s closing round of 65 in the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship highlighted exactly why the Thai finished 2010 as the Number One player on the European Senior Tour. 

Fearless and unrelenting when a trophy is within his grasp, Ruangkit was anointed as the new Order of Merit Champion in Spain following the type of charge that has characterised his splendid rookie campaign. 

It might not have led to a fifth Senior Tour title but Ruangkit’s tied eighth place at Club de Campo del Mediterráneo was ultimately enough to earn him an even grander prize, as the 54 year old succeed former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance as recipient of the John Jacobs Trophy. 

Knowing that South African Chris Williams could have denied him the Number One spot with victory in Spain, or even second place had Ruangkit finished outside the top 28, he produced nine birdies to surge through the field and end a year that began with victory in Brunei on yet another high. 

Ruangkit’s magnificent finale capped a spectacular season which saw him win four times and rewrite the Senior Tour record books, ending the year with earnings of €266,609 and the respect of all of his illustrious peers. 

“I’m so proud to follow great players like Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance as the winner of the John Jacobs Trophy,” said Ruangkit. ““This is a big moment for me in my career. Sam and Ian are big names and it’s great that a Thai player can come and win like this on the European Senior Tour.” 

He may have started the year as a relative unknown in Europe, but it took little time for the man known as the Godfather of Thai golf to introduce himself, as he exploded onto the scene by winning on his first outing of the season as a sponsors invite in the Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum. 

If that was impressive better still was to follow as, buoyed by his maiden senior win, Ruangkit strolled to the title by a record margin of 11 shots in the next event, in front of home support in the Change Thailand Senior Masters presented by ISPS. 

His 21 under par total of 195 was also the lowest in Senior Tour history as he hit the top of the Order of Merit, having become a member of the Senior Tour following his Brunei victory, which did not count towards the money list. 

Ruangkit then completed a remarkable hat-trick when he recovered from a second round 78 to win the Berenberg Bank Masters in South Africa, holding off the formidable challenge of Torrance. 

A second place finish in the Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum hinted that Ruangkit would also be a force on European soil and he followed that with a top 20 finish in the US PGA Championship. 

Further top ten finishes came in the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open (tied third) and the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters (tied seventh), before he placed one hand on the Order of Merit crown with his fourth win of the season in the Benahavis Senior Masters in October. 

Ruangkit returned to Spain to complete the job in the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship, eventually finish a fine campaign €39,259 clear of his nearest rival Chris Williams – a margin that would have been even greater had his prize money of €44, 332 from Brunei counted. 

“I had a great start to the year but then I was concerned about the weather in Europe,” he said. “I don’t like the cold very much but whenever the weather was good I played well. 

“I was very pleased to get the job done in Spain and win the John Jacobs Trophy. It was a good battle with Chris but I was very happy to do it. 

“I had no expectations coming into this season, I just wanted to play well. I thought I could maybe win once but I never thought I could do it four times. This has been the best year of my career.” 

Ruangkit, who turned professional at the age of 30 after abandoning a career as a kickboxer, becomes the sixth rookie to win the Senior Tour Order of Merit, following John Fourie (1992), Jon Morgan (1994), Brian Barnes (1995), Carl Mason (2003) and Ian Woosnam (2008). 

He also follows Tommy Horton (1996 and 1997), Carl Mason (2003, 2004 and 2007) and Sam Torrance (2006) to win the Order of Merit with at least four victories 

Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Senior Tour, paid tribute to Ruangkit’s remarkable 2010 season after he became the 11th different winner of the Senior Tour Order of Merit. 

“Boonchu is undoubtedly a worthy winner of the John Jacobs Trophy given his remarkable performances in Brunei, Thailand, South Africa and Spain this season,” he said. 

“Given the truly international nature of the European Senior Tour and its membership, it is highly appropriate that Boonchu should be the first Asian winner of a European Order of Merit. 

“He follows some great names in Carl Mason, Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance onto the famous trophy following a year that has seen him rewrite the record books.”

Cunning Wins OKI Championship

American Mike Cunning fired a final round 64 to win the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship as Boonchu Ruangkit sealed the 2010 European Senior Tour Order of Merit on a dramatic day in Spain.

