Turkey
141 of Europe’s best senior amateur (50+) players have gathered in Turkey this week to contest the European Senior Men’s and Ladies’ Championships.
Here’s everything you need to know before the event gets underway on Thursday:
ABOUT THE EVENT
The event sees two separate European-titled tournaments, the European Senior Men’s Championship and European Senior Ladies’ Championship, contested in parallel over 54 holes of stroke play.
Inaugurated in 1996 and played annually, this year’s event will be the 30th edition of the contests.
The maximum field size is 90 for men and 54 for ladies, which is cut to 54 and 33 and ties respectively after 36 holes.
Medals are awarded to the top-three finishers in each tournament, and prizes are also presented to the top players aged 60-and-over.
With the European Senior Men’s and Ladies’ Team Championships taking place in just a few month’s time, players also have the extra motivation this week of trying to prove themselves worthy of national-team selection.
THE VENUE
Cornelia Golf Club, located in the beautiful coastal town of Belek in Antalya, Turkey, is one of the country's premier golf destinations. Blending luxury, sport, and natural beauty, the club has become a favorite among golf enthusiasts from around the world.
The centerpiece of the club is the renowned Faldo Course, designed by legendary golfer Sir Nick Faldo. This 18-hole championship course offers a challenging yet rewarding experience for players of all levels. Known for its strategic layout, pine-lined fairways, and well-placed hazards, the Faldo Course has been the stage for several high-profile tournaments.
One of the most notable events held at Cornelia Golf Club was the 2012 World Amateur Team Championship (Eisenhower Trophy), one of the most prestigious amateur events in the world. The Faldo layout was used as one of two courses that year when Justin Thomas helped team USA to the title.
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS
The 2024 men’s championship was decided by a three-way playoff after Rodrigo Lacerda Soares (FRA), Joe Lyons (IRL) and Declan O’Neill (IRL) all finished on -3.
Playing the par-3 10th in front of the clubhouse at Kikuoka Golf & Country Club in Luxembourg, all three players made par on the first playoff hole. The second time around, Lacerda Soares holed a four-metre birdie putt to clinch the title in his first appearance in the event.
The European gold medal is the 50-year-old’s second, having won the European Mid-Amateur Men’s Championship in Switzerland four years ago. The win also marked the first time a French player has won the senior men’s title in the event’s 29-year history.
In the ladies’ championship, Belgium’s Annick Riff came out on top. The 61-year-old, who also took home the prize for 60-and-overs, started the day in fifth position and six shots behind the leader.
A two-over-par 74 featuring three birdies, the tied lowest round of the day, left her on top of the leaderboard at the end of the day after all players ahead of her were unable to match the score. She become the first Belgian player to lift the senior ladies’ trophy.
THE FIELD
93 men and 48 women from 32 different countries make up the field this year.
Same as last year, the group of 50-year-olds still includes the men’s favourite on paper, Denmark’s Morten Finsen Schou, who comes into the week with an impressive +4.8 handicap index, the lowest of the field.
Fiver other former men’s champions are also in the field this week, Ireland's Edward Mc Cormack (2023 winner), England's James Crampton (2022 winner) Spain’s Jacobo Cestino (2020 winner), Sweden’s Matthias Pernheden (2019 champion) as well as the 2024 defending champion, France’s Rodrigo Lacerda Soares, who will try to defend his title this week. In 2024, Rodrigo was also part of the winning French team at the European Senior Men’s Team Championship, in Bulgaria.
Off to a great start this season, Australia’s Richard Heath, tied for second in the handicap list, has had two wins in May: the Swiss Golf International Championship +25, as well as the Swiss Golf Open Championship 50+, with an impressive 15-shot lead over the second player in the Senior tournament.
On the ladies’ side, Macarena Campomanes (ESP) is by far the most recognisable name on the start list. The Spanish player has won the event no less than three times. The defending champion, Annick Riff (BEL), will also tee it off this week and will try to maintain her winning streak, alongside the 2023 winner, Ireland's Alison Taylor.
However the favourite in terms of handicap in the women's field is France’s Helene Malvy. With a +1.5 index, the French player is making her second appearance in the championship.
On the opposite side of the age list, Guatemela’s Beatriz Arenas is the oldest player teeing it up this week at the age of 77, with a handicap of +0.7 !
Germany has the most players represented this year, with 14 players looking to earn Germany’s first European medals of the season.
LIVESCORING/ MEDIA
Tee times, livescoring, stats, media and more can be followed throughout the week on the championship webpages here:
European Senior Men's Championship
European Senior Ladies' Championship
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