Sam Torrance targets win on home turf

Since joining the over-50s circuit in 2004, the former Ryder Cup captain has recorded at least one win every season but has nothing to show for his efforts so far this year and, with just six events to go, is running out of time to keep his sequence going.

The most recent of those 11 wins on the Senior Tour came in Barbados about 18 months ago and Torrance, who turns 57 next Tuesday, admits he'd love to recapture the Scottish title, having won the event under the Charles Church banner at Dalmahoy four years ago.

"Winning here would be perfect," said the Scot, who, after recapturing the No 1 spot from Ian Woosnam last season, made a promising start to the current campaign when recording three top fives in his first four events, including a second in South Africa.

He's gone off the boil since then, though, and is a combined 28-over for his last two events, the latter, admittedly, being the Senior Open Championship at Carnoustie a month ago, when he fell away to finish outside the top 60 after an encouraging opening round of 69.

"I have been struggling for a while but it's getting a bit better," he added. "I've been working hard on my game every day for the last couple of weeks.

"I saw my dad (Bob] for a lesson while I was at Carnoustie, which worked for a day but then I couldn't sustain it. However, I've been on the phone to him most days and it is coming along.

"I do all my work at Sunningdale but I know the problem, which is basically caused by the start of the downswing."

Torrance, lying 14th on the Senior Tour order of merit, designed the course for this week's event, though it was altered ahead of last year's tournament, when Englishman Glenn Ralph lifted the title.

"This is a very special week for me," said Torrance. "I designed it (the course], I am attached here and I really love this place so it's a very important week for me.

"It's nice to hear most of the guys being very complimentary about the course and I hope they enjoy the test. The course is in great condition this week and it is getting better every year. The greens here are exceptional and are one of the strong points in my design.

"I was actually injured when I played here last year and I shouldn't have played at all but I felt that I had to because the tournament was here.This year, I am as fit as a butcher's dog so I am ready and really looking forward to it.

"I can still win the Order of Merit - there are a lot of big weeks coming up but I have to win a couple and contend in the rest if I am to have any chance."

Ralph, who won by a shot from compatriot Bob Cameron and Argentine Luis Carbonetti 12 months ago, is back to defend his title, while the field chasing a 37,500 first prize includes other former winners in Denis Durnian (2002) and Peter Mitchell (2008) as well as former Ryder Cup captain Woosnam.

"You obviously have to shape the ball playing links golf and I actually have a new set of clubs in the bag this week that I have a bit more feel with, so hopefully I can get the ball going the way I want it to," said the Welshman.

"At the Senior Open Championship there were some good signs that the game is coming round. I'm looking forward to getting back out there and continuing the improvement."

Torrance apart, David Huish, who achieved the feat in 1998, is the only other Scottish player to have lifted this title but the home challenge looks particularly strong this time around.

Bill Longmuir, a winner already this season, is lying sixth on the Order of Merit, one place above Andrew Oldcorn, with Gordon Brand Jnr (12th) and Ross Drummond (15th) others who'll be hoping to make their presence felt in the 250,000 event that concludes on Sunday.