Cunning had started the day three strokes behind joint overnight leaders Sam Torrance and Chris Williams but a titanic battle over the back nine saw him triumph, after a rare mistake from Torrance opened the door.

The 2002 Ryder Cup Captain was one shot behind Cunning with two holes to play but pulled his approach shot to the 17th some 30 yards wide of the green. He then found the greenside bunker with his third shot and splashed out 20 yards past the hole, eventually making a bogey six.

That effectively ended the Scot’s chances of continuing his sequence of winning in each of his full seasons on the Senior Tour – a record that stretched back to 2004 - as Cunning’s lowest Senior Tour round saw him finish on 14 under par 202 – one stroke clear of Spaniard José Rivero, who closed with a 66.

Torrance won the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship at Club de Campo del Mediterráneo in 2008 and sealed the Senior Tour Order of Merit at the venue last year but he had to settle for a share of third place with Paraguay’s Angel Franco this time round.

Instead it was Cunning who ended the season on a high, capturing his second Senior Tour title to go alongside his debut victory in the Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum at the start of the 2009 campaign.

“It’s a very special way to end the year, winning the last tournament of the season when I really needed to play well,” said the 52 year old.

“I was 42nd in the Order of Merit going into this event and my exemption from winning in Brunei was due to run out so I needed to force my way into the top 30 but to do it like this is special.

“I’ve played most of my life in Asia and that felt like home for me but it’s great to actually get a win on European soil. After two years of playing over here now it feels very special to win over here.”

Cunning posted nine birdies and just the single bogey on the fifth hole when his approach spun into the bunker and he failed to get up and down. It was a magnificent back nine of 31 that propelled him to the €64,433 first prize and moved him up to 14th in the end of season standings.

“I never seem to make it easy on myself,” said Cunning. “I actually chose to play in Japan last week and went from Spain to Japan and back to Spain so I’ve had some miles in planes these last few weeks. I was obviously a bit tired but something just clicked in my swing.

“I only made two bogeys all week and I putted really well today. It was one of those rounds that you dream about at night. To shoot 64 in the last round was kind of neat – I wasn’t expecting that at all.

“I was in the last group here last year but I played terrible in the wind on the final day and I shot a 78 to finish back in 18th. Today I went the other way up the leaderboard!”

The battle for the Order of Merit proved more straight forward by comparison, as Ruangkit showed exactly why he has been the dominant force this season with another remarkable run of birdies.

Ruangkit, who has won four times in 2010, began the day in 24th position knowing that Williams could snatch the John Jacobs Trophy if the South African won the season finale or finished second and Ruangkit ended up in a worse position than 28th.

That never looked likely as Ruangkit ended the year as impressively as he began it, with nine birdies in a superb 65 to share eighth place with defending champion Mike Harwood, Scotland’s Ross Drummond and Order of Merit rival Williams, whose challenge faded with a costly double bogey five on the fifth which contributed to his closing 73.

After consecutive victories in Brunei, Thailand, South Africa followed by his fourth title in Spain last month, Ruangkit follows Carl Mason (2007), and Ryder Cup winning Captains Ian Woosnam (2008) and Sam Torrance (2009) as winners of the Senior Tour Order of Merit.

“I feel very proud and happy to have won the John Jacobs Trophy,” said the 52 year old. “This is great for Thai golf and hopefully will help a new generation of Thai players.

“I didn’t really feel the pressure today. I thought if Chris Williams won he deserved to win the prize so I just focused on my game and tried to get the job done.

“This is a big moment for me in my career and I feel very proud to follow players like Ian Woosnam and Sam Torrance as winners of the Order of Merit.”

Ruangkit finished his rookie season with earnings of €266,609, with Williams in second place, €39,259 behind. Franco, former Ryder Cup player Gordon Brand Jnr and Mason completed the top five.

Des Smyth carded a two under par final round of 70 to finish four under overall for a share of 17th place..

Denis O'Sullivan signed for a 74 to finish 2 over par.

OKI Championship Results

Smyth and O'Sullivan Off OKI Pace

Des Smyth completed round two of the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship with a 69 and posted a score of 2 under for a share of 17th place - seven shots off the pace. 


Chris Williams ensured the 2010 European Senior Tour season will go right to the wire after a five under par 67 gave him a share of the lead with former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance going into the final round of the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship. 

