A full field of 288 players will tee it up at the Senior PGA Professional Championship as Moor Park plays host to the 54-hole event for a second year.
Robert Coles prevailed 12 months ago, the Englishman would go on to double up at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at Trump International, after a birdie at the first extra hole was enough to get the better of David Higgins and Stephen Fenn.
This year the High and West Courses will again be the challenge for the first two days before the top 50 and ties go forward to the final round over the High Course.
Former Amateur champion Stephen Dundas will again be in the field having arrived at Moor Park last year in fairly unique circumstances.
"I hadn't played tournament golf for 25 years and then I found out that I had an invite to the US Senior Open at Newport Country Club, which came as a result of me winning the Amateur in 1992 and turning 50. So, in preparation I decided to obviously start practising, and then play in a few events, of which the Senior PGA Professional Championship was one of them," Dundas explains.
"Now I've entered it again just because I enjoyed it so much. Both courses were in great shape, you've got the West Course, which is the shorter of the two but had some great holes and actually that was the one I found the most difficult, and then there's the High which is the better known of the two. The High is one of those courses where pretty much everything's in front of you and it's just a really well-designed layout with good elevation changes and the greens were pure and running probably about 11 on the Stimp."
These days Dundas, who beat Bradley Dredge in the Amateur final at Carnoustie, is the president at San Roque in southern Spain but he will be back in the UK to try and play all three rounds and maybe surprise himself.
"I almost want to prove something to myself and try and make the cut this year. I was one shot away last year so I kind of want to go at least one better this year and play on Friday. As I say, I hadn't played proper golf for 25 years so obviously my level had kind of fallen off a cliff but I managed to get it back to a reasonable level last year. Not winning tournaments or whatever but shooting in the early 70s. I wouldn't be putting any money on me to win but, if I can make the cut, I would be happy with that."
With an increased prize pot of £50,000 on the Callaway PGA National Tournament Schedule there is the added lure of a place in the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at Trump International in Aberdeen for the leading 15 players not otherwise exempt – there is also a Senior 60's Prize Fund for the leading player aged 60 and over.
"I mean, if all the facets of my game clicked, especially my putting, then a top 15 wouldn't be out of the question. My ball striking in general is relatively pretty decent but, being realistic, I'd be quite happy to make the cut. It was just a very enjoyable event, the hospitality and organisation was really, really good and it was great to catch up with everyone again, see how everyone's doing and tell a few tales from the past."
This will be the 30th anniversary of the Senior PGA Professional Championship with Tommy Horton winning the first four stagings.
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It was just a very enjoyable event last year. The hospitality and organisation was really, really good and it was great to catch up with everyone again, see how everyone's doing and tell a few tales from the past.
- Stephen Dundas
