The Wonder of Wolstenholme: Winner of second senior event

From Michael Gibbons, European Tour Press Office

Gary Wolstenholme completed a brilliant wire-to-wire victory at the Casa Serena Open to secure his golfing future in just his second start on the European Senior Tour.
The 50-year-old Englishman, picured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, took home the €90,000 first prize on offer at Casa Serena Golf in the Czech Republic after a commanding final round performance that saw him post a four-under-par 67 for a winning total of 13 under 201 and a three-stroke victory over Scotland’s Gordon Brand junior
Wolstenholme, who enjoyed a glittering amateur career before turning professional at the age of 48, has now secured his playing rights for the next two years on the Senior Tour.
“It’s a dream come true to have done what I have in the space of two events,” said Wolstenholme as he cradled his trophy and the biggest pay cheque of his career.
“To come out of the blocks so quickly is extraordinary and I will tell you right now that I did a lot of praying on this one! I didn’t really know what to expect today and I knew that Gordon in particular would really come at me because he is a fierce competitor.
“I just did what I always do – I am a bit of a grinder, a bit of a golfing Steve Davis in the sense that it is never really spectacular but I get the job done.
“This win will open a lot of doors for me, I hope, but I just want to start taking it all in because it means so much. I know my mum back home will be jumping for joy and this is for her more than anyone.
“The money makes things a lot easier as well and winning will hopefully allow me to fulfil the rest of my golfing ambitions because there is still so much that I want to do in the game.”
Wolstenholme performed brilliantly throughout the week at Casa Serena Golf and held off strong challenges from both Brand Jnr and third-placed Mark Belsham of England.
It was Belsham who applied the early final round pressure with two front nine birdies but Wolstenholme stood strong before Belsham dropped out of the battle on the back nine. Cue Brand Jnr, a man of vast experience and a 2010 Senior Tour winner, but again Wolstenholme withstood the challenge to complete a well deserved win.
While Wolstenholme celebrated his maiden Senior victory, Brand Jnr and Belsham of England also left the Czech Republic in good spirits, with the Scot climbing to sixth place on the Order of Merit and Belsham moving to 32nd and securing his card for 2011 in the process.
Wolstenholme’s 13th place on the Order of Merit, with earnings of €109,181, is a phenomenal achievement in two events and is the clearest indication that the Englishman’s first Senior Tour win will not be his last.
If Gary's father Guy, a successful tour pro in his day, were still alive, he would me mighty proud of the chip off the old block. 


FINAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3x71). Yardage: 6,776.
200 G Wolstenholme (Eng) 66 67 67;
203 G Brand Jnr (Sco) 69 66 68;
206 M Belsham (Eng) 67 67 72;
208 D Russell (Eng) 71 70 67; J Bruner (USA) 71 69 68;
209 T Johnstone (Zim) 72 68 69; P Mitchell (Eng) 71 70 68; C Williams (RSA) 69 69 71;
210 M Farry (Fra) 70 67 73; A Oldcorn (Sco) 72 66 72; A Murray (Eng) 68 69 73;
211 A Fernandez (Chi) 72 70 69; A Franco (Par) 68 71 72; G Brand (Eng) 72 72 67; A Sowa (Arg) 69 70 72; B Ruangkit (Tha) 74 66 71; C Mason (Eng) 69 72 70; M Cunning (USA) 69 71 71; G Ryall (Eng) 70 71 70; P Dahlberg (Swe) 67 74 70; M Harwood (Aus) 76 66 69; M Clayton (Aus) 66 72 73;
212 L Carbonetti (Arg) 69 74 69; J Rhodes (Eng) 74 72 66; M Gray (Sco) 74 71 67;
213 J Gould (Eng) 70 70 73; J Quiros (Esp) 73 69 71; J Chillas (Sco) 73 70 70; K Spurgeon (Eng) 73 69 71
214 D Smyth (Irl) 70 73 71; D O'Sullivan (Irl) 72 70 72; R Drummond (Sco) 69 73 72; T Giedeon (Ger) 72 70 72; S Torrance (Sco) 76 71 67;
215 B Lane (Eng) 73 72 70; N Job (Eng) 72 73 70; P Fowler (Aus) 77 68 70;
216 R Chapman (Eng) 77 70 69; S Owen (Nzl) 74 74 68; C Rocca (Ita) 76 72 68; J Harrison (Eng) 72 70 74;
217 G Cali (Ita) 73 71 73; B Lincoln (RSA) 75 68 74; B Longmuir (Sco) 75 68 74; J Cañizares (Esp) 70 73 74; A Johnsson (Swe) 75 76 66; B Smit (RSA) 71 72 74; F Mann (Sco) 73 70 74;
218 B Cameron (Eng) 72 73 73; B Hardwick (Can) 73 75 70; G Ralph (Eng) 76 70 72; E Darcy (Irl) 75 70 73; J Rivero (Esp) 71 75 72;
220 H Carbonetti (Arg) 75 74 71; E Rodriguez (Esp) 78 74 68; S Bennett (Eng) 76 71 73; P Oakley (USA) 73 71 76;
221 D Durnian (Eng) 70 76 75; J Heggarty (Nir) 75 74 72; D Cambridge (Jam) 74 73 74;
222 J Seifert (Cze) 77 72 73; G Banister (Aus) 74 74 74;
223 P Teravainen (USA) 72 76 75; I Mosey (Eng) 72 74 77; D Merriman (Aus) 76 72 75;
224 M Bembridge (Eng) 74 74 76; M Poxon (Eng) 82 70 72;
225 D Johnson (USA) 76 72 77; D Hospital (Esp) 75 72 78; M Piñero (Esp) 76 71 78;
226 M Williams (Zim) 76 71 79;
227 T Charnley (Eng) 73 78 76; N Ratcliffe (Aus) 78 77 72; J Hall (Eng) 74 75 78;
231 J Juhaniak (Cze) 79 78 74;
234 M Miller (Sco) 74 85 75;


238 A Garrido (Esp) 85 77 76;


251 G Hopkins (USA) 82 89 80;


** E Polland (Nir) RT