No more golf 'round-bellies' as La Manga event shows fitness levels and standard rise on senior circuit
Lawrie and Gallacher in contention heading into final round of European Senior Masters in Spain
Lee Trevino, one of golf’s great characters, once described Champions Tour players as “round-bellies” to distinguish them from the “flat-bellies” on the PGA Tour. On the evidence of the current crop of over-50 golfers, that is no longer the case.
Stephen Gallacher, for example, looks fitter at 52 than any time in his career and he’s not the only one in the field for this week’s Champions UK plc European Senior Masters at Grand Hyatt La Manga Resort in Spain.
“It has changed hugely in the last 18 months, I would say,” observed Paul Lawrie of the players now competing on the Staysure Legends Tour. “Since the likes of Stevie, Jamie Donaldson and a few others came out here, it has changed quite a lot.”
Looking fit himself at 57 and certainly as competitive as ever, Lawrie added: “The first two or three years I was a senior I didn’t think it was great out here as in the standard. But now the standard is pretty good and you’ve got to play decent to make money.”
Having made the most money so far this season, Gallacher tops the circuit’s Order of Merit. He’ll follow in the footsteps of Brian Barnes, Sam Torrance and Colin Montgomerie if he can finish in the top spot but knows he’ll have to earn it.
“When you’ve got guys like Johan Edfors, Jamie Donaldson, Scott Hend and others coming out here, as well as someone like Peter Baker at 58, they are so good,” said Gallacher. “The standard is brilliant and that’s the bit that got me. You are not going to fluke anything out here - you’ve got to work for it.”
This week’s event also features the likes of former US Open champion Michael Campbell, Philip Price, who slayed Phil Mickelson in the singles in the 2002 Ryder Cup at The Belfry, and a trio of former BMW PGA champions in Andrew Oldcorn, Scott Drummond and Simon Khan. Lots of other DP World Tour champions as well.
It’s only when they sit down to check their scorecards and the glasses come out that you realise that they’re not the spring chickens they used to be. “That’s a good story because the first time I came out here I saw some glasses and said to the scorer ‘someone has left his glasses’,” said Chile’s Felipe Aguilar, laughing. “To which I was told ‘no, those are for you!’”
Having opened with rounds of 65-67 on the South Course at the Murcia venue to sit on 14 under par, Englishman Van Phillips leads Aguilar by a shot heading into the closing circuit - former Genesis Scottish Open champion Jeev Milkha Singh is one further back after a best-of-the-day 64 - in an event boasting a record prize fund of $400,000.
“When you are over 50 and keep a little bit in shape, then you can still be in contention,” opined Aguilar, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour and now chasing a maiden victory in the senior ranks. “There are several guys here who have played well throughout their career, so it is just a matter of time before they show their game.
“I’ve been lucky enough to make a career through the DP World Tour and, thanks to that, I am able to play here. Last year I played on the Champions Tour and that was a great experience but this year I am playing here full-time and I am really pleased to keep playing golf.
“Yeah, these players are good. You can’t give much away and most of the guys out here have won at some time in their life so they know how to win. The fact you don’t have a gym and have Advil instead and not having to make a cut, something you really appreciate when you are in the Players’ Lounge, are the only differences really from the main tour.”
On the back of being bogey-free so far in carding rounds of 69-68, Gallacher sits just five shots off the lead in a tie for sixth alongside Lawrie, who landed this title at the same venue four years ago and is in the mix again following opening efforts of 68-69.
“I think I hit every fairway,” reported Gallacher, who has son Jack on his bag and wife Helen supporting from outside the ropes, “but it was one of those days when I didn’t hit my irons very close. I had a bit of a left miss and found myself putting from 20-30 feet all day.
“I holed a couple of long ones and made a couple of birdies through getting up in two at par 5s, but the most pleasing thing is that I didn’t have any bogeys for the second day in a row.”
On Aguilar having stormed to the top of the leaderboard early on in the second circuit after picking up six birdies in eight holes to be out in 31, Europe’s Junior Ryder Cup captain said, smiling: “It is the same every week, to be honest. Even tomorrow whoever wins it will probably shoot 63 or 64, something like that. You’ve just to hope that it is going to be your day.”
Lawrie started bogey-bogey in his second circuit and was delighted he managed to turn his day around. “Well, after saying to you yesterday that I now hit it better than I ever did, I snap hooked it off the first under a tree and had to take a penalty drop and then fatted it off the second with a 7-iron that only got halfway to the green.
“I thought to myself ‘well, if this is the best I’ve ever hit it, then we are in trouble’,” said the 1999 Open champion, laughing out loud. “I said to Craig (his son/caddie) coming off the last, ‘man, you start bogey-bogey and shoot four under, then you’ve had a good day’.”
It’s been a good week all round, according to Champions UK plc CEO John Hayes, who was among the amateurs competing on the first two days. “This is the fifth year we’ve had it here and we love it,” he declared. “We’ve got record prize money this year and we’ve done very well getting the local businesses involved, which is so important. It has gone really well.”
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