Terrible weather for start of Estoril Over-50s Open

SEVEN BIRDIES IN TEN HOLES LIFTS SAM AFTER POOR START

IN PORTUGAL'S WIND AND RAIN

FROM STEVEN FRANKLIN, Press Officer, European Seniors Tour (sfranklin@europeantour.com)

Sam Torrance recovered from an inauspicious start in some terrible weather conditions to card a four-under-par 67 on day one of the Estoril Senior Open of Portugal, an event which is expected to confirm the Ayrshire man as the winner of the 2006 European Seniors Tour Order of Merit.
The former Ryder Cup captain, pictured right, arrived at Quinta da Marinha's Oitavos Golfe Club with season earnings of 319,996 Euros, knowing that a top-10 finish would rubber-stamp his position as No 1 among Europe's Over-50s for the second year in a row.
Sam got off to a poor start in strong winds and rains and was three over par after five holes, before fighting back with seven birdies in 10 holes between the seventh and 16th to finish in a share of fourth place alongside Tony Johnstone of Zimbabwe.
Although his revival started soon after the weather improved, Torrance preferred to credit his 11-year-old daughter Anouska for sparking the upturn in form.

DAUGHTER A LUCKY CHARM
He said: "I was three over and then my daughter turned up on the seventh fairway. She was my lucky chairm. I played beautifully after that and managed seven birdies in the next 10 holes."
England's Carl Mason, a distant second behind Torrance on the Order of Merit, leads the tournament after a fine opening round of seven-under 64, two clear of the Spanish duo of José Rivero and Juan Quiros, fourth and fifth respectively in the money standings.
Rivero, who needs to win in Portugal and again at the season-closing Arcapita Senior Tour Championship to have any chance of overhauling Torrance, admitted defeat in his quest to finish No 1 for the season.
He said: "It's impossible now. It was always going to be a huge long shot as Sam needs to have two really bad weeks and he's not going to do that. He was three over today and then had seven birdies. He played brilliantly."
Mason agreed. "I looked at the Order of Merit this morning and decided there was no chance of catching Sam and for me it is a question of hanging on to second place. I am delighted to be in this position as not many weeks ago my season was going nowhere.

"My victory in the European Senior Masters changed that and I became much more confident. I won the following week in the English Seniors Open and was second in Spain last week."

Bill Longmuir is the next best placed Scot after a round of two-under-par 69 while Aberdonian John Chillas, who is fighting to stay inside the crucial top 30 on the Order of Merit, a position that guarantees a start in every tournament next year, was round in level par.

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 71
64 Carl Mason (Eng).

66 José Rivero (Spa), Juan Quiros (Spa).
67 Sam Torrance (Sco), Tony Johnstone (Zim).
68 John Mashego (SAf), Nick Job (Eng), Bertus Smit (SAf).
69 Bill Longmuir (Sco), Stewart Ginn (Aus).
70 Guillermo Encina (Chi), David J Russell (Eng), Emilio Rodriguez (Spa), Alan Mew (Tri).
71 Glenn Ralph (Eng), Tony Charnley (Eng), John Chillas (Sco), Jim Rhodes (Eng), Eamonn Darcy (Ire), Gavan Levenson (SAf), Maurice Bembridge (Eng), Delroy Cambridge (Jam).
72 Martin Foster (Eng), Jimmy Heggarty (NI), Gordon J Brand (Eng), Horacio Carbonetti (Arg), Giuseppe Cali (Ita).

Other Scots scores:

73 Bill McColl.

76 Mike Miller.

78 Martin Gray.