Oldcorn hoping hard graft finally pays off

WHILE he'll need to overcome a poor record at Carnoustie, Andrew Oldcorn, one of 13 Scots in the field for the Senior Open Championship, has good reason to feel confident about his chances of securing a second top ten this year in a major.

Since turning 50 at the end of March, the Edinburgh-based player has enjoyed a new lease of life, having been able to get off to an encouraging start thanks to an exhausting schedule over the past few seasons that saw him grab every available opportunity to play competitively. "I was preparing myself the best I could," explained Oldcorn, the 2001 PGA champion. "I was prepared to swallow my pride and play in some events that I didn't have to. I did so with the sole purpose of getting my game ready so that I could hit the ground running.

"I wasn't playing good golf at the end (of his career on the regular Tour] because of my situation. I wasn't enjoying it, but I've got that back in the short space of three months. I feel good about myself. I feel confident about performing rather than hoping."