Thomas Levet claimed his first Staysure title in the Farmfoods European Seniors Masters at the Forest of Arden, beating Markus Brier by a shot. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

THOMAS Levet won his first Staysure Tour title by carding the lowest round of the final day at the Farmfoods European Senior Masters, at Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club.

The Frenchman, who made his over-50s debut in this event last year, posted a closing four-under par round of 68 to reach 10-under for the tournament hosted by Midlands Ryder Cup star Peter Baker.

That was one shot clear of Austrian Markus Brier, who finished second on nine-under, and two shots clear of Paul Lawrie, Jarmo Sandelin and Ian Woosnam, who shared third place on eight-under.

Levet came out firing and made the turn in four-under, which was how he finished after carding three birdies and three bogeys on the back nine.

But he holed a tricky short par putt on the 18th hole to secure victory at the Coventry course which regularly hosted the British Masters 20 years ago.

“It’s just a pleasure, a pleasure to win,” Levet said. “I’ve been close lately, close to winning. I’ve been playing really well but my putter has not been there at all.

“My long game has been very good and I finally made some putts this week, added Levet, whose first win on English soil came in the 2001 British Masters after the event moved to Woburn after Victor Chandler became the title sponor.

“I started making some putts yesterday and it held up pretty well and I’m pleased because the conditions were really tough.

“To par the last hole here at Forest of Arden, it’s 218 yards into the wind, it’s enormous and I managed to hold my nerve and make par there, so it’s a great feeling,” added Levet.

The 51-year-old – who was on the winning European team at the 2004 Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills, reached his final total by the time he made the turn and after that, it was a case of keeping his nerve and going back to basics.

Levet, who also lost a play-off in the 2002 Open Championship at Muirfield, revealed: “I knew I was in the lead because I got off to a quick start and was four-under after nine, birdieing eight and nine.

“They were two tough holes and I knew I was in the lead because there is a leaderboard right there. There are no illusions: You see it and you know you are in the lead.

“I tried to keep my nerve and hit the greens. Paul Lawrie was fighting hard and he was holing putts to stay just behind me and he is always dangerous.

“He hit a beautiful shot on 17 but only made birdie and I made a safe par. I knew I had a one-shot lead on 18 and I managed to par it.

“I got an albatross last week in Austria and I won a big bottle of wine and I gave it to Markus Brier – so maybe that’s why I won the tournament.

“I gave him something last week and I wasn’t going to give him the play-off today,” said Levet, who won six times on the European Tour – has last victory was an emotional one at the 2011 French Open at Le Paris National.

On a day of difficult scoring conditions in England, only 12 players posted under-par rounds, including all of those finishing in a tie for third or better, with overnight leader Paul Broadhurst posting a level-par 72 to finish in sixth place.

South Africa’s James Kingston continued his good run of form by picking up his third top 10 in his last four starts by finishing seventh, while Qualifying School graduate José Manuel Carriles achieved the same feat by finishing eighth on five-under.

With victory, Levet moves up to 20th on the Staysure Tour Order of Merit having played only eight events this season, while Broadhurst’s sixth place at Forest of Arden was enough for him to leapfrog José Coceres and Bernhard Langer into second place in the money list.

