The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
The Senior Open Championship will return to Carnoustie Golf Links in 2016
THE SENIOR Open Championship will return to Carnoustie Golf Links in 2016, the R&A and European Tour confirmed yesterday.
Germany’s Bernhard Langer won his first Senior Open title when the championship debuted on the Championship Course at the A ngus links in 2010.
The former Masters champion completed a gun-to-tape one-stroke win over Corey Pavin, who was the US Ryder Cup captain at Celtic Manor later that year.
It continues Carnoustie’s hosting of leading events, with the A mateur Championship scheduled to return to the links in June next year for the first time since 1994.
The Women’s British Open was staged at the Championship course in 2011 and the British Ladies A mateur Championship in 2012.
The Open is due to return sometime before the end of the decade. The course is also an annual co-host of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the EuropeanTour.
The co-organisers confirmed the Senior Open will return to Sunningdale’s Old Course next year and further confirmed that Rolex will remain as presenting sponsor until at least 2022.
Last year the Senior Open attracted record crowds of 45,575 as A merican Mark Wiebe defeated Langer in a lengthy play-off, which finished on the Monday at Royal Birkdale.
This year the Senior Open is the first major to be staged in Wales when the championship visits Royal Porthcawl from July 24-27.
R&A executive director of championships Johnnie Cole-Hamilton said: “Rolex has been a long-term supporter of the Senior Open Championship and we are delighted that they have extended this arrangement.
“A fter a hugely successful Senior Open at Royal Birkdale, we are looking forward to taking the championship to two outstanding venues in Sunningdale in 2015 and Carnoustie in 2016.
“Both have successfully staged the Senior Open Championship once before, so the players will look forward to returning to them.”