CONFIRMED FOR SA SENIOR OPEN
WITH just two weeks to go until the start of South African Senior Open Championship, the already spectacular field has been strengthened further by news that Denis Watson has confirmed his entry.
Watson is a multiple winner of events on the Sunshine Tour, including being the runner-up to Gary Player in the 1979-1980 Order of Merit.
A former US Open runner-up, Watson won the 2007 Senior PGA Championships of the USA, Champions Tour and the European Senior Tour’s associated event respectively.
With three PGA Tour and four PGA Champions Tour wins, he will be among the favourites to win at the Plettenberg Bay Country Club.
He will be coming from the United States, where he now lives, for the chance to add the South African Senior Open to his trophy cabinet.
He will also be inducted into the South African Golf Hall of Fame on April 5. Watson will not be short of competition for the title, however, with Chris Williams coming into the event with some great form after winning the Sharjah Senior Golf Masters at the weekend.
Williams started the final day one stroke behind compatriot James Kingston but three birdies and an Eagle in the space of four holes put him out in front.
He later dropped a shot and ended the day level with Gary Marks, forcing a playoff. A par in the first playoff hole was good enough to seal victory and ensure he lifted the inaugural Sharjah Senior Golf Masters trophy with Kingston ending the event in a tie for third.
Kingston, a former South African Open winner, Watson and Williams will strengthen a field already comprising Mark McNulty, Hugh Baiocchi, Roger Wessels, John Bland, Bobby Lincoln, Robbie Stewart and Jeff Hawkes, all winners and accredited players on world tours.
Neville Clarke from the senior tour was very excited about the field assembled.
“This is the strongest field assembled for a senior tour event in South Africa,” he said.
“It will be very interesting to see who comes out on top at the end of the week.
“There are a number of very good, skilled players.”