Williams, who is currently €39,259 behind Thailand’s Boonchu Ruangkit in the Order of Merit, set up a fascinating final day of the season on Sunday by carding four birdies in the last seven holes of his second round at Club de Campo del Mediterráneo. 

The South African needs to either win or finish second and hope that Ruangkit is worse than 28th if he is to capture the John Jacobs Trophy, given to the leading Senior Tour player. 

He kept his chances of achieving that very much alive with a flawless back nine to move to nine under par for the tournament, level with Torrance who fired a superb course record equalling 63 in Spain. 

With Ruangkit eight shots back in a share of 24th place following a 71, the Order of Merit battle looks destined to be just as close as last year when – coincidentally – it was Torrance who came from behind to edge out Ian Woosnam by just €3,380. 

“Ultimately the whole season is now coming down to this one round,” said the Williams. “There is going to be a lot of pressure and it would be accurate to say that I’m aware of that when I’m out there. 

“If you weren’t too bothered about winning the Order of Merit there wouldn’t be but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. Whatever happens it will be the finest year of my life but I’d love to do it. 

“If I allow the pressure to become too much it will ruin my game so the idea is just to relish the moment and be careful I do not become over anxious. I really need to separate what is going on tomorrow and ignore the thoughts of awards and just focus on shooting a good score. 

“I’m playing with Sam who knows all about this from last year but I’m sure he will be going all out to win for himself.” 

Williams might ultimately look back on the tough par three 12th hole - the only one Torrance dropped a shot on - as a pivotal one in his season. 

“I really turned my round around with that birdie on the 12th,” he said. “Nothing had really happened for me until that point. It’s a difficult hole but my approach shot was superb and that gave me confidence.” 

If Williams is to capture his maiden Senior Tour title – and the John Jacobs Trophy – he will have to overcome a formidable competitor in Torrance, the reigning Order of Merit winner. 

Torrance has a marvellous record around Club de Campo del Mediterráneo, winning the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship in 2008 and finishing third last year to seal the Order of Merit. 

The 2002 Ryder Cup Captain posted ten birdies and just the single bogey on the 12th hole as he produced his lowest round of 2010 by two strokes. 

Torrance is keen to maintain his sequence of winning in each of his full terms on the Senior Tour since 2004 and said he had given himself every chance of prolonging that run and capturing his 12th title overall. 

“I played magnificently today – the best I have for a long time,” said the Scot. “It really doesn’t get any better than it was out there. I played beautifully all day and only hit one bad shot. 

“My all round game was superb and I don’t think I could have shot a better score. It would mean a lot to me to win again and keep the run going – I did it two years ago and I’ve given myself every chance of doing it again. 

“There is something special about this place for me. I love the people, the food, the course and I’m great friends with the Garcia’s so I love coming here.” 

Torrance and Williams are one shot clear of Englishman Nick Job, who carded a superb 64 to move to eight under par. Australian David Merriman and Spaniard José Rivero, the overnight leader, are a further shot back after rounds of 66 and 71 respectively. 

Denis O’Sullivan signed for a 73 to finish level par.

Sergio Garcia at OKI Senior

Spanish footballers Aritz Aduriz, Pablo Hernández and Juan Mata received some golfing wisdom from Sergio Garcia when they teed up alongside the eight time European Tour champion in the Pro-Am at the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship. 

The Valencia players celebrated their 3-0 victory over Rangers in the Champions League by tackling Garcia’s home course, Club de Campo del Mediterráneo, which is hosting the European Senior Tour finale this week. 

Garcia’s made his return to competitive golf at the host venue last month in the CASTELLÓ Masters Costa Azahar and his father Victor is part of the field this week. 

While The Ryder Cup player gave the Valencia players some golfing tips, he is no stranger to making the switch of sports himself, having played for Spanish third division side Borriol – the club he is President of – earlier this season. 

Garcia, who was one of Colin Montgomerie’s Vice Captains at last month’s Ryder Cup, will be a keen observer again this week during the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship as Boonchu Ruangkit attempts to seal the Senior Tour Order of Merit.

