SMETHURST SEEKS RECORD FOURTH SENIORS CROWN - 18th May 2005

Defending champion Roy Smethurst will be chasing two records when the English Men’s Seniors Championship is played at Prestbury and Lymm Golf Clubs in Cheshire on 1st - 3rd June.

The 62 year old from nearby Crewe will be aiming to become the first player to win the title four times as well as a record third successive victory. Smethurst is arguably the most successful player in English senior golf and the three titles already under his belt have come in the past five years.

His initial victory came at Moor Park in 2000 and he retained the title at Sherwood Forest the following year. A joint runner-up spot followed at Heswall in 2002 and third place at Frilford Heath a year later. He then regained the coveted honour last year at John O’Gaunt by a clear five strokes.

No one has managed to win three successive seniors titles since the championship started in 1981 although Gordon Edwards (Bromborough) completed three victories between 1988 and 1996, one being in a tie before Smethurst joined that exclusive club.

However, there are plenty of other talented over 55s to challenge Smethurst, not least his six team-mates - Doug Arnold, Gordon Broster, David Lane, Jon Marks, Howard Moxon and Alan Squires - from the victorious Seniors Home Internationals at Aberdovey last September.

Arnold, from the Copthorne club in Sussex, the champion in 2002 and 2003, and Smethurst have been great rivals as well as team-mates in recent years. Arnold denied Smethurst three-titles-in-a-row in 2002 while Smethurst turned the tables last year.

There are four more past champions also in the field. Lane (Goring and Streatley), winner in 1997 and 1999, Marks (Woodbridge), the 1998 champion, Edwards (Bromborough) the winner in 1988, 1993 and joint champion in 1996, and Graham Steel (Moor Park), joint winner in 1994.

Former senior internationals Andrew Morrison (Appleby) and Anthony Smith (Hill Valley), are also competing, as is Bob Turner (Wearside), capped in 2001.

Moxon (Royal Cinque Ports) and Philip Jones (Bromborough), joint second to Smethurst a year ago, will be looking to go one better, but a dark horse could be Squires (Oldham), who was impressive in finishing equal eighth on his seniors debut last year.

Smethurst gets his defence underway at 2.20pm on Wednesday 1 June, while Arnold is an earlier starter at 1.00pm, both at Lymm, while Lane starts his bid at Prestbury at 2.00pm.

Two hundred and forty of the best over-55 golfers in the country will be in action over the two courses on the first two days after which there will be a cut, the leading 60 players and ties competing for the final 18 holes at Prestbury on Friday the 3rd. As usual, there are four subsidiary competitions based on age groups.

The leading players from this championship are likely to be in the forefront of selection for the team to represent England in the annual Seniors Home Internationals at Lahinch in Ireland on 27th - 29th September.

Related Links

• http://www.englishgolfunion.org

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