After a hugely successful debut season last year on the European Senior Tour, Barry Lane is hoping that his first full campaign on the circuit can yield the ultimate reward: the John Jacobs Trophy.
Lane turned 50 halfway through the 2010 season and, in just seven appearances on the Senior Tour, he amassed one victory – at the Cleveland Golf / Srixon Scottish Senior Open – and registeried one second and one third place finish.
The Englishman will compete on both the Senior and European Tours this year but his main focus will be on the Senior Tour Order of Merit as well as the Senior Major Championships, as he looks to continue a truly exceptional career that has seen him compete at the top level for nearly three decades.
“I will play both Tours this year but the focus has to be on the Senior Tour,” said Lane. “I had a good first ‘half year’ last season and if I can play at my best then I could have a chance to win the Order of Merit.
“It was great to win so early on in Scotland and it really helped me settle on the Tour. It was very special to win at St Andrews.
“The Senior Majors are a huge incentive as well – I would love to contend in those tournaments as they are big events with so many of our sport’s biggest names playing in them.
“Playing the Senior Open Championship last year really opened my eyes to the Senior Majors and those events are the ones you want to peak for during the season. The Senior Open is at Walton Heath this year so I am really looking forward to it.”
While Lane still mixes it with European Tour colleagues young enough to be his children, the Englishman genuinely loves more relaxed atmosphere on the Senior Tour, where he and wife (and sometime caddie) Camilla enjoy travelling to some fantastic locations around the world.
“It is such a nice change of pace when you come straight from the main Tour to the Senior Tour,” said Lane, who has played in 665 European Tour events , second only to Sam Torrance in the all- time list.
“There is a great sense of togetherness and we are all of a similar age so there are a lot of shared interests and the occasional memory to share. It’s great for Camilla and I as well – we get to combine my golf with some really interesting travel so we love coming out here.
“You look at some of the destinations that are coming on the Senior Tour and it is really international now.
“It’s an exciting period with tournaments in places like Japan, Australia and Mauritius to name a few and then we still have a some great European events so hopefully that can continue.”