O’Sullivan and Smyth Open at OKI

Denis O’Sullivan finished the better of the two Irish players in OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship – the European Senior Tour season finale - finishing with a one under par round of 71 to hold a share of 12th place on the opening day and five shots off the leader, Jose Rivero. 

Des Smyth fared a few shots worse after five birdies, seven bogeys and then a double bogey on the 15th, to end the day with a 73 and card an one over par round on day one. 

Former Ryder Cup player José Rivero fired an opening round six under par 66 to lead the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship by two shots as he looks to end the 2010 season on a high in his homeland. 

The Spaniard is without a top ten finish this year but produced his lowest round of the campaign with a fine display of shot making around Club de Campo del Mediterráneo, which is hosting the European Senior Tour finale for the third consecutive year. 

Rivero, who is one of three invites to the €400,000 event, missed only two fairways, carding seven birdies and only one bogey, which came on the closing hole when he found the rough and then pushed his approach shot into a greenside bunker. 

The three-time Senior Tour winner has seen an improvement in his form in his last three events, posting his only two top 20 finishes of 2010 in the Cannes Mougin Masters (tied 16th) and Benahavis Senior Masters (tied 17th). 

He attributed his position at the top of the leaderboard in Castellón to a similar improvement in fortune on the greens. 

“I played very well today and my whole game was solid from tee to green,” said the 55 year old, who played in The Ryder Cup in 1985 and 1987. “I only missed two fairways, one of which was the 18th, which is a complicated hole and I made a five. 

“The rest of the round my game was very good. I didn’t make many long putts, apart from a ten metre birdie on the 10th, but I seemed to hole a lot. 

“Nothing has really changed in my game other than the putts went in today. In Benahavis and Cannes I played well but putted badly so that was the difference today. 

“Hopefully I can continue over the weekend as I would love to end the season strongly and finish in a better position.” 

Rivero is two shots clear of compatriot Juan Quiros and South African Chris Williams, who strengthened his Order of Merit chances with an opening round 68. 

The man Williams is trying to overhaul, Thailand’s Boonchu Ruangkit, is in tied 20th position following a level par 72 which included a costly double bogey five on the 16th hole. 

Ruangkit is currently €39,259 ahead of Williams in the Order of Merit and can guarantee the John Jacobs Trophy if he finishes inside the top three but looks like facing a stern examination from Williams, who is searching for his maiden Senior Tour title. 

Williams, who was playing alongside his rival and defending champion Mike Harwood, made the perfect start with back-to-back birdies and after dropping shots on the fourth and seventh holes he hit back with birdies on the eighth, ninth, 13th and 17th holes. 

He said: “It was great to start with two birdies and then I had a couple of hiccups but I’m happy with how it went today. 

“I hit most of the greens out there today. It was difficult playing with Boonchu as your mind could play all sorts of games on you but I just tried to stick to my own game plan. He was unlucky with the double bogey on 16 as he just caught it a bit heavy then chose the wrong club but he’s a great player and rarely misses a fairway. 

“He’ll be around the top ten at least so I know what I have to do and it is a good start.” 

Sharing second place with Williams is Quiros, whose bogey-free back nine of 32 – which included back-to-back closing birdies – saw him also sign for a four under par 68. 

Quiros produced a remarkable shot on the 14th when he removed his shoes and socks to play from the water hazard protecting the green and managed to save par against the odds. 

“I almost broke the club as I hit it against stones in the stream but it was a very good shot and I managed to make my four,” said Quiros. “I wouldn’t have been surprised to have made seven there given the position I was in. 

“On the front nine I had a disaster with the driver – I can’t remember being that bad before – but on the back nine I played perfectly. The 14th was the only green I missed.” 

Former Ryder Cup Captain Ian Woosnam was enjoying a return to form after posting seven birdies but a double bogey on the 18th undid much of his good work and he had to settle for a 71 to lie five strokes off the pace. 

Sam Torrance, the 2002 Ryder Cup winning Captain who captured the title in 2008 and won the Order of Merit last year, is a further shot back after a 72.

Smyth and O’Sullivan Seek No. 2

Des Smyth and Denis O’Sullivan play in the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship this week on the same course that only two weeks ago Matteo Manassero set his new European Tour record as the youngest ever winner. 

