Seniors Tour Pre Qualifying

[shivas irons]

Ive been keeping an eye on the scores for The Seniors pre Qualifying over the last couple of days and this year on all three courses the scoring is pretty high with a lot of guys qualifying for the final with high scoring.Theres seems to be a lot of new names trying to qualify and makes me think as it can be quite costly to play the tour is it just attracting nowdays guys with a few quid in their pocket and unfortunatly pricing out talent.The two guys who are pro's at the bottom of this leaderboard both scored 97's in their prospective rounds, cant remember in previous years scores being so high http://app.europeantour.com/seniortour/season=2014/tournamentid=2014804/scores.html

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Never heard of any of them

 

[Foxholer]

'First Stage Qualifying' not 'Pre-Qualifying'. Same effect (Qualifying for Final Qualifying Tournament) though. 3 Venues, plus the Finals, this year. Think it was only 2 + Finals last year, so definitely getting more popular. There's still a few who keep their card for reasons other than ability/performance, which I don't think is right these days - perhaps a few years ago when 'personalities' where needed to attract spectators or media.

It costs about £1500 on top of Entry Fees for the week. I have a mate who did it a couple of years, getting through Stage 1, but missing Qualifying by 2 shots both years I believe. He actually reckoned it was worthwhile as a 'holiday' anyway and that may be how many of the guys treat it.

Hope it turns out to be worthwhile. If you discount the Majors, the Tournament Schedule is still pretty empty - though in better shape than a month ago - and probably better shape than it was same time last year!

 

[fundy]

anyone know how many full cards are on offer, was less than 10 last yr for over 200 entrants and Im pretty sure the 2 guys I know who were considering entering havent bothered because of it

 

[GreiginFife]

My father in law is over there now in the third section and said conditions and course set up were as hard as he has seen and they arent taking it easy on the old(er) boys this year.
I think its 6 full playing cards on offer.

 

[fundy]

thanks Greig, very little on offer again as the cards are kept for the "names"

 

[shivas irons]

6 out of 200 not suprised fellas arnt making the effort although theres quite a few from the USA there.

 

[Foxholer]

..
I think its 6 full playing cards on offer.

Indeed - 6 Full (as Category 7) .

Following 8 go on list allowing entry to any tour event where one of those 6 chooses not to enter. And they also go into Category 10 (after Money List guys) so will or are likely to get a limited number of starts from that qualification.

 

[shivas irons]

Indeed - 6 Full (as Category 7) .

Following 8 go on list allowing entry to any tour event where one of those 6 chooses not to enter. And they also go into Category 10 (after Money List guys) so will or are likely to get a limited number of starts from that qualification.

Theres a lot of career money list guys that that still get in year on year even though their games have left them.I'm suprised the tour hasn't put a stop to this nowdays.

 

[fundy]

Theres a lot of career money list guys that that still get in year on year even though their games have left them.I'm suprised the tour hasn't put a stop to this nowdays.

they dont because ultimately its the names that draw the crowds and sponsors (or at least are perceived to do so)

 

[Foxholer]

they dont because ultimately its the names that draw the crowds and sponsors (or at least are perceived to do so)

Maybe the guys coming off the main Tour now - like Faldo, McGinley, Montgomery,Jiminez etc.

But there's a couple of 'regulars' who rarely break 80 who should find other roles and let others in.

 

[shivas irons]

Maybe the guys coming off the main Tour now - like Faldo, McGinley, Montgomery,Jiminez etc.

But there's a couple of 'regulars' who rarely break 80 who should find other roles and let others in.

The european superstars of golf have never really supported the European Senior Tour, they turn up now and again for The Seniors Open but theres no real incentive for them to play.Shame really as it would have been great to see some of these guys tee it up.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Only 10 events this year........that tells a story.

 

[shivas irons]

Only 10 events this year........that tells a story.

They do tend to add events if they can find sponsorship but it wont be many more than the 10 listed.

 

[Foxholer]

The european superstars of golf have never really supported the European Senior Tour, they turn up now and again for The Seniors Open but theres no real incentive for them to play.Shame really as it would have been great to see some of these guys tee it up.

True enough. They tend to go to Champions Tour.

In both Seniors and Ladies, the Euro Tour is definitely the 2nd Tier/Rung/Class/Rate/whatever to the US based one.

And Yes. They only post info on a tournament once it has got to a certain stage. There's certainly more there than there was this time last year (only a couple apart from the Big Ones)..

 

[shivas irons]

True enough. They tend to go to Champions Tour.

In both Seniors and Ladies, the Euro Tour is definitely the 2nd Tier/Rung/Class/Rate/whatever to the US based one.

And Yes. They only post info on a tournament once it has got to a certain stage. There's certainly more there than there was this time last year (only a couple apart from the Big Ones)..

I think The European Tour had high hopes when they formed it in 92 that The Seniors would attract the big names but its just not happened.Example of Champions money and European Senior money;in the last 3 years The Senior order of merit winner has earned around €300, 000,Langer earned $2.5 million topping the Champions money list last year.One standard event on the Champions is worth around £150, 000 to the winner and theres many more events.Roger Chapman won the Euro Seniors order of merit with just over €350, 000 in 2012, he played on the Champions in 2013 and won £200, 000 even though he was 49th on the order of merit, the guy who came 30th on the merit that year earned the same as the European Senior merit winner for that year. A Champions tour journey man player can earn a very good living, on the Euro Seniors a journey man will barely pay his way to play week in week out although saying this theres only 14ish events most years.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Many of the so called top names from a certain era probably don't need to play and so will only cherry pick the top ones anyway. If there are only a handful of events and many are for small purses, where is the incentive. If you had the urge to still play, a nice family home in the sunny US, good money, decent purses and TV coverage make it a far appetising prospect