Hard fought runner-up finish for Cameron Percy at British Senior Open

Australia’s Cameron Percy will live to fight another day after toughing it out for a T2 finish at the ISPH Handa Senior Open at Gleneagles in Scotland.

The 52 year old Victorian led outright at the 18 and 36 hole stages of the tournament and was equal leader going into the final round with eventual champion Jerry Kelly of the USA.

Percy initially pounced with opening rounds of 63-68 but found things more frustrating in the third round and closed with a 1-over 71.

“Very happy with the end there,” said a noticeably relieved Percy after the third round.

“Struggled all day. I couldn’t hit it. I couldn’t chip it. I couldn’t putt it. Then with misjudging wind I pretty much did everything wrong. So to finish birdie, par, eagle, was very nice. I’m not out of it anymore. So that’s good.”

He was also well aware of the opportunity presented to him to claim an historic victory.

No Australian had won a senior major since Stewart Ginn in 2002 and it was 25 years since Ian Stanley won the Senior Open.

“Winning the British Open, normal British Open would be incredible. But at my age and with these guys I’m playing with, to win a [Senior] British Open here would be pretty cool,” Percy said.

Unfortunately things didn’t quite pan out in the final round on Sunday.

Kelly – a three-time winner on the PGA TOUR and a Presidents Cup player in 2003 before entering the senior game, where he has 14 wins on the PGA TOUR Champions, including two Senior Players Championships – started the final round equal with Percy on 8-under – but was soon into double figures as he holed from 15 feet on the first and 18 feet on the third.

A Percy three-putt on the third had Kelly three ahead and while he dropped a shot at the sixth as he failed to get up and down from a bunker, a tee shot to ten feet at the eighth had him back at ten under.

Kelly put on a dogged display down the back nine and his closing birdie was followed by big celebrations on the 18th green.

Percy three-putted the sixth and could not get up and down at the 11th but he made three birdies on the back nine to card a level par 70.

Kelly’s 72nd hole birdie saw him capture the ISPS HANDA Senior Open title by two strokes at 10-under 270, earning his 14th PGA TOUR Champions title and third senior major championship.

Percy finished back at 8-under 272 to record his best ever result in a senior major in his 13 starts, surpassing a pair of T5s (2025 ISPS HANDA Senior Open, 2026 Kaulig Companies Championship).

Unfortunately he remains winless through 52 starts on the PGA TOUR Champions but maybe can find further inspiration and momentum by the fact he now has four career second/T2 finish on the PGA TOUR Champions.