As previous winners both Irish men will be trying to set their own records at the Senior Tour Championship by becoming the first players to win the event twice - as there has been a different winner every year for the past ten events. 

It was 2005 in Bahrain when Des Smyth beat John Chillas of Scotland by one stroke to take the title and 2000 when Denis O’Sullivan held off the challenge of Priscillo Diniz of Brazil and Tommy Horton of England to win at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club by Sheraton. 

For the third consecutive year the season finale is being hosted at the Club de Campo del Mediterraneo, home course for Sergio Garcia, and the club where his Father, Victor, has been the Professional for many years. 

This season the favourite is Boonchu Ruangkit of Thailand who is looking to seal a sensational maiden campaign, having also long since wrapped up the Rookie of the Year title, after successive victories in Brunei, Thailand and South Africa at the start of the year. More recently he won at the Benahavis Senior Masters, becoming the first player to win four times in his maiden campaign since England’s Carl Mason in 2003. 

However he had to withdraw from the Sicilian Senior Open after suffering a neck injury a few weeks ago but returns to action this week in search of a second successive win on Spanish 

Soil and the €64,433 cheque on offer to the winner. 

Three-time John Jacobs Trophy winner Sam Torrance, who took the OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship title in 2008, returns to the 6,800 yards, par 72 course bidding to improve on his current Order of Merit position of 14th. The Scot finished in third place at last year’s event behind runner-up Angel Franco from Paraguay who is currently third on the Order of Merit. 

Last year’s winner, Mike Harwood of Australia, carded a closing round of 66 which made him the first former champion of the Volvo Masters on The European Tour to triumph at the Senior Tour’s season finale. 

The Sydney man, who also won the 2009 Rookie of the Year title returns to Castellón intent on rescuing an inconsistent season in which he has finished in the top ten once, and that was at the Handa Irish Senior Open presented by Fáilte Ireland in June. 

Other notable names in the field include Carl Mason, the winner of the Senior Tour Championship in his debut season in 2003, currently fifth on the Order of Merit and still seeking to surpass Tommy Horton’s record haul of 23 Senior Tour titles. 

So far this season it has proved elusive for Mason - despite coming close on a few occasions. 

Baker-Finch To Make Senior Debut

Ian Baker-Finch celebrated his ‘coming of age’ ahead of the Handa Australian Senior Open, the first event of the 2011 European Senior Tour season, when he officially became a senior golfer on his 50th birthday on Sunday October 24.

Baker-Finch is feeling positive about his return to competitive action at Royal Perth Golf Club from November 19th -21st, having spent the past 15 years focused on forging a career in TV commentating and golf course design.

“I’m really looking forward to going back to Perth and playing Royal Perth Golf Club, where I won the WA Open in 1984,” said Baker-Finch. “All the guys who played the 2009 tournament raved about the quality of the course, so I’m really looking forward to getting back there and playing it again 16 years on.”

Whilst relishing the prospect of making his Senior Tour debut at the Handa Australian Senior Open, Baker-Finch also acknowledged the threat posed by other players in the field who still earn a living playing full-time on the Tour.

The Queenslander, who won The Open Championship in 1991, said: “It’s crazy to think I could play as well as guys like Peter Senior, Mike Harwood or Ian Woosnam, who still play golf full time. But I want to be competitive, and will be going out there to win. I will continue being a commentator for 25 weeks of the year and work on my golf course design, but I’ll try to play half a dozen senior tournaments as well for the next few years.”

Baker-Finch will be joined in Perth by a cast of Australian greats which includes Wayne Grady, Peter Senior and local favourite Terry Gale, as well as a long list of household names from Europe and beyond who added their names to the field after the three-year co-sanctioning deal with the Senior Tour was announced earlier in the year. 

One such star is Major Champion Ian Woosnam of Wales, who last played in Perth at the 2002 Johnnie Walker Classic at Lake Karrinyup Country Club.

“I have really fond memories of Perth and have always played reasonably well there, so I’m looking forward to experiencing some warm weather and getting my game back into some sort of form,” said Woosnam.

The Welshman admitted this season hadn’t been one of his best, but he is looking forward to ending the calendar year on a high by making a strong start to next season. 

