PETER SENIOR is excited to be heading to the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews in July after a nail biting finish at the International Final Qualifying event at Kingston Heath Golf Club.

It will be Senior’s 18th British Open appearance and his fifth at the home of golf.

He will be joined by fellow qualifiers Kurt Barnes and Ewan Porter.

Barnes tore up the Kingston Heath layout with a second round eight under par 64 to finish on ten under overall, two shots ahead of overnight leader Ewan Porter (68) with Senior (70) taking third place on five under par.

It was a nervous wait for 50 year old Senior, who was aiming for his first Open appearance since 2000 when he finished 72nd at St Andrews.

At six under with just a hole to play Senior bogeyed the 18th moving back to five under and narrowing the gap between himself and his nearest competitor New South Welshman Aaron Townsend.

He then sat in the clubhouse watching and waiting for scores to come in before breathing a sigh of relief as he secured the third and final spot while Townsend and Victorian Steve Jones finished two shots back on three under. 

“It feels fantastic. I thought I had blown it coming down the last couple of holes but the score hung on and I am really excited about going there,” said Senior.

Senior previously played St Andrews’ Opens in 2000, 1995, 1990 and 1984 with his best result 14th place on debut. His best finish at The Open was in 1993 at Royal St Georges when he finished fourth.

“St Andrews is such a special place, the atmosphere is just fantastic and I am really going to enjoy this one.”

In contrast to Senior, the 2010 Open Championship will be Kurt Barnes’ first appearance at a Major. The affable big-hitting New South Welshman set the course alight firing a superb 8 under 64 final round to take honours on the final day after starting in fourth place and two shots off the pace. 

Two rounds of 68 saw Sydney’s Ewan Porter do what no other player at Australasian Qualifying has ever done – qualify three times from three attempts. He qualified at both attempts at The Lakes in 2007 and 2008

TOM WATSON’S heart stopping performance at the British Open this year has led to the Royal & Ancient rethinking its age exemption rules.

The 60-year-old five-time Open champion finished runner-up this year but would have lost his exemption status because of the R&A’s age rules.

But golf’s governing body said yesterday it had amended one of its rules so that former champions who finish in the top 10 in the previous five Opens get a five-year exemption, regardless of age.

“We have introduced this exemption as a direct response to seeing two of our great Open champions (Watson and Greg Norman), both in their 50s, challenging to win our championship these last two years,” R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said on Monday.

“We rightly reduced the age of exemption for past champions from 65 to 60 two years ago and our intention was never to remove players still at the top of their game from competing in the Open.”

The R & A had not contemplated a 59-year-old leading the Open Championship going into the back nine on the final day.

Two time championship winner Norman, who turns 55 in February, will have five years to secure a top ten finish and extend his exemption. The Shark tied for third at the 2008 Open.

The Open will celebrate its 150th Anniversary when it returns to St Andrews next year.

 Tom Watson finds it within himself to be happy for Stewart Cink winning the British Open.

Oh So Close But There’s Wisdom in the End

GOLF can be such a very cruel game.

For 59 year old Tom Watson the fairytale was just ten foot away.

Every club golfer has at some stage stood over a ten foot putt, and for whatever the context making it “important” for them at the time, felt just a touch of what Watson must have been feeling.

Just this putt to win the British Open, many have fantasised.

But for the veteran American it wouldn’t be just any British Open. It would be an historic record equalling sixth win by a man much older than any of the champions who had gone before him.

Just a couple of months shy of his 60th birthday, with an often mentioned hip replacement recently under his belt, the British commentators were beside themselves with the possibility, saying it would be the “greatest achievement in sport by anyone anywhere”.

That point could have been debated but oh what an achievement it would have been in any case.

Watson had seemed almost serene all week. He seemed to know something was coming together.

After finishing the first round at five under par he used the word “defenceless” to describe the course in still conditions.

Watson had seemed almost serene all week. He seemed to know something was coming together

And this was a course tough enough to cause world number one Tiger Woods to miss the cut for the first time in who knows how long. Probably since primary school.

Watson began the final day at three under alongside Australia’s Mat Goggin, who was a stroke further back.

Goggin would eventually falter and others, like England’s Lee Westwood and South Africa’s Retief Goosen, would have their chances and come and go.

In the end, Watson only needed to par the final hole to win.

He hit a fine drive and his iron approach was just as good but the ball trickled over the back of the green.

The lie in the second cut didn’t look too bad but Watson seemed to spend a long time bowed over studying it.

His wife, the crowd, commentators and no doubt countless television viewers were besides themselves, conscious they were about to witness history.

On the east coast of Australia it was past 4am, but we quickly fired up the laptop to record this great event.

