Australia’s wait for a senior major championship win could extend to 24 years unless one of the ten Australian golfers competing in this week’s ISPS HANDA Senior Open at Sunningdale Golf Club in London secures victory. The Old Course at Sunningdale, designed by two-time Open champion Willie Park Snr in 1900, has been a successful venue for Australian golfers since Norman von Nida won the British Masters there in 1948.
Peter Thomson joined von Nida as a British Masters champion at Sunningdale twenty years later. Greg Norman and Peter Senior also claimed European Open victories at this course in 1986 and 1990, respectively. Before achieving major championship status, Karrie Webb won the Women’s British Open at Sunningdale in 1997.
Seventeen Australians attempted to qualify for the tournament on Monday across four venues. Brisbane PGA Professional Murray Lott remains hopeful of participating as he is sixth alternate after finishing sixth at Burhill Golf Club.
Ian Stanley remains the only Australian to have won the Senior Open, achieving this feat 24 years ago. Stewart Ginn’s Senior Players Championship victory followed a year later as Australia’s last success in senior majors.
This year sees a strong presence of Australians on the PGA TOUR Champions circuit, raising hopes that they might break their long-standing drought. Victorian Steve Allan has secured two wins on the tour this season, Mark Hensby shared the lead during the US Senior Open week, and Richard Green returns to compete after finishing second to KJ Choi last year at Carnoustie.
The ISPS HANDA Senior Open will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo from Thursday through Sunday nights from 10:30 pm to 4 am.