He said: “I played in Cannes two weeks ago, but didn’t play very well. I haven’t been practicing hard enough to be honest, but I’ve now got a fortnight to work on my game before playing the Senior Tour Championship, and then heading to Australia. So hopefully I can finish the year off strongly.”

Together with the Scottish duo of Sandy Lyle and Sam Torrance, Woosnam and Baker-Finch are both global ambassadors for Dr Handa’s organisation the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS), which aims to encourage more people from diverse backgrounds into the game. 

ISPS has a long-standing commitment to raise the profile of blind golf, and also to foster opportunities for people with disabilities to take up the sport.

Talking further about the role of ISPS and blind golf, Woosnam said: “I think it’s great that Dr Handa can put his money towards charity and developing blind golf. There’s been a tremendous reaction to blind golf so far, and he’s working hard to get golf and blind people into the Paralympics in a really great way.”

This is the second year the Handa Australian Senior Open will be staged at Royal Perth Golf Club after an exciting finish to last year’s tournament, which went down to the wire with a sudden death three-way play-off between eventual winner Mike Harwood, Michael Clayton and Peter Senior. Harwood will return to Perth to defend his title in November.

Entry to the event is by gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to support Blind Golf in Western Australia.

Sicilian Senior Goes to Hospital

Domingo Hospital of Spain captured his maiden Senior Tour title with a round of 74 at the inaugural Sicilian Senior Open at Il Picciolo Golf Club to earn a playoff edging out the Horacio Carbonetti of Argentina on the first extra hole to take the €37,500 first prize - after both men had finished on five under par in regulation. 

Carbonetti’s consolation was a cheque for €25,000 which moved him up to 38th on the Order of Merit, and therefore guaranteed him a place in season-ending OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship. 

Third place went to Canadian Graham Gunn, whose level par round of 72 meant he finished on four under par, whilst American Jerry Bruner, Horacio Carbonetti’s brother Luis, England’s Carl Mason and Scotland’s Andrew Oldcorn all finished in a tie for fourth place on three under par. 

The only other player to finish below par was England’s Tony Allen, whose round of 68 – the lowest of the day – catapulted him from 24th place to eighth on one under. 

Earlier in the day, home hero Costantino Rocca delighted the locals by scoring an ace on the second hole with an eight iron. 

Jimmy Heggarty finished on 3 over par after a final round 74. 

Denis O’Sullivan ended on 76 shots to finish 8 over for the tournament

David Ginola targets Senior Tour

David Ginola targets card for Senior Tour | Mail Online

Heggarty in Sicilian Chase

Jimmy Heggarty of Northern Ireland finished three shots off the pace on the opening day of the inaugural Sicilian Senior Open after signing for a round of 71 at Il Picciolo Golf Club on the holiday island of Sicily. 

Event leader, Horacio Carbonetti of Argentina, was grateful for the help of his caddie, a local lady named Cecilia, to overcome treacherous conditions to post a round of 70 on day one. 

Carbonetti, currently 49th on the Senior Tour Order of Merit and without a top ten finish all season, made light of the heavy weather at Il Picciolo Golf Club, on the holiday island of Sicily, to set the clubhouse target on two under par. 

With persistent rain rendering low scoring highly difficult, Carbonetti displayed the surest of touches to register just one bogey – and that came at the fiendishly tough 11th hole, which at 472 yards in length is yet to see a birdie all day. By his own admission the Argentine was also the recipient of some good fortune, having found his ball after wayward drives at the 12th and 17th holes. 

“My only bogey of the day came at the 11th, but it’s playing like a par five. I still had 230 yards to go with my second shot, so I came up short of the green and couldn’t get up and down. But overall I was very pleased with my day – I just hope the weather tomorrow will be a bit better.” 

The only other player to finish under par so far was Spaniard Juan Quiros who, despite two sixes on his card, signed for a one under par round of 71. 

Quiros, who finished fourth at last week’s Benhavis Senior Masters, carded five birdies but gave shots back with bogeys at the sixth and 11th holes, and a double bogey at the 16th. 

Earlier in the day England’s Carl Mason, chasing his 24th Senior Tour title to overtake his compatriot Tommy Horton’s record haul, finished on one over par after an up and down round of 73. 

Denis O’Sullivan is four over par after carding a round of 76. 

