Oldcorn bidding for European Tour card - although
he might not use it after his 50th birthday!
FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Andrew Oldcorn has defended his decision to try and win a European Tour card for next season – even though he admits he might not use it once he becomes eligible for the Seniors' circuit.
The former PGA champion is in the field for the final stage of the Tour School which starts this weekend, having decided to make the trip to Girona near Barcelona, Spain despite the fact his wife thinks he's "bonkers" for doing so.
Oldcorn, who finished 318th on this season's European Tour money-list, has his sights firmly set on European Seniors Tour, for which he'll become eligible when he turns 50 on March 31 next year.
But the Kings Acre-based pro insists he has nothing to lose by taking up his exempt spot at PGA Golf de Catalunya, where the prized cards on next season's main Tour will be up for grabs over a marathon six rounds.
"I know that some people might be critical if I earned a card but didn't use it but I have no qualms about taking up my spot, having earned my right to be there over the past 25 years," said Oldcorn.
"My wife thinks I am bonkers but, having taken some time to think about it, I feel I've got nothing to lose either way. I'd be sitting at home twiddling my thumbs looking out at the rain so I'm looking at this as an opportunity to go play in a tournament with money at stake.
"I'm not going to be under the same amount of pressure that the rest of the guys will be and, while I know it is a bit of a long shot due to the fact I've not played a lot of tournament golf recently, you just never know."
Oldcorn, who paid his first visit to the Tour School just after he turned professional in 1983, didn't have to go back until 2006 and, even then, that was down to an illness.
"There were two Tour Schools back-to-back when I started out with 30 cards up for grabs at each of them," he added. "There was no case of being all-exempt then either and you had pre-qualifying for events on the Monday.
"Alan Murdoch (the head pro at Kings Acre and his coach] is coming out to caddie for me and I know the courses from last year. I actually found one of them a bit too long for me but it had been wet in the build-up to last year's event. I've been watching the weather and the fact it's not rained there for the last few weeks should be to my benefit."
Joining Oldcorn in Girona are Bathgate's Stephen Gallacher, who is making his return after a lengthy injury lay-off in the event, and Edinburgh-based former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart.
TWELVE SCOTS IN EURO TOUR Q SCHOOL FIELD AT GIRONA
Andrew Coltart
Scott Drummond
Stephen Gallacher
Greig Hutcheon
Callum Macaulay
Andrew McArthur
Alan McLean
Jamie McLeary
George Murray
Steven O'Hara,
Andrew Oldcorn
Eric Ramsay
There will be a total field of 156 facing up the six-round test, at the end of which the leading 30 and ties will earn Category 11b membership of the European Tour.
he might not use it after his 50th birthday!
FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Andrew Oldcorn has defended his decision to try and win a European Tour card for next season – even though he admits he might not use it once he becomes eligible for the Seniors' circuit.
The former PGA champion is in the field for the final stage of the Tour School which starts this weekend, having decided to make the trip to Girona near Barcelona, Spain despite the fact his wife thinks he's "bonkers" for doing so.
Oldcorn, who finished 318th on this season's European Tour money-list, has his sights firmly set on European Seniors Tour, for which he'll become eligible when he turns 50 on March 31 next year.
But the Kings Acre-based pro insists he has nothing to lose by taking up his exempt spot at PGA Golf de Catalunya, where the prized cards on next season's main Tour will be up for grabs over a marathon six rounds.
"I know that some people might be critical if I earned a card but didn't use it but I have no qualms about taking up my spot, having earned my right to be there over the past 25 years," said Oldcorn.
"My wife thinks I am bonkers but, having taken some time to think about it, I feel I've got nothing to lose either way. I'd be sitting at home twiddling my thumbs looking out at the rain so I'm looking at this as an opportunity to go play in a tournament with money at stake.
"I'm not going to be under the same amount of pressure that the rest of the guys will be and, while I know it is a bit of a long shot due to the fact I've not played a lot of tournament golf recently, you just never know."
Oldcorn, who paid his first visit to the Tour School just after he turned professional in 1983, didn't have to go back until 2006 and, even then, that was down to an illness.
"There were two Tour Schools back-to-back when I started out with 30 cards up for grabs at each of them," he added. "There was no case of being all-exempt then either and you had pre-qualifying for events on the Monday.
"Alan Murdoch (the head pro at Kings Acre and his coach] is coming out to caddie for me and I know the courses from last year. I actually found one of them a bit too long for me but it had been wet in the build-up to last year's event. I've been watching the weather and the fact it's not rained there for the last few weeks should be to my benefit."
Joining Oldcorn in Girona are Bathgate's Stephen Gallacher, who is making his return after a lengthy injury lay-off in the event, and Edinburgh-based former Ryder Cup player Andrew Coltart.
TWELVE SCOTS IN EURO TOUR Q SCHOOL FIELD AT GIRONA
Andrew Coltart
Scott Drummond
Stephen Gallacher
Greig Hutcheon
Callum Macaulay
Andrew McArthur
Alan McLean
Jamie McLeary
George Murray
Steven O'Hara,
Andrew Oldcorn
Eric Ramsay
There will be a total field of 156 facing up the six-round test, at the end of which the leading 30 and ties will earn Category 11b membership of the European Tour.
Labels: Pro Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Wednesday, November 25, 2009
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