We had the first paragraph, all about the fairytale coming true, mentally written and ready to go.

Watson was obviously torn between a chip and a putt. He decided on a putt and the real danger seemed to be not giving it enough oomph to get up the slope and onto the green. You wouldn’t want to tighten up and leave it short.

He gave the putt plenty, only just a touch more than perfect really, and the ball gathered a little pace as it sauntered past the hole.

Then there was just that ten foot left. For the Claret Jug, the historic sixth win, the whole fairytale.

Earlier, others had been thinking way too far ahead of themselves. If Watson won, they conjectured, the organisers would have had to change the rules to let him compete next year. Sixty year olds aren’t allowed to play. But this sixty year old would be the reigning champion with six wins under his belt.

But the sad fact is most fairytales have a Big Bad Wolf. You need the wolf to increase the dramatic tension. And sometimes, the wolf wins.

In this case the Big Bad Wolf title undeservedly went to Stewart Cink. Cink was the clubhouse leader on two under.

As we write this, we haven’t heard Watson’s post match comments.

Maybe he will admit that he tightened up, that the nerves got to him a little. When his putt came up short it certainly looked like they had.

As we said earlier, every golfer knows that feeling. Just relax, and for Christ’s sake don’t leave it short.

Everyone was a little deflated after that. Watson and Cink went into a four hole playoff but from the start Watson’s expression seemed to have changed slightly. More like resignation than serenity. The body language wasn’t good.

When Watson fluffed a great chance he was presented with on the first playoff hole things went downhill quickly.

Yes, he seemed to visibly age. Suddenly he was putting his tee shots into the rough and looking wistful and tired.

The last two playoff holes were painful. Everyone wanted it to end.

No doubt for Cink it was a triumph. He played the four holes beautifully.

He got to sink the putt that won him the British Open.

At the end when it was all over Watson seemed to check himself and reboot from what was obviously feelings of utter devastation and pain.

He walked over to Cink and offered what was clearly a heartfelt message of congratulations.

From a great distance, they looked to be words of wisdom and insight.

They looked to be the kind of words that Stewart Cink will remember for the rest of his days.

A GOLEN OLDIE stole the show during the first round of the British Open but unfortunately it wasn’t our Greg.

Five time winner Tom Watson, just a couple of months shy of his 60th birthday, put in a serene performance on a course he described as “defenceless” to his charms.

Watson finished at five under, just pipped for the lead by Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, who  equalled the lowest first round in Open Championship history with a six-under-par 64.

Watson was bogey free, hitting 12 of 14 fairways and 15 greens.

“I feel that I’m playing well enough to win. I feel inspired playing here.”

Greg Norman on the other hand carded birdies on 17 and 18 to come in at seven over. Gulp.

The Shark said the millpond conditions didn’t suit him and he never felt comfortable.

“It was disappointing I wasn’t walking on to the first tee feeling confident about where I was hitting the ball,” the twice Open winner said.

“For me to drive the ball the way I did today was probably the worst of my career and if you don’t get on the fairway you are going to struggle. I got what I deserved.”

John Senden, blessed by a last minute Open start, and Tasmanian Matthew Goggin were the best of the Australians. They are among a group of five players tied for fifth place at four under.

Matching Tom Watson on 65 were 2003 champion Ben Curtis and right at the end of the day by Japan’s Kenichi Kuboya, who finished sensationally - birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie - for an inward 30.

Paul Casey, Lee Westwood, David Howell and Graeme McDowell had hopes of figuring high on the leaderboard after flying starts, but all four finished with 68s, alongside Aussie Terry Pilkadaris.

Robert Allenby had an even-par round as did Kiwis Josh Geary and David Smail.

Adam Scott, Richard Green, Stuart Appleby and New Zealand’s Mark Brown are all at one-over.

LOTS of people are searching for where they can find live coverage of the 2009 British Open Golf on free to air television in Australia.

The short answer is that there is none.

Channel Nine has the rights but in a magnificent effort from a network that once prided itself on its sports coverage, will only telecast a one hour highlights package at midnight two days after the tournament is over.

Tremendous effort that, as one of its erstwhile sports commentators used to continually repeat.

Of course you will find it live on pay television but for those without the only other alternative is to watch one of the many live internet streams.

If you only have an average internet connection that may not be ideal, but it is watchable.

Just search for British Open golf live internet streams a little closer to the event and check them out for yourself to decide what action you should take.

Some of these include sites such as ATDHE.Net, Justin.tv, and Sticktv.net.

Adam Scott will be the first Australian to tee off on Thursday. That’s at 4.25pm (AEST). The Fox tv coverage begins at 6pm, so even those with a pay tv service can give the interntet streaming channels a go.