Rocca Seeks Sicilian Open Title

Jimmy Heggarty, Denis O’Sullivan and Eddie Polland are the Irish trio at the Sicilian Open later this week which is the last event before the season finale at the Tour Championship in Castellon at the start of November. 

Costantino Rocca will hope to round off a vintage year for Italian golf with a popular home victory in this week’s Sicilian Senior Open. Following the Ryder Cup success of the Molinari brothers and the emergence of teenager Matteo Manassero, as well as Alessandro Tadini’s triumph on the Challenge Tour, the stage is set for the Godfather of Italian golf to remind the world of his own undoubted talent. 

Having inspired the new generation to their considerable achievements, Rocca’s attention is now firmly focused on his own game, as he tries to seal a place in the top 42 on the Order of Merit to guarantee a spot in the season finale, the OKI Castéllon Senior Tour Championship. 

The 53 year old former Ryder Cup player, who famously defeated Tiger Woods in the Singles at Valderrama in 1997, has only managed one top ten finish in a season affected by a shoulder injury but a second round 68 in last week’s Benahavis Senior Masters suggested a return to form could be imminent. 

He hopes that II Picciolo Golf Club and the spectacular backdrop of Mount Etna will provide the perfecting setting to achieve that. 

“It will be the first time I’ve been to this course but it is nice have an Italian Seniors event back on the Senior Tour Schedule,” said Rocca. “Hopefully we can play in Sicily for the next three years. It is very important for me and for the Italian people to have a Senior Tour event. 

“It’s a nice place Sicily and a nice region and hopefully we will have a good week. I need to do well in Sicily and finish the season well. The shoulder and finger are still sore but hopefully they won’t stop me from playing well.” 

Also in the field is Englishman Carl Mason who has another opportunity to capture a record breaking 24th Senior Tour title and become the outright most prolific winner in Senior Tour history. 

Mason is currently tied with Tommy Horton on 23 victories and is in good form having finished sixth in the Cannes Mougins Masters and joint runner-up in last week’s Benahavis Senior Masters. 

The man he tied with, John Gould, will have another opportunity to seal his playing rights for next year having moved up to 44th in the Order of Merit. 

Meanwhile with Boonchu Ruangkit absent due to a neck injury, South African Chris Williams will be hoping to gain his first Senior Tour win and close the gap at the top of the Order of Merit, which Ruangkit extended with his win in Spain last week. It is the Senior Tour’s first visit to Italy since 2008 when Peter Mitchell captured the title in Lake Garda.

Smyth Scores Birdies in Cannes

Seven birdies on the back nine sent Des Smyth soaring to the top of the leader board as the 2006 Ryder Cup Vice-Captain carded a seven under par opening round of 65 in the inaugural Cannes Mougins Masters.

After dropping a shot on the first hole when he drove it into the bunker, Smyth picked up a shot on the third for a steady level par front nine of 36 before igniting his round with five successive birdies immediately after the turn at Cannes Mougins.

He then picked up further shots on the 16th and 17th to come home in 29 and take a two stroke lead over Peter Mitchell, with English pair Mark Belsham and Nick Job, Scotland’s Gordon Brand Jnr and Japan’s Katsuyoshi Tomori a further stroke back.

“I was thrilled with my back nine,” said Smyth. “That was one serious back nine. I actually hit the hole from 12ft on the last too so I had a putt for 28, which I was delighted about.

“It’s as good a back nine as I can remember. Although I’ve done it before I don’t recall breaking 30 too often so I’m delighted. I’m really thrilled to play so well.”

Smyth is looking for his second victory of the season following his win in the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open at the end of August and he admits that his first title since 2007 has given him a massive boost.

“It has to give you confidence,” he said. “Since then I’ve made a few changes with my iron play. I grafted really hard to win in Scotland and I wasn’t on top of my iron play so I’ve made a few changes to improve that and I hit a lot of good irons today.

"I’m standing closer to the ball and swinging up and down the line and swinging a bit taller. I’m consciously trying to do that and it worked. Last year I wasn’t happy with my game and I felt this year would be better after a rest from six years in America and it has turned out that way.”

Englishman Mitchell, who is currently languishing in 33rd place in the Order of Merit, had an eagle three on the par five eighth hole and four birdies in his round of 67 as he looks to end the season strongly.

