After a stunning rookie European Senior Tour season, Ian Woosnam is preparing to embark on the new campaign with his sights set on doing something he never quite managed on The European Tour – winning back-to-back Order of Merits.
The Welshman will begin his defence of the John Jacobs Trophy, when he tees up in the DGM Barbados Open at Royal Westmoreland from March 18-20.
Woosnam, who own a home on the Caribbean island, made his debut in the tournament last year, finishing fifth. But he did go on to win the Parkridge Polish Seniors Championship and the Russian Seniors Open en route to finishing the season as the leading Senior Tour money earner with €320,120.
In doing so, Europe’s 2006 Ryder Cup winning captain became the first former European Tour Order of Merit winner to repeat the feat on the Senior Tour.
Woosnam now hopes to follow in the footsteps of 2002 Ryder Cup winning captain Sam Torrance by winning consecutive John Jacobs Trophies on the Senior Tour.
The former World No.1 finished €62,376 ahead of Englishman Gordon J Brand, also a two-time winner, in the 2008 Order of Merit. However, Woosnam is expecting it to be much closer this year, given that Brand’s compatriot Peter Mitchell finished third in the Order of Merit after winning three times in just ten appearances.
Where next?
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