- Norman joins cream of Seniors talent in Spain
28 Sep 2006
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| Greg Norman ©2005 Getty Images |
Greg Norman, a two time Major Championship winner and one of the most recognisable figures in the world of golf will join the top five from the current European Seniors Tour Order of Merit – Sam Torrance, Eduardo Romero, José Rivero, Carl Mason and Juan Quirós – in a high quality field for the OKI Castellon Open de España Senior next month.
The tournament, which will take place at the Club de Campo del Mediterráneo in Castellón from October 13-15, was always guaranteed great interest being the third last counting Order of Merit event in the 2006 European Seniors Tour season. Now, with Norman’s inclusion, that interest will be heightened even more.
The Australian, known the world over as the “Great White Shark,” has accumulated 91 professional victories on five continents, including 18 wins in Europe and 20 on the US PGA Tour wins.
Among these are two coveted Open Championships, the first coming at Turnberry in 1986 and the second at Royal St George’s seven years later. To this day, he is the only player to be Number One on both sides of the Atlantic, accomplishing that feat in Europe in 1982 and in the United States 1982, 1990 and 1995.
Scotsman Torrance topped the Seniors Tour Order of Merit in 2005 and is currently in pole position to repeat the feat thanks to four victories already in 2006. The 2002 Ryder Cup Captain will be eager to move closer to that eventuality with a fifth victory of the year in Spain.
But he will be pushed hard by the four men currently behind him who have amassed six titles already between them in 2006.
Second placed Romero captured his second consecutive Wentworth Senior Masters over the Edinburgh Course a week after narrowly losing out in a play-off to Loren Roberts in The Senior British Open Championship at The Westin Turnberry Resort.
Third placed Rivero has won twice this season – in the curtain-raising DGM Barbados Open and the FIRSTPLUS Wales Seniors Open – while fifth placed Quiros claimed his maiden Seniors title in the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open.
Fourth placed Mason is one of the most honoured players on Tour, having claimed the Order of Merit title in both his rookie year of 2003 and also in 2004, and the Englishman has shown recently that he is back in similar form with victories in the last two events on the 2006 Seniors Tour, the European Senior Masters at Woburn and The Midas Group English Seniors Open.
Carlos Fabra, President of the Diputación of Castellón, said: “The show that these champions are going to offer is going to be a once in a lifetime event. I would like to encourage al golf fans to come to Castellón and share and enjoy with us these sure to be unforgettable days.”
Javier Toledo, President of OKI Systems Ibérica, said: “At OKI we have invested in golf during the last ten years, and it is evident that as a sponsor, we want the very best and this is what we are going to have at the OKI Castellón Open de España Senior.”
Javier Gervás General Manager of promoters MatchGolf, said: “We have worked hard as a team and, this year, the OKI Castellón Open de España will be one of the biggest events on the Senior Tour. We have to thank Victor Garcia, the club, the Senior Tour, OKI and Castellón to make this happen and hope all golfers in the region enjoy a great week. The Spanish Senior players are playing very well and this event will grow in strength in the future.”
Victor García said: “A long time ago, when Javier Gervás and myself started thinking of recovering the Open de España Senior, we were sure that some day we would have players like the ones that are going to come to the Club de Campo del Meditarráneo, a feat I feel very proud of.”
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