His compatriot Job attributed his flawless opening round 68 to changes he has made to his putter, as he made five birdies without dropping a shot.

Belsham, who finished a career best third in the Casa Serena Open three weeks ago, made six birdies in his round of 68, while Brand Jnr posted five birdies, dropping his only shot of the day on the 13th, to join Job on four under par.

Former Ryder Cup player Brand Jnr is currently lying in sixth place in the Order of Merit after finishing runner up to Gary Wolstenholme in the previous event, the lucrative Casa Serena Open, and could strengthen his John Jacobs Trophy aspirations with victory this week.

Englishman Carl Mason, who is bidding to win a record breaking 24th Senior Tour title, is among a group of players on three under par that also includes Australian Peter Fowler, Englishman Glenn Ralph and home favourite Marc Farry, who has helped organised the Cannes Mougins Masters.

Denis O’Sullivan signed for a round of 71 to finish one under par.

Jimmy Heggarty was level for the day after a round of 72.

Eddie Polland was four over par in Saturday’s opening round.

Ryder Cup Flavour at Cannes Seniors

The European Senior Tour returns this week to France for the first time since 2007 with the Cannes Mougins Masters from October 9-11th, 2010. This event will now have a real Ryder Cup flavour as the 2002 winning captain, Sam Torrance, is entered along with the victorious K Club 2006 duo of Ian Woosnam and his vice-captain, Des Smyth.

1987 Irish Ryder Cup hero at Muirfield Village, Eamonn Darcy, also plays along Antonio Garrido, who with Seve Ballesteros became the first Europeans to play in the event when the format was changed from just Great Britain and Ireland. 

Other Spanish Ryder Cup legends, Jose Maria Cañizares and Jose Rivero of Spain will join Victor Garcia - Father of 2010 Vice-Captain, Sergio – and two other past players, Constantino Rocca of Italy and Gordon Brand Jnr from England. 

The other Irish entries this week include Denis O’Sullivan, Jimmy Heggarty and Eddie Polland. 

With a prize fund of €250,000 the tournament will play a decisive role in the Senior Tour Order of Merit, just a month before the season ending OKI Castellόn Senior Tour Championship. 

The format has the Senior Tour professionals playing alongside an amateur partner on Saturday and Sunday, before the professionals contest the final round on Monday. 

Cannes Mougins previously hosted the Cannes Open on The European Tour from 1984 to 2001, with the roll call of champions including Senior Tour players David Frost (1984), John Bland (1986), Mark McNulty (1988 and 1990) and Ian Woosnam (1994).

Smyth Returns From Korea

Des Smyth returns to action this week in the Czech Republic after finishing 39th last week at the Songdo Championship, the first US Champions Tour event in Korea - with a prize fund of US$3m - held at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club of Korea. 

Smyth joins Eamonn Darcy, Denis O'Sullivan, Jimmy Heggarty and Eddie Polland at the Casa Serena Open in Prague which tees off on Friday. 

Peter Mitchell is hoping his reputation as a man for the big occasion will inspire a successful defence of the Casa Serena Open in the Czech Republic this week. Mitchell has won some of the richest events on the Senior Tour circuit over the past three seasons, picking up €94,000 for his win at the Ryder Cup Wales Senior Open and then €43,000 at the Scottish Senior Open in 2008. 

He followed those lucrative wins by taking the big €90,000 prize here at Casa Serena Golf last year and is hopeful that he can fly home on Monday with another cheque to deposit in the bank. 

The 52 year old Londoner has also had to adjust to life as an asthma sufferer in the past 12 months but arguably his toughest battle this year has been coping with the problem that caused his asthma in the first place – an allergy to wine. 

There are plenty of the Senior Tour’s finest in attendance at Casa Serena Golf looking to spoil Mitchell’s title defence, including Boonchu Ruangkit, Chris Williams and Angel Franco who can all overhaul Bernhard Langer at the top of the Order of Merit by scooping that €90,000 top prize. 

Also in the Czech Republic is former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance as well as recent Senior Tour champion Barry Lane and Carl Mason – who finished fifth to Mitchell last year at Casa Serena – will continue his quest for a 24th title that would make him the most successful player in European Senior Tour history.