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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Paul Broadhurst is puzzled why he still leading the Farmfoods European Seniors Masters at the Forest of Arden when his ball-striking has been off the boil. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

TWO-time Senior Major Champion Paul Broadhurst heads a star-studded leaderboard at the Farmfoods European Senior Masters on seven-under par after posting a second round of 68, at Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club.

The Englishman carded five birdies, an eagle and three bogeys in his four -under par 68.

The 2016 Senior Open winner leads by one shot from a group of seven players on six-under, including two Major Champions in Paul Lawrie and Ian Woosnam.

Broadhurst, playing in his first Staysure Tour event of the season, outside of the Senior Majors, was somewhat relieved to see his name at the top of the 36-hole leaderboard after admitting he was not at his best at the Coventry course.

“I don’t know whether it’s jet-lag or something, but I just haven’t swung it very well this week,” said Broadhurst, who is attached to Northamptonshire County Golf Club.

“It’s been okay on the practice area but I just haven’t been hitting shots the way I’ve been hitting it recently.

“I fat-chunked two six-irons – on six and nine – 20 yards short of the green and I’ve fat-chunked a three-rescue into 17 and somehow made birdie from it.

“There have been some poor, poor shots but I’ve obviously made some good shots as well and when I’ve hit a good shot, I’ve made birdie off it.

“It’s been a rollercoaster and I’m still leading so obviously I’m pleased,” added Broadhurst, who grew up in Walsall, and won six times on the European Tour between

“I’m not used to leading a tournament and not hitting it particularly well, said the West Midlands golfer, who played in Europe’s infamous 1991 War on the Shore Ryder Cup defeat by the USA at Kiawah Island, in South Carolina – despite not losing either of his two matches.

“Normally, you’re playing pretty well when you’re leading a tournament so tomorrow could be interesting,” added Broadhurst, whose son Sam was on the bag when he won the Seniors’ Claret Jug at Carnoustie.

Broadhurst Junior had a good summer in 2019 reaching the last 32 in the English Amateur Championship at Hankley Common after winning the North East of England Youth Championship last year and three wins at Tennessee’s Lincoln Memorial College in 2018.

With a one-shot lead heading into what is poised to be a dramatic final day on the Staysure Tour, Broadhurst only has one thing on his mind after jetting in from America for this week’s tournament.

“This is what I came back to England for,” added Nuneaton-based Broadhurst. “I didn’t come here to finish third, fourth or fifth, I want to win the tournament.

“I want to win in front of my home fans, my family and my friends.

“With that, I do put myself under a bit more pressure. You want to play well in front of all your pals, because I don’t get that chance very often as I’m playing in America so much.

“Maybe I need to take the pressure off myself and just go out and play.”

The 54-year-old will not be the only one with the trophy in his sights on Sunday, with Lawrie and Woosnam leading a chasing pack of players nicely placed for a title assault on the final day.

Lawrie, the 1999 Open Champion and Woosnam, the 1991 Masters Champion, are joined in a five-way tie for second place on six-under.

On the same mark are Sussex’s Gary Evans, Australia’s six-time Staysure Tour winner Peter Fowler, 2004 Ryder Cup winner Thomas Levet, Argentina’s Mauricio Molina and Austrian Markus Brier, who was tied for the lead with Broadhurst before bogeying his final hole in round two.

Just a stroke further back are Welshman Stephen Dodd, Sweden’s Jarmo Sandelin and Lancashire’s David Shacklady, who has won twice in his last three Staysure Tour appearances.

The final round gets under way at 9.30am, with Broadhurst playing in the final group alongside Evans and Woosnam at 10.50am. For live scoring click here.

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Markus Brier is bidding to become the first Austrian to win a European, Challenge and Seniors Tour event when he hosts the Murhof Legends – Austrian Senior Open this week. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

MARKUS Brier is the tournament host for this week’s Murhof Legends – Austrian Senior Open, but he will have his sights set on completing a rare triple when he tees it up at Golfclub Murhof, starting on Friday.

In 2002, seven years after joining the paid ranks, the Austrian collected his first professional win on this very course, when he triumphed in the European Challenge Tour’s Austrian Golf Open.

