Young Jacklin aims to emulate father

Tony Jacklin and youngest son Sean will be competing for two different professional titles in the same week at their respective tournaments on the European Senior and Challenge Tour next month, despite an age difference of 46 years between the pair.

Two-time major champion and four-time Ryder Cup captain Tony Jacklin will return to the competitive game for the first time in five years when he takes part in The Senior Open Championship at Turnberry from July 26-29.

The very same week some 412 miles away, his 21 year old son Sean will play his first professional event at the Challenge Tour's English Challenge after receiving a special invitation.

Sean - the youngest of Jacklin's six children - recently graduated from the University of North Carolina, and is hoping to replicate his father's illustrious career.

Sean said: "I always wanted to be a professional golfer. It was just the dream of being the best that always drove me on.

"My father set me off with the fundamentals of the game. He has definitely been the most help in my career so far. I know I'm really lucky to have a former major winner as my dad."

Tony Jacklin - who turns 68 three weeks before the Senior Open Championship - expressed his pride at the progress of his son.

"It will be a proud moment for me to see him playing on the Tour and starting in the game," he said.

"I'm fairly confident in his abilities and he has ambitions to get on Tour.

"He's got to keep going and keep his game sharp. He doesn't shoot high numbers and is physically strong, it's just a question of how hungry he is.

"You can't look inside a person. He needs this competition now, but I've got a good feeling about him."