Irish players have just finished their most successful season on the European Seniors' Tour. This was guaranteed by Eddie Polland's splendid victory in the final event of the season, the Senior Tournament of Champions at Buckinghamshire GC on Sunday.
The top prize of £20,000 brought Polland's earnings to £76,412, but he remained almost £23,000 behind Tommy Horton, who once again headed the Order of Merit. Still, Irish competitors had the satisfaction of winning a total of four tournaments - two by Polland, and one each by Christy O'Connor Jnr and David Jones.
O'Connor's superb triumph in the Senior British Open at Royal Portrush last July brought his earnings for the season in Europe to £72,740. This would have been sufficient for fourth place in the Order of Merit but he is not included because he played only three events, one fewer than the mandatory minimum. O'Connor's main activities, of course, have been on the US Seniors' Tour on which he has earned $657,749 from 14 events, including victories in the State Farm Senior Classic in early last July and the Foremost Insurance Classic a month later. Currently 24th in the money list, he is virtually certain to end the season among the leading 31 who have full exempt status for next year.
Back in Europe, Joe McDermott, the 1998 Irish Seniors' champion, has been quite active. He played in 17 events, one more than Polland and Denis O'Sullivan and three more than Jones, who finished ninth in the table.
The most active Irishmen in Europe, with their tournament appearances, were: 17 Joe McDermott; 16 Eddie Polland, Denis O'Sullivan; 15 Liam Higgins, Paul Leonard, Kenny Stevenson; 14 David Jones, Arnold O'Connor, Gordon Parkhill; 11 Mick Murphy; 9 Arthur Spring; 7 Hugh Jackson; 6 Tommy Moran; 4 Hugh Boyle, Tommy Halpin; 2 Gerry Egan.
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