“It still gives me goosebumps,” said Brier as he overlooked the 18th green.

“After being a professional for seven years, it was my first professional win,” he added. “I hadn’t won a pro-am or anything, and it was right here where I had a 15-footer to win it.

“You’re out here to win. Obviously to get my European Tour card was very special but you want to win a tournament and it was very special.”

After winning another Challenge Tour event in Austria in 2004, Brier became his country’s first European Tour winner when he triumphed, at home, in the 2006 BA-CA Golf Open presented by Telekom Austria.

“It was just the week everything went right,” he said. “I had so many lucky shots, and everything went well.

“Every day I had something special. I made a hole-in-one on the first day, made an eagle somewhere on the second day, then on the third day I spun it back 20 feet for eagle.

“I started to think with all these good things happening to me, I need to take my chance, and it came out well in the end.

“Being the first Austrian to win on the European Tour is something you can’t take away.

“There are so many special memories from that week, the whole family was there and it was probably the biggest crowd we’ve had in Austria.”

With the Staysure Tour now arriving in Austria for the first time, the 51-year-old, who has been playing on the circuit for just over one year, is after his first win in senior golf, again, on home-soil.

“It would be very special to win on all tours in your home country,” he said.

“I feel comfortable here. I’ve been coming here for over 30 years and it just makes me feel peaceful and hopefully I can do the same as I did in 2002 and 2006.

“The standard out here is very good. You see guys like Phillip Price and Barry Lane, they’ve won all over the world. You really have to play very, very well and have a bit of luck to win,” Brier added.

“I’ve had a few top 10s already and I’ve also come second and third. I just need a little home advantage this week.

“It’s great to have a Staysure Tour event here. I have so many good memories here, so it’s just perfect.

“It’s a great partnership with the Murhof Gruppe. I’ve been based here for five years now and Gary Stangl and his team have made it possible for us to come here.”

Brier will have inspiration for his home hat-trick when he tees off at 10:45am alongside the two most recent Staysure Tour winners, Paul Lawrie and Lancastrian David Shacklady.

Shacklady, who has won the last two consecutive events, is after a triple of his own, and will look to become the first player since Boonchu Ruangkit in 2010 to win three-straight Staysure Tour titles.

For live scoring click here

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Ormskirk’s David Shacklady winner of the Sinclair Invitational, at Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel and Country Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

DAVID Shacklady won his second Staysure Tour title as a six-under par final round 66 sealed the outcome of The Sinclair Invitational, at Hanbury Manor Marriott Hotel and Country Club.

The Lancastrian carded a bogey-free final round to reach 11-under and win on home soil by one shot ahead of Austria’s Markus Brier and two shots ahead of close friend Paul Streeter, who finished third on nine-under.

It could have been very different for Shacklady as he saw a short birdie putt slide by on the 72nd hole to miss out on taking what would have been – at the time – the outright lead.

But a triple bogey eight on the penultimate hole for co-leader Phillip Price meant the Welshman dropped back into the pack and victory was confirmed for the 2018 VTB Russian Open Golf Championship (Senior) winner.

“I can’t tell you what it means,” 52-year-old Shacklady said. “To win one title was amazing and I know it’s a cliché, but people say you validate it by winning another – and this season has gradually improved for me.

“I felt exactly the same as I did the first time. I felt as calm as I did in Russia and I genuinely became focused on just trying to win and post the lowest number. It’s nice to be able to repeat it.

“I played very well. I have been playing well prior to getting here this week, but you never know if you’re going to continue it.

“I knew I had a good chance on the back nine but then to be honest, the little one at the last for birdie, I thought that was going to mean I was in a play-off or maybe lose by one.

“I knew I was hitting it well and I knew I was going to give myself chances but I got on a nice run, in a nice frame of mind and I kept doing what my coach has been telling me and it worked out beautifully.”

The 52-year-old was joined at Ware’s Hanbury Manor, in Hertfordshire, by his wife and three children.

Shacklady was overjoyed to provide them with the perfect conclusion to the week, having been disappointed to bogey the final hole to miss the cut by a single shot the last time his family attended a tournament at The Senior Open, at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

“My family were there at Lytham when I bogeyed the last to miss the cut and they were all devasted I wasn’t there at the weekend, as I was,” the Ormskirk-based pro said.

