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Last Update:
01:00 11 Feb 12
Sam Torrance. AFP
Legends in Sunshine Tour
Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:00
Sam Torrance will renew his battle with fellow former Ryder Cup
Captain Ian Woosnam on the European Senior Tour when the pair head
to South Africa for the inaugural Berenberg Bank Masters from March
26-28.
The Scot capped a marvellous 2009 season to win his third John
Jacobs Trophy, edging out Woosnam by just ?3,380 in the Senior Tour
Order of Merit race.
Torrance will be hoping to continue that momentum when the pair
go head-to-head again as the Senior Tour makes its maiden voyage to
South Africa and the spectacular Gary Player-designed Links at
Fancourt.
Torrance has already made a strong start to the 2010 campaign,
finishing tied third behind winner Kevin Spurgeon in the Mauritius
Commercial Bank Open in December.
With a prize fund of ?500,000, one of the most lucrative on the
2010 Senior Tour, the Berenberg Bank Masters will play a
significant role in the Order of Merit race as Torrance looks to
defend the John Jacobs Trophy he also previously won in 2005 and
2006.
"South Africa is another exciting new destination for the Senior
Tour and I'm really looking forward to continue my defence of the
John Jacobs Trophy at Fancourt," said Torrance.
"It will be great to go up against Woosie and hopefully I can
come out on top again. I'm playing well at the moment and feel
confident every time I go out and play, so it would be nice if that
continues in South Africa.
"Last year I got the season off to a great start when I won
early on in Barbados and it would be fantastic to do the same again
at Fancourt, which I've heard is a magnificent course.
"After starting with a 74 in Mauritius I was delighted to fight
back and finish tied third. Hopefully that was the beginning of
another good season for me."
After capturing 21 European Tour titles and leading Europe to
Ryder Cup success in 2002, Torrance has been at the forefront of
the Senior Tour since turning 50 in 2003, winning 11 times and
lying fifth in the Senior Tour career earnings list.
Former World Number One Woosnam, meanwhile, is chasing his
fourth Senior Tour title and will also look to make an early
impression on the Order of Merit as he attempts to reclaim the John
Jacobs Trophy he won in a glorious rookie season in 2008.
The Welshman returns to South Africa for the first time since
2000, having previously won the Million Dollar Challenge at Sun
City in 1987.
Torrance and Woosnam will be joined in the field by nine-time
Major Champion and nine-time Senior Major Champion, Gary Player,
who has overseen the recent changes to The Links at Fancourt, which
included the resurfacing of all 18 greens and resculpturing of 27
bunkers.
The tournament will be co-sanctioned by the European Senior Tour
and the Sunshine Tour.