Peter Fowler is hoping to go one better in this week’s 2016 SSE Enterprise Wales Senior Open after finishing second in last year’s tournament at The Celtic Manor Resort.
Returning to the Roman Road Course, where he finished was joint runner-up alongside home favourite Ian Woosnam behind winner Paul Wesselingh, the Australian believes he can finish on top this time round.
The 2011 John Jacobs Trophy winner went on to claim back-to-back wins in both at the Acorn Jersey Open and ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship in the fortnight after finishing runner up in Wales, and that fast start to 2015 helped him to finish second on the Order of Merit.
Although the 56 year old described his preparation for the first event of the 2016 European Senior Tour season on European soil as rushed, following his return journey from the US Senior PGA Championship where he finished tied 39th, Fowler believes he is in good shape going into this weekend’s event.
“I’m looking forward to getting back into some real competition against some really good players,” he said. “My preparations have been a bit rushed in terms of getting acclimatised, but I’m trying to do my best.
“I’ve played plenty of golf at lots of small events apart from the Perth International and then last week in the States. But I’m ready to go and hopefully it’ll be a good year.”
Last year, Fowler went into the final day at Celtic Manor Resort one under par, three shots behind joint leaders Wesselingh and Woosnam.
He then shot 66, the joint-lowest round of the day, but Wesselingh held his nerve to record his eighth Senior Tour win
“It would be good to go that one step further,” Fowler said. “I’ve been trying to do my homework on the greens here. The wind is tricky, but the greens are even trickier.
“There’s so much slope on them you really need to learn as much as you can about them. They have got some massive, massive slopes on these greens.
“You definitely don’t want to be in the wrong place.
“That being said, I really enjoy it here. The hotel and facilities are good and the course is in great shape again.”
The 2011 John Jacobs Trophy went on to claim back-to-back wins in both at the Acorn Jersey Open and ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship in the fortnight after finishing runner up in Wales, and that fast start t0 2015 helped him to finish second on the Order of Merit.
Although wary of competition on the Order of Merit in 2016, Fowler believes he has what it takes to go one better in the money list this time round, as well as in this week’s tournament.
“I’m really looking forward to the season, the Senior Open Championship in particular. Playing golf in Europe has been my life over the last 33 years and I want it to continue for as long as possible.
“Fitness is key at this level. If you go out there feeling good then you have half a chance.”
