The PGA Seniors Championship, last played in 2015, returns to the over-50s circuit and will this year have special significance by becoming the first event to be hosted by Staysure – who this year became the first ever title sponsor of the European Senior Tour. The PGA Seniors Championship was a mainstay on the over-50s circuit between 1992 and 2015, and has been won by some of the tour’s all-time greats, notably Brian Huggett MBE, Tommy Horton MBE and Sam Torrance OBE.
London Golf Club – the first ever European Tour Destination and part of European Tour Properties’ global network – has impeccable tournament credentials, having held European Tour tournaments in the form of the 2008 and 2009 European Opens and the Volvo World Match Play in 2014. London Golf Club last hosted a Staysure Tour event in 2007, the Bendinat London Seniors Masters, where Torrance held off the challenge of Spain’s José Rivero to win by one stroke.
In addition to the Jack Nicklaus signature-designed Heritage Course, London Golf Club also boasts the International Course – which will host golf’s legends in a four round event this summer.
Known for its fast, undulating fairways and risk and reward tee shots, the International Course is set to provide the perfect setting for the first staging of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship.
David MacLaren, Head of Staysure Tour, said: “We are delighted to confirm that the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship will take place at the renowned London Golf Club.
“London Golf Club is an outstanding venue and one which has a unique relationship with the European Tour, through our joint-venture partnership. We have to thank all those involved at one of the UK’s finest inland venues for agreeing to host the flagship event of our first year of partnership with Staysure. “We want to pay particular thanks to the PGA for their support of over-50s golf and ensuring that one of the game’s most enduring titles returns to the Staysure Tour.”
Stephen Follett, Chief Executive of London Golf Club, added: “We are thrilled to be hosting the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship. The London Golf Club has a great heritage of hosting high profile tournaments and we look forward to welcoming everyone in August, to what I’m sure will be a great championship.”
Robert Maxfield, chief executive of The PGA, said: “We are delighted to see the oldest senior event on the Staysure Tour return to the tournament calendar. “Many great names have won the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship and those PGA Professionals who make the cut will be hoping to add their name to a long list of former winners, which includes Peter Thomson, Christy O’Connor, Sam Torrance and Tommy Horton. “The London Golf Club has a reputation of staging top class international competitions and we are delighted to be working with a brand new title sponsor Staysure for this event. “With the possibility of an array of former Ryder Cup players in the field alongside the elite of European over-50s golf, we look forward to hosting another exciting championship in 2018.”
