SAM CONSULTED OVER WILD CARD PICKS

TORRANCE AND WOOSNAM GOT THEIR
TIMING RIGHT ON SUNDAY
By STEVEN FRANKLIN
Press Officer, European Seniors Tour
At exactly the moment that Ian Woosnam, pictured right, was facing the world’s media for the announcement of his two wildcard picks, Sam Torrance, the winning Ryder Cup Captain from The De Vere Belfry four years ago and a close friend of the Welshman, was hoisting aloft the Charles Church Scottish Seniors Open trophy to mark his 40th tournament win as a professional golfer.

The fact that these two unrelated events in Germany and Scotland should take place almost simultaneously was entirely appropriate given the close links between the two men.

It was Torrance who first identified Woosnam as a potential Ryder Cup Captain by handing his friend the coveted Vice-Captaincy role at The De Vere Belfry. And it was Torrance to whom Woosnam turned when he wanted advice about picking his two wildcards. “He told me to trust my heart,” Woosnam told the media in Munich.

Both are straight-talking men of passion and both have enjoyed long and successful careers in European golf.

Torrance turned professional in 1970 – six years earlier than the younger Woosnam - and has gone on to win across the globe. However, it was in his home country of Scotland that the Largs-born golfer celebrated two significant milestones this season – that of reaching 700 events on The European Tour, a feat achieved during The Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond, and secondly, of notching his 40th professional victory.

The latter came in the gathering gloom of Sunday evening at Marriott Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club near Edinburgh, where Torrance closed with a round of 70 for a winning 54-hole aggregate of 213.

In doing so he pipped fellow Scot Bill Longmuir by a shot, after the 2004 Charles Church Scottish Seniors Open champion had closed with a 71.

A third Scot, Mike Miller, shared third spot on one under par after closing with a round of 73. Also finishing on that mark were John Bland and Bertus Smit of South Africa, who scored 69 and 70 respectively, and the English duo of Glenn Ralph (71) and David J Russell (69), the latter being one of Woosnam’s Assistant Captains for The K Club.

The €44,373 (£30,000) first prize represented Torrance’s fourth title on the 2006 European Seniors Tour and his third victory on Dalmahoy’s East Course, following triumphs in the Scottish PGA Championship in 1985 and 1993.

It also extended his lead over Eduardo Romero at the top of the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit to more than €66,000 with five events of the season remaining.

Torrance said: “It is great to win in my home country. I have great support up here so this is a wee bit more special than my other wins this year.

“I am obviously in a good position with the Order of Merit, but I don’t know how many more events Eduardo is going to play. I would love to win it again, so I am going to keep pushing. We have Woburn next week and that is a course I love.”

With that he left to find out exactly whom Woosnam’s heart had put its trust in.