RECENTLY turned 50 year old Peter O’Malley had an impressive debut on the European Senior on the weekend as compatriot Peter Fowler threatened a third win of the season.
O’Malley fronted the Swiss Seniors Open at the Golf Club Bad Ragaz in the Swiss Alps after deciding recently he would give the senior tour a whirl. He speculated he mightn’t do too badly.
That proved the case with rounds of 67-70-65 seeing him finish tied for 11th at 8-under, just a stroke outside the top ten in his first senior golf foray.
First round on the European Seniors Tour today. A new era starts.
— Peter O'Malley (@Pom23O) July 3, 2015
Well inside the top ten was the very in-form Fowler, who is running second in the European Senior Tour Order of Merit behind Colin Mongomerie with his two wins this year; and who also put in a notable performance at the US Senior Open a fortnight ago.
Fowler again challenged coming down the stretch with an eagle on the 16th putting him in a winning position but he unfortunately faltered with bogies on the two final holes.
He finished with rounds of 66-68-66 at 10-under tied for sixth.
The event was won by a very happy Austrian in Gordon Manson, who secured his maiden European Senior Tour title courtesy of a superb back nine of 31 which included an eagle putt from 60 feet, also on the 16th.
“I feel ten feet tall – this is such a special moment,” Manson said after finishing on 14-under, two strokes ahead of the field. “To beat some of the legends of the game and win on the Senior Tour has been a dream, and now it’s a reality.”
Other Aussies in the field included Tim Elliott (T44), Terry Price (T49), Mike Harwood (T57) and Noel Ratcliffe (T62).
The EST moves on to Germany this week for the WINSTONgolf Senior Open.
There’s a break next week for the British Open at St Andrews and the following week the Senior British Open Championship takes place at Sunningdale Golf Club (Old Course) in Berkshire, England. Colourful Spaniard Miguel Angel Jiménez has just confirmed as one of the starters.
Swiss Seniors Open Results