Hopes high that crowds will flock again to ‘special venue’

It stands at just over 40,000, set at Troon in 2008, two years after around 30,000 watched American Loren Roberts win the last over-50s major to be played on the Ailsa Course.

“The event has continued to blossom since then and our target figure this year is 30,000-plus,” said Andy Stubbs, managing director of the European Senior Tour.

“Turnberry is such a special venue,” said Donald Turner. “It is a great viewing venue and I think that’s what really appeals to spectators.”

Tom Watson, a Turnberry specialist and three-time winner, will be the event’s star attraction on 26-29 July as it is played for the first time with Rolex as its new main patron.

Visiting Britain at the moment, Watson was at Royal Lytham, venue for this year’s Open Championship, for a patron’s event last week.

“I had the privilege of being there and his humility shone through,” revealed Turner. “After dinner, Tom was asked what would be his dream fourball and replied, ‘That’s easy – me, my dad and my two boys’.”

American Russ Cochran will defend the title he won at Walton Heath last summer, while the field will also include local hero Sam Torrance and Barry Lane, winner of the Scottish Seniors Open for the last two years.

Joining Lane in the English contingent will be Gary Wolstenholme, the newly-crowned Mallorca Seniors champion

Stubbs is hopeful that Colin Montgomerie will be in the line up for the 2013 Senior Open at Royal Birkdale after the eight-time European No 1 turns 50 next June. “Jack Nicklaus said he wouldn’t play senior golf but he did and we are encouraged that the majority who turn 50 continue to do so,” he said.