Final scores:
206 T Levet (Fra) 69 69 68,
207 M Brier (Aut) 68 70 69,
208 P Lawrie (Sco) 69 69 70, J Sandelin (Swe) 68 71 69, I Woosnam (Wal) 70 68 70,
209 P Broadhurst (Eng) 69 68 72,
210 J Kingston (RSA) 71 69 70,
211 J Carriles (Esp) 70 70 71,
212 S Dodd (Wal) 68 71 73,
213 D Shacklady (Eng) 68 71 74, P Baker (Eng) 66 74 73, P Fowler (Aus) 70 68 75, D Olsen (USA) 67 74 72, G Marks (Eng) 71 71 71,
214 M Molina (Arg) 68 70 76, J Lomas (Eng) 72 71 71, C Suneson (Esp) 72 70 72,
215 J Haeggman (Swe) 74 70 71, P Price (Wal) 69 73 73,
216 R Gomez (Arg) 69 72 75, C Williams (RSA) 70 71 75, P Streeter (Eng) 75 68 73, P Wilson (Eng) 76 69 71, A Bossert (Sui) 72 71 73,
217 M Martin (Esp) 75 67 75,
218 T Thelen (USA) 71 75 72, G Wolstenholme (Eng) 72 72 74, G Evans (Eng) 70 68 80, S Tinning (Den) 70 75 73,
219 A Oldcorn (Sco) 74 74 71, M Farry (Fra) 70 72 77, M Mouland (Wal) 75 71 73, D Gilford (Eng) 75 69 75,
220 M Mackenzie (Eng) 71 73 76,
221 S Luna (Esp) 74 71 76,
222 S Brown (Eng) 73 77 72, C Dennis (USA) 75 73 74, P Golding (Eng) 76 68 78, P Eales (Eng) 69 73 80,
223 J Quiros (Esp) 73 73 77, J Coceres (Arg) 75 73 75,
224 J Remesy (Fra) 69 73 82,
227 S Richardson (Eng) 72 77 78,
228 D Smyth (Irl) 76 77 75, P Wesselingh (Eng) 75 73 80,
229 A Sherborne (Eng) 79 77 73, N Job (Eng) 78 79 72,
231 M Reynard (Eng) 78 75 78,
235 S Little (Eng) 76 74 85,
236 G Emerson (Eng) 75 81 80, C Rocca (Ita) 82 77 77, P Walton (Irl) 75 81 80,
247 N Sweet (Eng) 83 83 81,
** M Atlevi (Swe) DQ 0 0,

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1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie is seeking his second Staysure win of the season at the Farmfoods European Senior Masters at the Forest of Arden. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

PAUL Lawrie is targeting a continuation of his recent good form when he tees it up at the Farmfoods European Senior Masters at Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club, from October 4-6.

The Scot underwent foot surgery ahead of his rookie Staysure Tour season and after admitting he was not fully fit during the first half of the year, Lawrie has since showcased the kind of form which saw him win eight times on the European Tour, including the 1999 Open Championship.

In addition to top 10 finishes at both the British Par 3 Championship and the Scottish Par 3 Championship, the two-time Ryder Cup player won his maiden over-50s title on home soil at the Scottish Senior Open in August.

He followed it up with a tie for seventh at The Sinclair Invitational and a runner-up spot at last week’s Murhof Legends – Austrian Senior Open.

“I got to my mid-49s and I was struggling with my foot and little bit with my back,” Lawrie said. “I had to get my foot sorted out first and I obviously wasn’t fit for the first six months after turning 50.

“I was playing but I certainly wasn’t 100 per cent fit. It was always going to take a bit of a while to get up to speed but once I did, I’ve been playing some nice golf.

“I was seventh at Hanbury Manor, second last week in Austria, second in the British Par 3 and eighth in the Scottish Par 3, so every week I’ve played, I’ve played some nice stuff and some good golf.”

Lawrie, who turned 50 on New Year’s Day, has settled into life on the Staysure Tour with ease, helped by the friendly faces which he encounters on a weekly basis.

“It’s nice to see some faces I’ve not seen for a long time,” Lawrie added. “Paul Broadhurst, Ian Woosnam, Peter Baker, I’ve not seen these guys – regularly – for 10 or 15 years because other than Peter Baker, they’re a little older than me.

“It’s been nice to see come back and see some of the boys like Ross Drummond and Gary Orr, guys who I’ve not seen for a little while.

“I’m really enjoying it. The quality is very good on the Staysure Tour. Wherever you go nowadays, you’ve got to play well to win.

“The winning score was 19-under last week in Austria – the course offered a lot of chances but you’ve still got to take them. Getting to 19-under after three rounds, that’s pretty impressive. The standard is very good.”

Joining Lawrie in the final European event of the season, which is being hosted by Peter Baker, is last week’s champion José Coceres and the Argentine’s fellow two-time winner David Shacklady.

