Three Ryder Cup captains have confirmed that they will be competing against each other at this year’s European Senior Tour English Senior Open being held at Rockliffe Hall 22-24 August.
Three Ryder Cup captains have confirmed that they will be competing against each other at this year’s European Senior Tour English Senior Open being held at Rockliffe Hall.
Ian Woosnam OBE, Sam Torrance OBE and Mark James will go head-to-head in the tournament, which takes place on August Bank Holiday Weekend, Friday August 22nd until Sunday August 24th, with a sold-out pro-am tournament being held on the Thursday.
Other names now confirmed as playing include top Italian golfer, Costantino Rocca, as well as Barry Lane, Des Smyth, last year’s winner, Steen Tinning, and Paul Wesselingh, who won 2013’s Order of Merit.
Ian ‘Woosie’ Woosnam is famous the world over for winning the US Masters in 1991 and captaining the Ryder Cup team in 2006 when they were victorious over the US. Woosie was one of the ‘Big 5’ along with Ballesteros, Faldo, Langer and Lyle who dominated world golf in the 80’s and 90’s. A little recognised statistic about Woosie is that he has won more professional golf tournaments than any other British golfer.
Scotland’s Torrance is famed for captaining the Ryder Cup team in 2002 and also winning the European Tour 21 times. The 60 year old, who is also a well-known commentator, was awarded the MBE in 1996 and the OBE in 2003 for his outstanding contributions to golf.
Costantino Rocca is Italy’s most successful golfer to date, having won five European Tours and two European Senior Tours. Fifty seven year-old Rocca also finished second in the 1995 Open.
This year’s English Senior Open follows the success of the 2013 tour, which attracted over 5000 spectators to Rockliffe Hall, and will be the biggest single sporting event in the North East in 2014.
Chairman of Rockliffe Hall, Warwick Brindle, said: “To have three Ryder Cup captains at Rockliffe Hall in the year that the Cup returns to the UK is a massive coup for the North East. We’re really excited about hosting the event again and welcoming such a fantastic field of players. It’s not only a boost for Rockliffe Hall but our region as a whole as we continue to strive to put the North East on the golfing map.”
