Royal Porthcawl head professional Peter Evans is excited about the return of the SSE Enterprise Wales Senior Open to Celtic Manor Resort this week, though he concedes there are inevitable nerves ahead of competing in such a big event.
Evans, who turned 50 in 2014, made his European Senior Tour debut in last year’s Wales Senior Open on the Roman Road Course and also qualified for the 2015 Senior Open Championship at Sunningdale.
After accepting an invitation for this year’s edition of the tournament, from June 3-5, Evans is relishing the opportunity to tee off alongside some of the Senior Tour’s biggest names, headed by local hero and European Tour legend Ian Woosnam.
He said: “I had a fantastic time last year. I was with Jim McKenzie, a Director at Celtic Manor, in May and told him how wonderful the course is at the moment.
“I’m hoping to have a few practice rounds there before the tournament, it would be nice to have one over the rest of the field.
“I am very excited and thrilled to have received an invitation to play, particularly with the field that will be out there. It’s also a great privilege to play and represent Royal Porthcawl.
“I played with Paul Wesselingh in the first round last year, and he was very impressive to watch.
“We were also with Rick Gibson, who has become a personal friend of ours. My son caddied for him at the Senior Open in 2014.”
With the Senior Open Championship returning to Royal Porthcawl in 2017, Evans thinks there is a real buzz on the Glamorgan coast.
He said: “Golf in Wales is vibrant at the moment, there is a lot of excitement. I have been a coach in the national game and the county structure and we’re all very excited.
“The nation is ambitious and everyone who comes here to play golf enjoys the great courses we have on offer and the hospitality that goes with it.
“The senior golfers coming to Celtic Manor Resort, and to Royal Porthcawl next year, is hugely important for the region.”
Evans missed out on the 2014 edition of the Senior Open Championship, staged at his ‘home’ course, by just a week, turning 50 two days after the event ended.
The Welshman is delighted that he will not have to wait much longer to take part in the prestigious tournament on home soil.
“I played in the tournament at Sunningdale last year and that was a privilege, and I’m going to try and prequalify for this year’s tournament at Carnoustie too,” he said.
“The Championship in 2014 at Royal Porthcawl was a huge success. The club and everybody associated with it is so excited about its return next year, but that will also be nerve-wracking for me.
“We’ve had a busy start to the year but my preparations are coming along well. I played in the Cornish Festival in April, which was a 54-hole event. I hit a 67 in my final round at Trevose Golf Club, which was really encouraging.
“My form has been pretty good, considering I don’t think I’ve played enough competitive golf. I do think I need to play a few more rounds to get a feel for things.”