Order of Merit leader Phillip Price will go in search of his 11th top 10 finish of the season and look to cement his place at the forefront of the race for the John Jacobs Trophy.

And 2018 KitchenAid Senior PGA Champion Paul Broadhurst tees it up outside of the Senior Majors for the first time this year.

Past champions on the Forest of Arden when it hosted the British Masters on the Euorpean Tour include Colin Montgomerie, who is not in the field this week, fellow Staysure Tour members Ian Woosnam, Barry Lane, Darren Clarke and Philip Walton, plus Greg Owen and Thomas Bjorn, the last winner in 2006, emphasising the quality of ball-striking that thrives around the Coventry course.

The action gets under way at 9.30am on Friday, with Lawrie’s round beginning alongside David Gilford at 11am from the 10th tee.

•For live scoring click here.

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Paul Lawrie claimed his first victory in seven years by winning the Scottish Seniors Open at Craigielaw GC. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

PAUL Lawrie won the Scottish Senior Open to claim his first Staysure Tour title in front of a home crowd at Craigielaw Golf Club.

The 1999 Open Champion battled gusty conditions throughout the final round to record a level par round of 71 to win his maiden over-50s title by two shots ahead of Peter Baker and Peter Fowler.

The Scotsman, who celebrated the 20th anniversary of his Major success at Carnoustie Golf Links in July, made the turn in 33 strokes, which was two-under par, and battled hard in the blustery conditions on the back nine to card a round of 71.

After battling injury last season and having turned 50 at the beginning of the year, Lawrie was delighted to clinch an inaugural win on the over-50s circuit, especially on home soil.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing in Scotland and that is my fourth win in my home country and I’m very proud of that,” said Lawrie who has always been regarded as one of the better foul-weather players on Tour, especially since coming from 10 shots back to beat Jean Van de Velde and Justin Leonard in that infamous play-off at Carnoustie.

“I think a lot of the players struggle to play in their own country with expectations on them,” added Lawrie, who hails from Aberdeen.

“But I’ve always felt comfortable playing in front of Scottish people.

“It doesn’t matter what tour it is, winning is difficult – it’s not easy. Peter Baker did a top effort to get in the house at level par.

“So my job was to get in at one-under – that was the only job I was thinking about, and I managed to finish one better than that.

“I’ve not won since 2012 on the European Tour. Obviously, I’m a senior now and I’m playing senior events.

“I want to be one of the top players on the Staysure Tour and I want to be one of the top seniors, so this win is a massive step to doing that.

“My game has been getting betting for a few weeks and I’ve been telling people that I’m getting there and I’m going to win soon.

“The Senior Open was the first week where I felt my foot and my back were where I needed them to be.

“My surgeon, Gordon Mackay, said it would take a year for my foot to be right.

“I thought my career was over with my foot the way that it was, but Gordon McKay did a great job.”

Baker, the winner of Senior Open Hauts de France in June, recorded a 70 to finish two strokes behind Lawrie in a share of second place with Australian Fowler, another wind specialist.

But the overnight leader was unable to follow his impressive five-under par 66 as he signed for a disappointing four over par 75.

Englishman David Shacklady and Austrian Markus Brier completed the top five as they finished at one-over.

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Mexican Esteban Toledo is looking to record his first European Seniors Tour victory after Bernhard Langer invited him to play in the WINSTONgolf Senior Open, at Vorbeck. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

ESTEBAN Toledo recorded his lowest round in Europe to take the lead at the end of day one at the WINSTONgolf Senior Open after an eight-under par 64.

The Mexican, making his debut appearance at WINSTONgolf in Vorbeck, made 10 birdies in his round of 64, despite not having played the course in competition before.

The round included five successive gains from the 12th hole to lead by two shots after the opening round.

The signs for a good round were there to see after the 56-year-old started with three birdies in-a-row. A bogey followed on the next hole but two gains in his next three holes saw him make the turn at four under.

A dropped shot on the par-three 11th could have upset Toledo’s rhythm, instead it spurred him on, recording five consecutive birdies to race up the leaderboard and claim top spot at the end of the first day.

