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Former ISPS HANDA Senior Open winners Darren Clarke and Miguel Angel Jimenéz and two-time Masters Tournament champion José María Olazábal are the latest stars confirmed for this year’s Championship, which returns to Sunningdale next month, from July 24-27.
Some of golf’s most renowned names are set to tee it up on the Old Course when Europe’s only Senior Major returns to the famed Berkshire venue. Sunningdale will host the ISPS HANDA Senior Open for the fourth time in its history, following on from 2009, 2015 and 2021.
The trio join defending champion K.J. Choi, record 12-time Senior Major Champion Bernhard Langer, Major Champions Pádraig Harrington and Ernie Els and European legends Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjørn in what promises to be a star-studded field.
Darren Clarke understandably was smiling after becoming just the fourth golfer to win the Open and Senior Open as he wins the Senior Open at Gleneagles. Mark Runnacles
In 2022, Clarke became the fourth player to win both The Open and The Senior Open when he triumphed at Gleneagles, finishing one stroke ahead of Pádraig Harrington. Clarke won The Claret Jug at Royal St George’s in 2011, becoming the first Northern Irish winner of The Open in more than 60 years.
The 56-year-old finished third the last time the Senior Open was held at Sunningdale, just two strokes behind eventual winner Stephen Dodd.
“I’m very proud to have won both The Open and The Senior Open and I’m very much looking forward to going back to Sunningdale this Summer,” said Clarke. “It’s fantastic that the Senior Open gives us the opportunity to play on a number of the best courses in the country and the Old Course at Sunningdale is certainly a worthy test.”
Miguel Angel Jimenéz lifted the trophy in 2018.
Jiménez claimed The Senior Open trophy in style in 2018 as he triumphed on the Old Course at St Andrews. It was his second Senior Major Championship and earlier this month he won his 16th title on PGA TOUR Champions at the Principal Charity Classic. He was runner-up to Dodd four years ago at Sunningdale.
“The Senior Open is a very special event to me and I’m so proud to call myself a winner of the Championship,” said Jiménez. “I’ve been wanting to go back to Sunningdale since my runner-up finish there a few years ago and I’m hopeful I can go one better in a few weeks’ time.”
José María Olazábal captured the Masters on two occasions.
Olázabal, who won the Masters Tournament in 1994 and 1999, will be making his eighth appearance at The Senior Open. The Spaniard formed a formidable Ryder Cup partnership with the legendary Seve Ballesteros as they returned 12 points from 15 matches together across four editions. He went on to captain Europe in 2012 as he masterminded the Miracle at Medinah, seeing his side overturn a four-point deficit on the final day to win 14½ – 13½.
“I’m excited to return to Sunningdale next month,” said Olazábal. “The Senior Open is a great event and one which we all look forward to playing in.”
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