Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum

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Park is hosting a European Senior Tour event for the first time with the inaugural Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum. It will be the first time the Senior Tour has visited Leicestershire and with a prize fund of £400,000, will have a significant bearing on the outcome of the Order of Merit. Handa are also the title sponsors of the Handa Irish Senior Open presented by Fáilte Ireland

 

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Chapman sets pace

Roger Chapman continued his fine form so far in 2010 by posting an opening round 69 to set the pace in the Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum.

The 51 year old Englishman marked the European Senior Tour’s first visit to his homeland this season – and first 2010 event in Continental Europe – with a flawless four under par front nine 32 at Stapleford Park, in Leicestershire. He added another birdie on the tenth hole before his only bogey of the day on the tenth.

Chapman, who this year celebrates the tenth anniversary of his only European Tour win, picked up another shot on the 15th hole to finish on five under par, two strokes clear of compatriot John Harrison at the top of the early leaderboard.

“I started off with a good front nine with birdies on the second, fourth, sixth and seventh holes but I did miss two birdie opportunities on the two par threes, so I could have been out in under 30,” he said. “I hit out of bounds on the 11th which gave me a six but overall I played nicely. I’ll take two more rounds like that and I’d be very happy.

“The course played well given that spring is a month behind and the conditions we’ve had recently. Some parts of the morning were bitterly cold but when you got out of the wind and into the sun it was pleasant. Stapleford really is a lovely spot.”

http://www.europeantour.com/seniort...121565.html#chapman+sets+stapleford+park+pace

 

[truebluefan]

Longmuir Storms to Lead

Bill Longmuir posted a stunning nine under par 64, his lowest round to par in eight years on the European Senior Tour, to take a four shot lead in the opening round of the Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum.

The Scot carded seven birdies and an eagle in a flawless display at Stapleford Park, in Leicestershire, England, to open up a commanding lead over compatriot Ross Drummond, English pair Roger Chapman and Carl Mason and Australian David Merriman, who all signed for rounds of 68.

After opening with a birdie on the first hole, Longmuir picked up two more shots before the turn and then turned on the style on the way in, with an eagle three on the 509 yard par five 11th hole followed by a further four birdies in a six under par back nine of 30.

His 64 was the joint lowest 18 hole total on the Senior Tour this season and the lowest round to par, one shot lower than Boonchu Ruangkit’s opening round in the Chang Thailand Senior Masters presented by ISPS.

http://www.europeantour.com/seniort...578.html#longmuir+storms+stapleford+park+lead

 

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Ruangkit on the Rampage

Boonchu Ruangkit (Getty Images) Thailand’s Boonchu Ruangkit strengthened his chances of creating more history by picking up four shots in three holes to surge up the leaderboard in the Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Fourm.

Order of Merit leader Ruangkit, who is chasing his fourth consecutive Senior Tour victory, eagled the fourth hole at Stapleford Park and followed that with back-to-back birdies.

Fresh from his 54th birthday on Wednesday, Ruangkit has quickly adapted to the change in conditions at the Senior Tour’s first event in Continental Europe in 2010 following his three straight victories in Brunei, Thailand and South Africa.

He opened with a solid three under par round of 70 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, and moved into a share of second place with another superb display of scoring.

http://www.europeantour.com/seniort...0832/news/newsid=121658.html#ruangkit+rampage

 

[truebluefan]

Longmuir wins

Bill Longmuir produced another stunning run of birdies to win the Handa Senior Masters presented by The Stapleford Forum by a commanding seven strokes and capture his eighth European Senior Tour title.

The Scot shot a final round 66 for a superb wire-to-wire victory to deny Order of Merit leader Boonchu Ruangkit a record equalling fourth consecutive Senior Tour win.

Longmuir had started the final round at Stapleford Park, in Leicestershire, England with a four stroke advantage over Ruankgkit and Senior Tour Qualifying School winner John Harrison and he showed no absolutely signs of nerves in coasting to victory, opening with four straight birdies.

He dropped a shot on the fifth but picked up another birdie on the eighth to reach the turn in four under par 33. The 56 year old then quickly added another birdie on the tenth and when Roger Chapman closed the gap at the top of the leaderboard with an eagle on the 15th hole, Longmuir responded with another birdie of his own before posting his eighth birdie of the day on the 17th to seal a commanding victory, with Chapman and Ruangkit in a tie for second.

http://www.europeantour.com/seniort....html#longmuir+lands+eighth+senior+tour+title