ARNOLD DEFENDS SENIORS TITLE AT FRILFORD HEATH
Two hundred and forty of the best over-55 golfers in the
country will be in action when the English Seniors Championship
gets underway over the Red and Blue Courses at Frilford Heath,
near Abingdon, Oxfordshire, on 4-6 June.
The line-up also includes all seven members of the England
side that emerged victorious from last autumn's Senior Home
Internationals at Nairn Dunbar.
One of that side, Doug Arnold from Copthorne Golf Club in
Sussex will be defending the title he won so well at Heswall
a year ago when a 54-hole aggregate of 224 left him a shot
clear of fellow cap Roy Smethurst (Crewe) and Geoffrey Clay
(Minchinhampton).
It was a magnificent way for Arnold to kick off his seniors
career and the 55 year old's victory denied Smethurst a hat-trick
of titles, the 60 year old retired computer systems designer
having won at Moor Park in 2000 and again at Sherwood Forest
in 2001.
Five more of last season's internationals, Clay, Andrew Morrison
(Appleby), David Lane (Goring and Streatley), Jon Marks (Woodbridge)
and Anthony Smith (Hill Valley) are also competing, as is
Bob Turner (Wearside), capped in 2001.
Lane, Marks and Smethurst are all past winners, Lane having
triumphed in 1997 and '99, and Marks in 1998.
Arnold, now 56, gets his defence underway on the Red Course
at 11am on Wednesday 4 June, while Smethurst, is also in action
on the Red at 12.20.
The field of 240 also includes Gordon Edwards (Bromborough),
champion at Sandiway in 1988, at John O'Gaunt in 1993, and
joint winner at West Lancashire in '96.
Another former champion, Graham Steel (Moor Park), who shared
victory at Parkstone nine years ago, is also in the field,
as is former international Harry Ashby (Consett). Ashby won
the English Amateur title in 1972 and '73, but no former English
champion has gone on to take the Seniors title.
The field will play one round on each course over the first
two days after which there will be a cut, the leading 60 players
and ties competing for the final 18 holes over the Red Course.
As usual, there are four subsidiary competitions based on
age groups.
The leading players from this championship are likely to
be in the forefront of selection for the seven-strong team
to represent England in the annual Seniors Home Internationals
at Seaton Carew on 30 September - 2 October.
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