New Zealand’s Steve Alker – during practice today – image USGA
The US Senior Open gets underway on Thursday at the Newport Country Club on Rhode Island, where eight Australians and three New Zealanders will take their place in senior golf’s most prestigious championship.
New Zealanders Steve Alker, Michael Long and Richard Lee will be joined by Australians Richard Green, Rod Pampling, Mark Hensby, Greg Chalmers, Cameron Percy, Michael Wright, Stuart Appleby and Mathew Goggin in the US$ 4 million event, making the strongest representation ever numerically from this part of the world.
Goggin, Percy, Chalmers, Percy, Long and Lee earned their way into the field via Final Qualifying with Percy and Long gaining late starts as alternates from qualifying. Goggin set a qualifying record with his round of 63 at his particular venue in South Carolina to win by five shots over 90 participants.
Alker, Green, Hensby and Pampling are considered potential contenders for the title, Alker currently in second place on the season-long Schwab Cup money list, Hensby having finished 3rd in this event two years ago, Pampling 4th three years ago and Green finishing runner-up at this year’s Senior PGA Championship.
Bernhard Langer, at the age of 66, will defend the title he won in Wisconsin last year as he chases a 47th title on the PGA Tour Champions and a third US Senior Open.
Mathew Goggin – a round of 63 in qualifying – image USGA