Here’s to the (hopefully) near future when everyone has access to fast broadband and we can all watch or download what we want when we want, and we’ll no longer be at the whim of tired, dinasour televison networks.

And they wonder why they are losing viewers and viewer loyalty hand over fist.

Tiger Woods tees off the 9th hole during a practice round for the British Open at Turnberry Scotland.

GREG NORMAN is returning to the scene of his 1986 British Open triumph feeling very positive after his amazing performance last year leading the tournament going into the final day at Royal Birkdale.

Norman was agonisingly close to becoming the oldest winner of a major event when he was overtaken by Padraig Harrington and Ian Poulter.

As we reported last year, it was an inspiring performance for older golfers everywhere.

“A lot of people thought my performance at Birkdale was an anomaly in some ways,” Norman said recently.

“To me it wasn’t. It just convinces me even more of the fact that anybody, no matter how old they are or what position they are in life, if they really want to focus their mind onto doing something, it’s very of achievable.”

Norman isn’t discounting his chances at Turnberry this week, though he was more willing stake a claim for winning the Senior British Open at the  Sunningdale Golf Club next week, putting his chances there at “high”.

“I’m definitely going to go into the British Open wanting to compete the best I can compete,” he said.

“That’s all I can say. Setting goals and making cuts, being in the last group, that really doesn’t even set in your mind. If you go in there and just do what I want to do, which is compete the best I can, then all those things should be taken care of.”

Norman wasn’t using his age as an excuse and was pushing his experience as a positive.

 “I understand exactly my position, what my mind and my body can give me,” he said. “You always try and push those to another level no matter whether you’re No. 1 in the world or whether you’re 54 years old and going to play a few golf tournaments. You’ve always got to push yourself.

“I wouldn’t say I could win on any golf course. I couldn’t go to a 7,700-yard U.S. Open golf course, where the young swivel heads play, and feel like I can do it. That would be a big ask. But I can go and compete on some of these golf courses out there that, you know, 80 or 85 percent of them. I still hit the ball 300-plus yards when I want to. So it’s not like I’m hamstrung by the fact that I’m only hitting the ball 250 yards.”

He strongly believes that links golf gives experienced players with a bigger repertoire of shots an advantage.

“I think that’s the secret to it,” he said. “The younger generation nowadays that grew up with the modern technology hasn’t had the ability to teach themselves how to play certain shots.”

Norman is one 17 Australasians competing in this year’s open.

Mat Goggin and Rod Pampling are the latest additions to the field that includes Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Mark Brown NZL, Michael Campbell NZL, Daniel Gaunt, Josh Geary NZL, Richard Green, Greg Norman, Geoff Ogilvy, Terry Pilkadaris, Adam Scott, David Smail NZL, Tim Stewart, Michael Wright and Tim Wood.

The tournament begins on Thursday at The Ailsa Championship Course at Turnberry, Scotland.

With his new bride watching from the sidelines at the British Open, an Old Grey Shark has captivated the sporting world.

But whilst the 53 year old veteran Australian golfer didn’t win, Greg Norman did strike a major blow for older golfers everywhere and provide a massive incentive and inspiration to keep on swinging.

Of course it was a huge disappointment that he failed to capitalise on his third round lead - at least he lost to an Irishman named Paddy - but his achievement should be congratulated and celebrated.

As Norman said after his loss: “I can walk away from here being disappointed, but I can walk away from here with my head held high because I hung in there.”

As was endlessly repeated during the tournament, the 53 year old had put himself in a position to be the oldest ever major winner.

It would have been an historic and hugely popular win - as you could imagine, here at Australian Senior Golfer we were amongst those salivating at the prospect - but not to be.

What Greg Norman did prove, especially with the whole package of the British Open lead, the Bahamas wedding to Chirs Evert and the dignified defeat, is that there is life after 50.

To those of us around or over that age it comes as no surprise or shock. The older you get - apart from maybe a few creaks, pains and physical limitations - you still largely feel the same as you did as a teenager. The “old” people are always those people just over the horizon. But try telling that to the “younger” generation.

A lot of people seemed genuinely surprised that at his “advanced” age Norman was up and around on his own, let alone in danger of winning one of the most coveted prizes in golf for the third time.

What does often change as you get older are your priorities.

“….a lot of people should take stock, no matter how old you are, if you really want to chase something and chase a dream, you can go do it.” Greg Norman

As Norman said:” Quite honestly, I’m sure I surprised a lot of people. But at the same time, immediately I think about it now, what happens if I won. What happens if I won, then I might have had to be out here playing more golf, and maybe that’s what I didn’t want to do anyway.”

