SENIORS TOUR REPORT

Late slips a blow to Sam Torrance

hopes of top-four finish at Woburn

Ian Woosnam reignited his Senior Tour Order of Merit challenge with a three under par 69 in the second round of the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters at Woburn today but will have to make up eight strokes on leader Peter Senior if he is to claim his second title of the season.
The Welshman, who needs a top ten to regain pole position in the race to finish Number One, lies joint 11th on level par going into the final round but while topping the Order of Merit is within reach, catching Senior will take something extraordinary.
Senior, playing only his second event since turning 50, birdied the last for a five under par 67 to pull four clear of his closest challenger, Zimbabwe’s Tony Johnstone, and after a career that includes 26 titles around the world, now looks odds on to claim his first title on the Senior Tour.
“In 30 years of playing I have never lost the love for this game and I am just excited to competing again,” said Senior. “I have been waiting a long time to get out there and play competitive golf and I am looking forward to having a run at it.”
Senior picked up five birdies in a flawless round and while he finished strongly with a birdie on the last, playing partner Johnstone slipped up with two dropped shots to finish to gift Senior a sizeable lead.
Woosnam, meanwhile, birdied three of his opening five holes and got himself into red figures with a fourth birdie of the day on the 11th. His only error came on the 16th, when he drove into the fairway trap.
“I played really well today but couldn’t read the greens,” he said. “It could have been a very low score but the greens, while they are very good, are also difficult to read. I had a lot of good chances and it has got me back in there.”
Woosnam also reverted back to his old clubs after trying a new set in the first round. The move was prompted by the need to “break in” some new irons with the new groove ruling coming into force next year, but after an opening 75 he decided to stick with his existing irons for a little longer.
The battle to finish No 1 is heading towards a straight fight between Woosnam and Sam Torrance and the Scot, who needs to finish in the top four to move to the front, shot a second round 74 to fall back to one over par.
One under for the round with five to play, Torrance’s hopes were dealt a blow with a double bogey on the 14th and then another dropped shot on the 16th to slip back to joint 16th place.
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