The time has come for Sam
SAM TORRANCE admits victory in the British Seniors Open this weekend would prove the crowning glory to his prestigious 40-year career.
Torrance, 56, has claimed 43 Tour wins as a professional and played in no fewer than eight Ryder Cups – including famously captaining the European side to victory in 2002.
But the three-time Seniors Tour Order of Merit winner still has the void of a Major title on his impressive CV and has his heart set on fulfilling a dream and landing this year’s Open title at Carnoustie, which starts this morning. “It’s the only Major I play now and the highlight of my year,” says the City.A.M columnist.
“I will only know just how much it means if I come out on top on Sunday night, but it will run extremely close to anything I’ve done in my career.”
Torrance has suffered a recent dip in form on the Seniors Tour in recent weeks, and this week made the three-hour trip from Carnoustie to the family home on the western coast of Scotland to seek advice from his father, Bob, the experienced coach of Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington.
“It was great to see my father and now I feel I’m playing to the level I should be playing at,” Torrance added. “I’ve not got the best of records at Carnoustie, although I did finish second there in 1968, so one better this time round would be fantastic.”
Torrance is part of a strong Open field, which includes four of the last five European Ryder Cup captains in Torrance, Mark James, Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam, while Sir Nick Faldo was forced to withdraw with tendonitis.
Tom Watson will be looking to land a fourth Senior Open title, while fellow American Tom Lehman is among the favourites following his tied 14th place finish in the Open at St Andrews last week.