Players such as Tony Jacklin, Bernard Gallacher, Brian Waites, Antonio Garrido, Craig Defoy and Christy O’Connor Jnr competed at Ferndown during their days on the regular Tour and the course is sure to provide a tough test next August.
Paul Dermody, Managing Director of Greenhalls Hotel and Leisure, said: “De Vere Hotels are pleased to bring the De Vere Hotels Seniors Classic to Ferndown. We are confident that the professionals and the spectators will have three very enjoyable days watching top-class golfers in a magnificent setting.”
Derek Silk, General Manager of The De Vere Dormy Hotel located adjacent to the course, added: “In view of our involvement with prestigious golf events it is pleasing that once again we will be part of what we are sure will be a very successful tournament. We look forward to welcoming the senior professionals to the Dormy, many of whom have been before when playing on the regular circuit in the Hennessy Cups.”
The 1998 De Vere Hotels Seniors Classic at Belton Woods GC was won by Tommy Horton when he wiped out a seven-shot deficit with a final round of 67 to win by a shot.
The last professional tournament held at Ferndown was the 1987 European Ladies Open with the club previously hosting two Hennessy Cognac Cups, in 1982 and 1984. Indeed, Brian Waites was on the winning Great Britain and Ireland team in 1982 along with fellow Seniors Tour players Bernard Gallacher and Tony Jacklin. Waites triumphed again two years later with the English team of Ryder Cup captain Mark James, Howard Clark and Nick Faldo.
Tony Elgar, Ferndown Golf Club Captain, said: “Ferndown Golf Club eagerly look forward to hosting a European Seniors Tour event next year. There will have been a ten year gap since we were last able to host a major professional tournament, the European Ladies Open, but are very confident that there will be much enthusiasm from our Members and throughout the area for this new event.
“The course should be ideally suited to the Seniors Tour and without doubt Percy Alliss, a professional at Ferndown for some 25 years, would have enjoyed such an event.”
Andy Stubbs, Managing Director of the European Seniors Tour, said: “The De Vere Hotels Seniors Classic, now approaching its fifth year, has been a bedrock in the development of the European Seniors Tour in the last five years and the support of the De Vere Hotels Group through this event and The Belfry PGA Seniors Championship has been greatly appreciated by all our Members.
“The change to an August date and the change of venue to the much-respected Ferndown Golf Club, which has had a close link with professional tournament golf over the years, is certain to produce a great spectacle and I am sure the event will be well supported by the golfing public of the surrounding area.”