“You just have to pick yourself up and go again. There are far more lows in golf than highs – there always have been and there always will be.

“I’m back out again next year and that’s all I want. I want to play, and play, and play and I wouldn’t trade this – being out here on this Tour – for anything in the world. It’s incredible.”

The 2018 Qualifying School graduate was typically humble in victory and offered some kind words to Price, whose triple bogey on the 71st hole was only the second time he dropped shots all week.

“We were stood at the last when Phil was coming in and he was signing autographs as he was coming off,” he said. “That says everything you need to know about Phil Price.

“He’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet and a class act with it. It is horrible that it’s gone that way but he will be the first one to come and shake my hand and say ‘well done’.

“He’s a gentleman and a good friend as well,” added Shacklady who qualified to play in the 2007 Open at Carnoustie and played seven times on the European Tour between 1999 and 2008.

Despite that triple bogey costing him a shot at victory, Price finished in fourth place on eight-under, which means he leapfrogs Paul Broadhurst and Bernhard Langer to take top spot on the Order of Merit

Shacklady’s victory sees him climb seven places into fifth position.

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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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Gary Evans was one of four players to tie the lead after the first round of the Senior Italian Open. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

FOUR players edged ahead of the field and will take a share of the lead into the second round of the Senior Italian Open, including one-time Worthing golfer Gary Evans.

Evans joined former England Amateur legend Gary Wolstenholme and, Scotland’s Surrey-based Gary Orr plus Austrian Markus Brier on four-under par.

The quartet all shot 68 on a difficult Villaverde Resort course, which enjoyed a day off from rains that have been hitting the north-east region of Italy for nearly six weeks.

With greens that were more receptive to approach shots, but fairways which eliminate distance off of the tee, the four leaders were divided on whether or not the course was playing easier or harder as a result.

“I think it made it harder,” said Wolstenholme, a two-time British Amateur Champion. “There’s quite a few holes uphill, decent par fours that are pretty strong, and you had to hit two good shots to find the green.

“Then once you found the green, you had to be in the right area to give yourself a decent chance.

“Putting was quite tough as well because there is a bit of grain and that grain can play on your mind, so you’ve got to be very positive with your putting, which is not always easy to do.

“But at the end of the day, you get the chance to shoot four under on a golf course as difficult as this, I’m very pleased.”

Evans, who was attached to Mill Ride in Berkshire for many of his 14 years on the European Tour, was also quick to identify another layer of difficulty when the course conditions become this wet.

“I had one in the rough on the tenth where I had a little bit of a jumpy lie and I hit just a smooth nine-iron, and I was lucky it came out perfectly,” said Evans, who made his Seniors debut in the Jordan Mixed Open.

“With the rough being this damp, sometimes it can come out a little heavy, but on that occasion it came out well.

“I’m pleased with my round in these conditions although I probably let a few get away from me on my inward nine.”

Taking a different view, were the other two co-leaders, Brier and Orr.

“As it’s my first time around here, I don’t know how it plays when it’s a bit firmer,“ said Brier.

“But length is not my issue, so I would say it’s probably a bit easier because you can shoot at the pins and it’s not going to roll away or anything.”

Orr, who was attached to Burhill in Surrey, for many years, now represnts Helensburgh GC, from where he hails.

“Although it’s playing a bit longer,” said Orr, “it probably is playing a bit easier because the ball stops when it hits the green. Plus the greens are good – they’ve held up really well despite all the rain.”

Sitting one stroke back of the leading quartet is Berkshire’s Barry Lane, who only dropped a single shot in his opening-round, which also featured an eagle and a chip-in birdie.

Clark Dennis, the winner of the last two editions of the Senior Italian Open, battled hard in his opening round to card a one-under par 71, and place himself firmly in the mix, finishing day one in a share of 11^th place.

Should the American go on to win the Senior Italian open for a third time, he would become the first player to win three-successive editions of a Staysure Tour tournament since Colin Montgomerie won the Travis Perkins Masters in 2013, 2014 and 2015 at Woburn GC.

•For live scoring in the Senior Italian Open click here.

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