Play it again, Sam ... at this week's Scottish

Senior Open at Fairmont St Andrews

NEWS RELEASE
Sam Torrance will hope his extensive knowledge of the Fairmont St Andrews course he redesigned will help him continue the strong home tradition in the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open this week (Friday-Sunday, August 21-23).
Torrance’s victory in the 2006 Scottish Senior Open at Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club was the third time a Scot had won the event, following David Huish in 1998 and Bill Longmuir in 2004.
He came close to becoming only the second player to win the event twice – following Tommy Horton’s victories in 1993 and 1997 – when he finished runner up to Englishman Peter Mitchell last year.
The 2002 Ryder Cup Captain returns to the ‘Home of Golf’, on the Torrance course which bears his signature, in fine form, having finished third in the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open a fortnight ago and fifth in The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard last month.
That run has moved the 2009 DGM Barbados Open winner up to third on the European Senior Tour Order of Merit. Victory at Fairmont St Andrews would see him overhaul leader Mark McNulty and second placed Ian Woosnam.
He said: “It’s always nice to go back to the Home of Golf and I’m looking forward to it. I fancy my chances.”
Torrance heads a strong Scottish challenge which also includes Longmuir and former Ryder Cup player Gordon Brand Jnr, who is chasing his maiden European Senior Tour title, having finished second on his debut in The De Vere Collection PGA Seniors Championship 12 months ago and tied fourth in the same event in June.
Ross Drummond, currently 11th on the European Senior Tour Order of Merit, led the US Senior PGA Championship at the halfway stage in May and will hope to improve on his tied eighth place at last year’s Scottish Senior Open.
Other Scots in the field for the 17th edition of the Scottish Senior Open include John Chillas, winner of two Scottish Professional Championships (1976 and 2001), and Bill McColl.
In addition to Longmuir, defending champion Mitchell and Torrance, Noel Ratcliffe (2000), Denis Durnian (2002), Terry Gale (2003), Nick Job (2005) and José Rivero (2007) will also tee it up in Scotland.
Four time European Tour winner Peter Senior of Australia will make his Senior Tour debut having turned 50 on July 31.
The Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open is the first professional championship to be staged at Fairmont St Andrews following its £17million revamp.
It will be an Open Qualifying course when The Open Championship returns to the Home of Golf in 2010.
As well as a new host venue, the Scottish Senior Open has a new title sponsor for 2009 with leading golf manufacturer Srixon Sports Europe, which operates both the Cleveland & Srixon brands in the UK and Europe, strengthening its existing association with the European Senior Tour.
Cleveland is already the Official Club of the Senior Tour and Srixon is the Official Ball Supplier to the Senior Tour.
The Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open rounds off another superb summer of golf in Scotland backed by national events agency EventScotland, which has also included The 138th Open Championship at Turnberry and the Scottish Hydro Challenge at Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club.