EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR

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Torrance, Longmuir three behind in South Africa

REPORT BY STEVE TODD, European Seniors Tour Press Officer
Scotland’s Sam Torrance is three shots behind new European Senior Tour sensation Boonchu Ruangkit after the first round of the inaugural Berenberg Bank Masters in South Africa.
Former Ryder Cup Captain Torrance and fellow Scot Bill Longmuir both opened with one under par rounds of 72 at The Links at Fancourt to lie amongst ten players in a share of sixth place.
Torrance was two over par after just four holes but hit back with five birdies. However bogeys on two of the three par-5s on the way in, including Fancourt’s difficult closing hole, cost him two shots.
Despite that, the 2009 Senior Tour No 1, who has two top five finishes in three appearances so far this season, was satisfied with his start to the €500,000 event.
“I played lovely but had two unplayables near the end on the two par fives and made six on both,” said the 56 year old from Ayrshire. “Apart from that I played beautifully. It’s a very fair course but it’s just very difficult. I’ve been slow starting for a while so it’s good to be up there from the start.”
Fellow Scots Ross Drummond and Martin Gray are a further shot back on level par but it is the remarkable Ruangkit’s who is top of the leaderboard following a flawless four under par 69.
The Thai star, who is chasing his third consecutive victory, has a one stroke advantage over American Jerry Bruner and Italian Giuseppe Cali, meaning he has now lead the field after each of the last seven rounds of Senior Tour competition– a new record.
Ruangkit’s wire-to-wire debut victory in The Aberdeen Brunei Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum was followed by a record breaking wire-to-wire win on home soil in the Chang Thailand Senior Masters presented by ISPS, where he posted a record low total of 21 under par 195 and a record winning margin of 11 strokes.
The 53 year old, who is known as ‘The Godfather of Asian Golf’, has carried forward that form to The Links at Fancourt, where the Senior Tour is making its first trip to South Africa.
“I’m very happy today because I was on the fairway on nearly every hole and you can play well from there,” said Ruangkit, the current Order of Merit leader. “Today I played some good golf but I know it might be tough tomorrow as it is going to be windy.
“My confidence is high but it wasn’t when I saw this golf course on the first day! The greens slope a lot and this doesn’t suit my game. I’ve had to adjust my game a lot.”

SECOND-ROUND TOTALS
Par 73
69 B Ruangkit (Tha) ,
70 J Bruner (USA) ,
71 S Van Vuuren (RSA) , G Cali (Ita) , D Merriman (Aus) ,
72 M Harwood (Aus) , T Giedeon (Ger) , A Franco (Par) , B Longmuir (Sco) , C Williams (RSA) , R Stewart (RSA) , M Farry (Fra) , D Russell (Eng) , S Torrance (Sco) , G Towne (USA) ,
73 K Spurgeon (Eng) , C Mason (Eng) , P Oakley (USA) , R Drummond (Sco) , M Gray (Sco) , M Saengsui (Tha) ,
74 B Smit (RSA) , B Cameron (Eng) , J Heggarty (Nir) , I Woosnam (Wal) , M Piñero (Esp) , M Williams (Zim) , S Bennett (Eng) , H Carbonetti (Arg) , B Lincoln (RSA) , I Mosey (Eng) , S Ebihara (Jpn) , R Chapman (Eng) ,
75 J Quiros (Esp) , J Bland (RSA) ,
76 J Rhodes (Eng) , M Clayton (Aus) , F Mann (Sco) , J Chillas (Sco) , A Johnsson (Swe) , J Mashego (RSA) , S Hobday (RSA) , N Job (Eng) , C Rocca (Ita) ,
77 T Johnstone (Zim) , A Murray (Eng) , G Brand (Eng) , G Player (RSA) , D Smyth (Irl) ,
78 D Hospital (Esp) , D Cambridge (Jam) , G Banister (Aus) , D Johnson (USA) , D O'Sullivan (Irl) , M Miller (Sco) , M Poxon (Eng) , L Carbonetti (Arg) , J Chitprasong (Tha) , G Ralph (Eng) ,
79 A Garrido (Esp) ,
80 J Hawkes (RSA) , I Palmer (RSA) , S Mokgare (RSA) , G Levenson (RSA) , P Mitchell (Eng) , E Rodriguez (Esp) , A Henning (RSA) ,
81 J Fourie (RSA) , H Baiocchi (RSA) , T Horton (Eng) ,
82 N Clarke (RSA) , M Bembridge (Eng) ,
83 J Rivero (Esp) , V Tshabalala (RSA) , A Sowa (Arg) , J Ackerman (RSA) ,
84 B Hardwick (Can) ,
85 T Manyama (RSA) ,
88 B Boyd (USA) ,
94 T Fisher Snr (RSA) ,