Norman is due to play in the upcoming Senior British Open and the Senior US Open and has made no commitments after that. His third placing means, among other things, an automatic invitation to the US Masters next year. Now that would be interesting.

Commenting on the physical aspects of his age on his golf, Norman said: “I made the comment in the pressroom a couple days ago that the only thing that would have been different was my shot-making ability. That would have been the only thing different. Even Judy Rankin said that watching me play, as she did for the last couple days on ABC television back in the States, that there wasn’t a whole lot wrong with my game. I’ve still got the components in there.”

On his performance generally he said: “I think it’s a great indicator for every player out there, whether you’re just coming on the Tour for the first year or you’re turning 40 or in your 50s. The game of golf is there to be played, and if you go in there with the right attitude and keep yourself physically fit, you can put yourself in that position no matter what.

“If I’m a young kid, looking now and seeing a guy at 53 years old leading the British Open and I’m only 18, I’m going to say, boy, I’ve got a lot of years left in my career. I think it’s great, I really do.”

And as a final inspiration: “I’ve said this before, I think at the end of the day, a lot of people should take stock, no matter how old you are, if you really want to chase something and chase a dream, you can go do it. Even though there’s failure at the end of it for me, I still put myself in position to really show a lot of other people that you can go do something if you really want it.”

Update: Greg Norman finished in a tie for fifth in the Senior British Open at Troon in Scotland, four shots behind eventual champion Bruce Vaughan, who beat fellow American John Cook in a play-off.

Greg Norman’s new lease of (golfing) life

Greg Norman’s Open Honeymoon

We wrote about Greg Norman’s new lease of life back in May and he was certainly showing it during the first round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale.

As one television commentator untidily put it: “Norman has been up in Scotland practising with his new wife.”

I think if the commentator had his chance over he would rephrase that slightly, but at least we all know what he meant in general terms.

Back in May, Norman was playing in a couple of USPGA and Champions Tour events and talking about how his relationships with then fiancée Chris Evert and son Gregory had given him a new vigour for golf and life.

“I’ve been a bit absent for a while, about five years now,” Norman said at the time. “I haven’t really focused a lot of attention on wanting to get out there and play, and now I feel I just want to get out there.”

He was certainly getting “out there” at Royal Birkdale and was looking right at home on the big stage - his first major in three years.

Still, Norman wasn’t getting carried away about his overall chances after finishing on par and one shot behind co-leaders Robert Allenby (great to see him doing well), US Open star Rocco Mediate and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell.

Norman was sharing second spot with Adam Scott, who had led all the way before succumbing to two late bogies. (Let’s hope Adam doesn’t let the slip get to him and comes back and fully realises his huge potential.)

At 53, Norman admitted no one was more surprised than he over his great start in what were very difficult but improving conditions. (The wind and rain made it absolutely atrocious when Craig Parry led the tournament off earlier in the day.)

“It probably surprised me as much as anyone,” Norman said. “I don’t play that much, and I don’t practice that much. I probably practice more tennis than I do golf.

“But at the same time there’s something about this event that stimulates you. The feeling you get coming down 18 after five and a half hours of golf and the way people receive you. You don’t get that anywhere else in the world. It is a phenomenal experience and you have a little more juice that you normally would.”

Norman credits his marriage to tennis great Chris Evert in the Bahamas last month with rebalancing his life in a way that has spin-off benefits for his golf.

“I wouldn’t say getting married to Chrissy has revitalised my golf game, I think it has just revitalised my life,” he said.

Norman was full of praise for the set-up of the course and acknowledged he and the other later starters had enjoyed by far the best of the conditions.

“I wouldn’t say getting married to Chrissy has revitalised my golf game, I think it has just revitalised my life,” he said.

Norman was full of praise for the set-up of the course and acknowledged he and the other later starters had enjoyed by far the best of the conditions.

“I think it’s the best Open I’ve ever played in. The course has been set up the fairest and toughest I’ve ever seen. It’s very balanced and gives the opportunity to someone like me to get a good score on the board,” he said.

“These conditions are an equaliser. Maybe some of these young players have not experienced it before.”

“When somebody asked me the toughest conditions I’d played in and said Turnberry 1986. Some of these kids might not have been born then.”
Norman did not play in the last two Opens through injury and admitted he had no wish to return to a full competitive schedule.

“The mind still wants to play but the body doesn’t want to practise,” he said.

“It’s gone through enough pain and surgery and I just don’t want to do it any more. I still enjoy playing but I don’t enjoy standing on the range for four hours a day.”

“The other side of my life is fantastic. I have the most beautiful balance I have ever had. When it was golf, golf, golf everything else was second. Now golf is second behind everything else.”

Greg Norman’s new lease of (golfing) life