With a lead of two shots and 10 birdies on the card, Toledo was thrilled with his opening day’s work and to be playing at the WINSTONgolf Senior Open.

“This is the best round I’ve shot in Europe,” said Toledo, the first Mexican to win on the US Seniors Tour. “I made a lot of putts and hit the ball pretty straight.

“I made two bogeys, a three-putt on 11 and got the wrong club on the fifth, but the rest of them I never put myself in a position to make bogey.

“I think playing with Paul Wesselingh and the amateurs kept me relaxed which really helped me. I kept the ball on the fairway and hit a lot of great second shots and made a lot of putts.

“This golf course is beautiful, and I want to thank Erwin and Langer Sports Marketing team for inviting me because I received a tournament invite for this week.

“All my life I have wanted to come to Germany and I’m really happy to be here,” added Toledo who won four times on the PGA Champions Tour between 2013 and 2016, having only won once on the Web.com Tour.

“It’s a beautiful golf course which Mr Pon has helped create. I’m having a great time in Germany, but I know there are a lot of good guys behind me.

“So I’ve got to step it up over the next two days because there is still a long way to go. I hope I can win here in Europe because I’ve never done that in my life.”

Two shots behind Toledo and hoping to put the pressure on over the next 36 holes is a chasing pack of four players.

American Dan Olsen, Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, last month’s Senior Open Hauts de France winner Peter Baker, and 2012 Ryder Cup Captain José María Olazábal, who recorded his first sub-70 round on the Staysure Tour, all signed for a six-under par round of 66.

Home-favourite Bernhard Langer, looking to claim victory on home soil for the first time since 2001, is two strokes further back at four-under.

The second round of the WINSTONgolf Senior Open begins at 9am local time with Toledo starting his second round at 9:50am.

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Texan Clark Dennis shot to the top of the leaderboard in the Swiss Seniors Open at Bad Ragaz. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

CLARK Dennis carded three birdies in his final four holes to post a six-under par 64 and race to the top of the Swiss Seniors Open leaderboard at Golf Club Bad Ragaz.

The 2017 John Jacobs Trophy winner started and finished strongly in the Swiss mountains to take a one-stroke lead into the weekend ahead of Mark Mouland and José Coceres after Friday’s first round.

Dennis, a four-time Staysure Tour winner, teed it up in Switzerland with his son Philip on the bag, as he was for his most recent victory on the over-50s circuit, the MCB Tour Championship – Mauritius in 2018.

“He’s a tour-winning caddy from Mauritius! He’s my good luck charm,” Dennis said. “Having him and my wife here is great and my other son is coming to Spain next week.

“It’s great to have them here during the summer in Europe. They get to see some great stuff and experience great places. The Staysure Tour has been a blessing for my family.

“I really enjoy playing on this tour, everything is run so well. We play really nice courses like this and it’s pretty relaxed. There are a lot of good guys out here.”

The Texan carded six birdies and a hole-out eagle during his opening round but his leaderboard-topping 64 was tinged with a hint of frustration after missing short putts which would’ve extended his advantage further.

“I missed a couple of short putts but other than that, it was a flawless round,” Dennis said. “I hit it really well and only missed one green.

“If you’re driving the fairway here, you’re going to get a lot of birdie opportunities and fortunately I was able to convert eight times – well, six times, I holed out from the fairway on eight!

“It was nice not to need the putter. I’ve been struggling a little bit with my putter so it was nice to see a few go in today.

“You always think you could have been better, and I do think today could have been better, but I was pleased with how I played,” Dennis added.

Welshman Mouland and Argentina’s Coceres both carded bogey-free, five under par rounds of 65 at Golf Club Bad Ragaz to sit in tied second, while Peter Baker, Peter O’Malley, Phillip Price and Ian Woosnam are a shot further back on four-under.

A group of six players, including Berkshire’s Senior Italian Open winner Barry Lane, share eighth place on three-under with 36 holes left to play in Switzerland.

The second round will begin at 8am local time on Saturday with Dennis teeing off at 11.40am.

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