2008 Senior Open Championship

The 2008 Senior Open Championship was a senior major golf championship and the 22nd Senior Open Championship, held on 24–27 July at Royal Troon Golf Club in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the first Senior Open Championship played at the course and the seventh Senior Open Championship played as a senior major championship.[1]

2008 Senior Open Championship
Royal Troon Golf Club
The Old Course clubhouse
Tournament information
Dates24–27 July 2008
LocationTroon, South Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
55°31′55″N 4°39′04″W / 55.532°N 4.651°W / 55.532; -4.651
Course(s)Royal Troon Golf Club, Old Course
Organized byThe R&A
Tour(s)
Statistics
Par71
Length7,058 yards (6,454 m)
Field144 players, 71 after cut
Cut152 (+10)
Prize fundUS$2,000,000
Winners share US$315,600
Champion
United States Bruce Vaughan
278 (−6)
Location map
Royal Troon GC is located in Europe
Royal Troon GC
Royal Troon GC
Location in Europe
Royal Troon GC is located in British Isles
Royal Troon GC
Royal Troon GC
Location in the British Isles
Royal Troon GC is located in Scotland
Royal Troon GC
Royal Troon GC
Location in Scotland
Royal Troon GC is located in South Ayrshire
Royal Troon GC
Royal Troon GC
Location in South Ayrshire
← 2007
2009 →

Bruce Vaughan won after a playoff over John Cook. It was Vaughan's first senior major championship victory.[2][3]

Venue

edit

The event was the first Senior Open Championship played at Royal Troon Golf Club, taking place at the club's Old Course, designed by Willie Fernie and George Strath. The club was founded in 1878 and had previously hosted The Open Championship eight times.

Course layout

edit
Hole Name Yards Par Hole Name Yards Par
1 Seal 361 4 10 Sandhills 437 4
2 Black Rock 390 4 11 The Railway 470 4
3 Gyaws 378 4 12 The Fox 431 4
4 Dunure 558 5 13 Burmah 470 4
5 Greenan 210 3 14 Alton 178 3
6 Turnberry 575 5 15 Crosbie 445 4
7 Tel-el-Kebir 402 4 16 Well 541 5
8 Postage Stamp 122 3 17 Rabbit 210 3
9 The Monk 423 4 18 Craigend 457 4
Out 3,419 36 In 3,639 35
Total 7,058 71

Source:[4]

Field

edit

The field consisted of 144 competitors; 130 professionals and 14 amateurs.

18-hole stroke play qualifying rounds were held on Monday, 21 July, on three places in Scotland, Dundonald Links Golf Club, Western Gailes Golf Club and Glasgow Gailes Golf Club, for players who were not already exempt. The leading players from the qualifying competitions joined the exempt players for the championship.[5]

71 players made the 36-hole cut, all of them professionals and no amateurs.

Past champions in the field

edit

Four past Senior Open champions participated. Two of them made the 36-hole cut; 2003, 2005 and 2007 champion Tom Watson (tied 5th) and 2004 champion Pete Oakley (tied 68th). 1989 and 1993 champion Bob Charles and 1988, 1990 and 1997 champion Gary Player did not make the cut.

Past winners and runners-up at The Open Championship in the field

edit

The field included six former winners of The Open Championship. Three of them made the cut; 1986 and 1993 Open champion Greg Norman (tied 5th), 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1983 Open champion Tom Watson (tied 5th) and 1998 Open champion Mark O'Meara (tied 34th). 1985 Open champion Sandy Lyle, 1963 Open champion Bob Charles and 1959, 1968 and 1974 Open champion Gary Player did not make the cut.

The field also included ten former runners-up at The Open Championship; John Cook (2nd), Bernhard Langer (4th), Costantino Rocca (tied 8th), Andy Bean (tied 10th), Tom Kite (tied 16th), Mark McNulty (tied 16th), Wayne Grady (tied 27th), Ben Crenshaw (43rd), Gordon J. Brand (missed cut) and Simon Owen (missed cut).

Final round and playoff summaries

edit

Final round

edit

Sunday, 27 July 2009

John Cook and Bruce Vaughan tied the lead after the fourth round, to meet in a sudden death playoff, to decide the winner.

Place Player Score To par Money ($)
T1   John Cook 69-71-67-71=278 −6 Playoff
  Bruce Vaughan 68-71-69-70=278
3   Eduardo Romero 68-73-68-70=279 −5 118,500
4   Bernhard Langer 70-71-71-68=280 −4 94,700
T5   Gene Jones 70-76-68-68=282 −2 67,773
  Greg Norman 75-72-67-68=282
  Tom Watson 70-71-71-70=282
T8   Phil Blackmar 74-72-71-68=285 +1 44,870
  Costantino Rocca 73-73-72-67=285
10   Andy Bean 69-75-73-69=285 +2 37,820

Playoff

edit

Sunday, 27 July 2009

The sudden-death playoff went on the 18th hole until one of the players had a lower score on the hole than the other. Bruce Vaughan beat John Cook with a birdie at the first extra hole. Vaughan rolled in a 15 feet putt after hitting a 5-iron into the green.[6]

Place Player Score To par Money ($)
1   Bruce Vaughan 3 −1 315,600
2   John Cook 4 E 210,500

References

edit
  1. ^ "The Senior Open Championship". The R&A. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  2. ^ "The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard – Results". European Tour. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Past results, The Senior Open". PGA Tour. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Senior Open Championship presented by MadsterCard – Course Card Royal Troon GC". European Tour. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Qualifying - Official Scores & Qualified Players". European Tour. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Vaughan seals Senior Open play-off win". European Tour. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
edit
Preceded by Senior Major Championships Succeeded by

55°31′55″N 4°39′04″W / 55.532°N 4.651°W / 55.532; -4.651