Oldcorn makes European Seniors

Tour debut next month

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR
Andrew Oldcorn makes his European Senior Tour debut in next month’s Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum determined to seize his second chance in the game with both hands.
The Bolton-born Scot, who turned 50 on March 31, has discovered a renewed enthusiasm for the game after admitting he suffered a lull following his finest hour – winning the PGA Championship in 2001.
Oldcorn was 41 years old when he held off Nick Faldo and Angel Cabrera down the stretch to capture The European Tour’s flagship title at Wentworth Club (that's him pictured above in his moment of triumph) and he is targeting more success late in his career when he is reacquainted with some old friends on the Senior Tour.
“I’ve been in this twilight zone of mid forties to late forties where your career is coming to an end on the main Tour and you are waiting for your second career on the Senior Tour,” he said.” It’s been difficult. I’ve also had a tough time away from the golf course – I lost my mother and had surgery on my eye – but I’m looking forward to getting back amongst my peers.
“The challenge of what is coming ahead for me is exciting. How I cope with it is anyone’s guess. I’ve prepared as well as I can. I’m a little bit circumspect in terms of I need to get a bit of confidence back in my game.
“I’ve kept an eye on how the Senior Tour guys have been performing for a couple of years now. I know that the likes of Sam Torrance, Ian Woosnam, Roger Chapman and Carl Mason have done really well. I draw a bit of encouragement from the fact that I competed against these guys when I was younger and had some success.
“I’m just hoping I can make the transition so I can go into a golf tournament and feel like I can win it again rather than just make up the numbers as I did towards the end of my career of the main Tour.”
Born in Bolton, Oldcorn has lived in Edinburgh for 42 years and plays under the Scottish flag. During his 26 year career on The European Tour he won three times, the Turespaña Masters Open de Andalucia in 1993, the Jersey Open in 1995 and the PGA Championship nine years ago.
That latter victory gave him a fighting chance of making Torrance’s Team for The 2002 Ryder Cup and although he pushed himself to the limit by playing 14 tournaments in a row, ultimately he came up agonisingly short.
“If I was to stop now and not play on the Senior Tour I would have to say I’ve had a good career,” he reflected. “I would be happy with what I achieved. I’m unfulfilled in some aspects – I never played in The Ryder Cup for one which I really wanted to do and never played in the Masters Tournament – but I won three times and a lot of people don’t even win once.
“Other than the time I had my illness in the mid-nineties I went the best part of 22 years without losing my card. All in all I think I have had a successful career. If it all stopped tomorrow I would probably give myself seven out of ten. It would be nice to round off my career though by filling in a few gaps I feel need to be filled in on the Senior Tour.
“We can’t escape the fact that we are lucky in being able to have a second career in what we do. That is unique to golf. Once I get my head down and meet the guys again and get into the swing of playing tournament golf again, instinct will take over. It’s how I manage my game from there as to how well I do.
“I’ve been looking forward to the Senior Tour for quite a well but now that it is here I feel like I have talked about it too long and I want to get started and see how I do.”
Oldcorn’s first appearance as a Senior will be at Stapleford Park in Leicestershire from May 12-14 and he is planning a visit to the course in advance of the £400,000 tournament to give himself the best chance of a debut to remember.
“I don’t know Stapleford Park so I’m going down for a scouting mission,” he revealed. “It’s my debut and I know I’m going to be nervous. I don’t want to go in there by the seat of my pants so I am going to prepare properly by going down a few weeks in advance so when I arrive on the first tee I’m not alienated by my first event.
“I’ve missed all the long haul events because of when my birthday has fallen. I’ve never been a great long haul traveller anyway so it has worked out great for me to make my Senior debut in the UK.”
The location of this year’s Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard has also fallen in his favour, with the 24th edition of the Championship being played over the Championship Course at Carnoustie – a short drive from his Edinburgh home.
“It’s unfortunate that I won’t have much golf under my belt before the first Major – the US Senior PGA Championship next month - but I will be well into the swing of things by the time Carnoustie comes around,” he said.
“The fact that it is local as well is a bonus as I can always nip up to Carnoustie for a game. I played a Tartan Tour event there the other day and I’ve played Carnoustie a lot. Even though I know the course really well I think it is one of those course you can never know too well.
“I think it is without doubt the hardest course on the Open rota and I think we will all be praying for good weather that week.
“I haven’t set myself any targets on the Senior Tour though. I think it will take me a month or six weeks to get an idea of how I’m playing. My short term target is to enjoy my golf again and enjoy being in an environment with people I know and just take any plusses that come.
“I’m sure once I get involved again my competitive nature will take over and any flaws that are in my game will be worked out. I’ve been lucky in that I have always got the best out of myself and I have been successful. If I can stay clear of injury and illness, who knows?”