2012 Seniors Open Returns to Turnberry
The Senior Open Championship will return to Turnberry for the first time since 2006, last year Russ Cochran upstaged some of his more illustrious counterparts to become only the second left-hander after Sir Bob Charles to win The Senior Open Championship.
The 52 year old American saw off all-comers with a superb final round of 67 on a day of low scoring and high temperatures at Walton Heath Golf Club, in Surrey, to finish on 12 under par and prevail by two strokes from his compatriot Mark Calcavecchia.
Fred Couples, the former World Number One and Masters Champion, has confirmed that he will make his debut in The Senior Open Championship when it returns to Turnberry from July 26-29.
The 52 year old American, who was recently named one of Davis Love III’s Assistant Captains for The 2012 Ryder Cup, joins an impressive field over the Ailsa Course next month, including Tom Watson, Bernhard Langer and Greg Norman, who this week also confirmed he will return to Turnberry where he won The 1986 Open Championship.
Couples, who played in five Ryder Cups, will be hoping for immediate success in The Senior Open Championship having come so close to winning The Claret Jug on several occasions. He finished tied third in The 1991 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale following a final round 64, and was tied third again in 2005 at St Andrews.
“Turnberry's a phenomenal course,” said Couples, who will captain the US Presidents Cup Team for a third time in 2013. “I played in The Open there the year Greg Norman won, and he shot an unbelievable score one day. So, you know, whether it's the Women's Open, the regular Open or The Senior Open Championship at Turnberry, it's going to be a hard, hard course, especially when the wind blows.
“Any of those links courses are hard. The first year I turned 50 I had to skip The Senior Open because the US Open was in Seattle where I grew up, and it was the week after. And then last year I was not playing golf in July or August, so I didn't go. But this year I'm going and I’m really looking forward to it.
“The people in Scotland are so enthusiastic and we get great crowds. When the wind is blowing and, say, if you have a five iron and you just get it on the green, they think it's a great shot and so do we. So they know what is going on. It's very difficult. I don't know how they'll set Turnberry up, but it will be a great week.”
Tom Watson will be returning to Turnberry where he won The Open Championship in 1977, defeating Jack Nicklaus in the famous ‘Duel in the Sun’, and The Senior Open Championship in 2003, defeating Carl Mason in a play-off. He also came agonisingly close to winning the Claret Jug over the Ailsa Course in 2009 at the age of 59, losing in a play-off to compatriot Stewart Cink.
- Car parking for the event is free of charge. Customers who pre book tickets should select from the parking options below. Details of the location of the pre-booked Parking location on site and the directional instructions will be printed on the car park pass and published on the website in due course.
- Children under 16 will be admitted to event free of charge when accompanied by an adult.
- Advance booking for the event will close 3pm Tuesday 24 July
Scotland's West Coast Golf Links would like to thank the following for their support:
