Senior Major golf returns to Europe this week as The Gleneagles Hotel plays host to the ISPS HANDA Senior Open. Here are your five things to know.
Harrington defends
Pádraig Harrington became the fifth player in history to win both The Open Championship and the ISPS HANDA Senior Open as he cruised to a three-shot victory at Sunningdale 12 months ago. The Irishman held a two-shot overnight lead, but he quickly extended that as he got off to a dream start with an eagle at the first and maintained his command to sign for a closing three-under-par 67. On another day of low scoring over the Old Course, he carded an eagle, three birdies and two bogeys to reach a winning total of 16 under par, with fellow former Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn and American Justin Leonard locked in a tie for second. Harrington joined Bob Charles, Gary Player, Tom Watson and Darren Clarke as a winner of the Claret Jug and the Senior Open trophy. "There are some great names on the trophy," he said. "I was looking at the board inside with all the winners and it's a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that I've done both." The 54-year-old arrives full of confidence having recently won the U.S. Senior Open for the third time for a fourth Senior Major win.
Back at Gleneagles
The Senior Open returns to Gleneagles for just second time this week, with the world's best set to take on the King's Course. The Scottish venue will always be associated with what happened over on the PGA Centenary Course in 2014, when Paul McGinley's Europe beat the United States to win a third consecutive Ryder Cup but the hotel has also hosted the Solheim Cup, Scottish Open and Johnnie Walker Championship among other events. The Senior Open was first staged here in 2022, also over the King's Course, with former Open champion and Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke lifting the trophy.
Happy returns
While everybody in the field will be delighted to be taking on the King's Course in the spectacular setting of Gleneagles, two players will be particularly happy to be back in Perthshire. Clarke returns to the scene of his first, and so far only, Senior Major victory, which was claimed in dramatic style four years ago. Clarke shared the lead heading into the fnal day and was still on top when a torrential downpour caused a near two-hour delay. Upon the resumption, Harrington birdied the 17th and 18th to set the clubhouse target but two putts from just off the green at the par-five last handed Clarke a birdie and a one-shot win. Jamie Donaldson also returns to the venue where 12 years ago he hit the shot of his life to seal the winning point for Europe at the Ryder Cup. That was on the PGA Centenary Course but being back on the grounds of Gleneagles is sure to bring back happy memories.
High-class debuts
One of the unique things about senior events is that every year a fresh cohort of players tee it up who have turned 50 since the last edition and this year's ISPS HANDA Senior Open has a high-end Class of 26. Alongside Donaldson, who has already claimed two wins since his birthday in October and tops the Staysure Legends Tour Order of Merit, is fellow 2014 Ryder Cupper and former Open champion Henrik Stenson. Two-time Major Champion and former US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson is making his debut alongside 2006 K Club team-mate Vaughn Taylor. Add in six-time PGA TOUR winner Rory Sabbatini and three-time DP World Tour winner Hennie Otto and we could have youthful senior winner this week.
Inside the field
We may have aready mentioned a plethora of heavyweight names but there are plenty more in a field that contains 15 Major Champions, Ten Open Champions and 29 Ryder Cup players. Former World Number Ones Ernie Els and David Duval are on display alongside winners of this event KJ Choi, Alex Cejka, Stephen Dodd, Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Mark Calcavecchia. Leading the home charge will be Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie and Stephen Gallacher, with Montgomerie's fellow former Europe captain Paul McGinley teeing up where he lifted the Ryder Cup as skipper. YE Yang, Shaun Micheel, Rich Beem, Michael Campbell, Retief Goosen, Stewart Cink and Justin Leonard complete the line up of Major Champions.
