It was entirely appropriate that the names of former Ryder Cup players should litter the leaderboard after the first round of the £500,000 Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open at Conwy (Caernarvonshire) Golf Club.
Maurice Bembridge, who rolled back the years with a fine round of two under par 70, Gordon J Brand (72), Tommy Horton (72), Eamonn Darcy (71), Costantino Rocca (70) and Des Smyth (71) – six players who have made a total of 16 appearances in golf’s most prestigious team competition - all finished a weather-affected first day within three shots of the lead held by Chile’s Guillermo Encina (69).
Last year, the links at Conwy became the first Welsh course to stage an Open Championship Final Qualifying event and the tight layout, with its thick rough and punishing bunkers, was made even more difficult for the Seniors by heavy rain that delayed the start of Friday’s first round by two and a half hours.
Add into the equation a blustery wind and under par scores were in short supply, a fact very much at the forefront of Rocca’s mind. “If you told me now that I can have three rounds of 70 then I would be pleased to take that. I think that could win the tournament,” commented the five-time European Tour winner, who won on only his third Seniors start in Ireland two weeks ago.
The exacting nature of the test was highlighted by the talented Zimbabwean Denis Watson. Having won the US Senior PGA Championship at Kiawah Island three weeks ago, Watson arrived in North Wales in confident mood but could do no better than a four over par 76.
The Irish duo of Darcy and Smyth, both fine exponents of links golf, were better placed after 71s, while two more Ryder Cup players, Englishmen Brand and Horton were round in level par 72.
Former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance of Scotland struggled over the back nine but finished with a smile after holing his bunker shot at the 18th for a two over par 74 – one better than last year’s Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open winner, José Rivero.
In total, only nine of the 76 man field broke par. Encina led the way on 69 followed a shot back by Bembridge, the Chairman of the European Seniors Tour Committee, fellow Englishman Tony Allen and Rocca.
Alongside Darcy and Smyth on one under par 71 were Luis Carbonetti of Argentina, 2004 Wales Seniors Open winner Ray Carrasco of the United States and England’s Ian Mosey.
Encina, whose only Seniors Tour victory came on a links course at La Moye Golf Club in Jersey, set an eagle and four birdies against three bogeys for his three under par total and cut a happy figure afterwards.
He said: “This is the first round, no more, but I played very well today. I like my job and I like very much links courses, because it takes me back to the origins of the game. You have to hit so many different shots. Playing in Chile I did not play links courses but after five years on the Seniors Tour I am getting used to them.”
The highlight of his round was undoubtedly an eagle three at the 511 yard 12th, which owed a good deal to one of those bounces you get on a links.
Having pushed his four iron approach a touch right of the green, Encina looked on with delight as it took a big kick left and rolled up to within four feet of the hole for what he described as an “easy eagle”.
The only Welsh professional in the field, Craig Defoy, a member of the European Seniors Tour Committee and a former Wales national coach, could have done with some luck of his own on his return to golf. Defoy carded a 76 while the best of the three home amateurs was John Whitcutt on five over.
However, the strongest Welsh challenge came from an Englishman in the shape of Cardiff Golf Club professional Terry Hanson.
Hanson is playing in his first tour event after receiving an invite and revealed that he had been given a few tips from one of his students, none other than Stephen Dodd, on how to handle the big tournament pressure. He appeared to do that to good effect with a one under par 73.
