Alex Čejka is hoping to turn into simply the third participant to efficiently defend The Senior Open when he tees it up at Carnoustie Golf Hyperlinks this week.
The German defeated Pádraig Harrington in a play-off to assert his third Senior Main Championship title on a dramatic ultimate day at Royal Porthcawl final yr, including to his wins on the Areas Custom and KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in 2021.
The four-time DP World Tour winner sealed victory on the second further gap after making a two-putt birdie on the par-five 18th in punishing circumstances in Wales.
Čejka’s victory 12 months in the past noticed him turn into the second German to win the Senior Open after four-time champion Bernhard Langer, and he’s now seeking to comply with within the footsteps of Brian Barnes and Christy O’Connor Jnr who efficiently defended the title in 1996 and 2000.
The 53-year-old has missed a big a part of the marketing campaign resulting from a again damage, nonetheless he arrives at Europe’s solely Senior Main Championship in a assured temper having made the lower finally week’s Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Čejka mentioned: “I’m wanting ahead to defending my title on a special observe, hopefully in higher circumstances towards the same discipline. There’s lots of people who’re in kind and it will likely be an incredible problem, however hopefully I can retain the trophy this week.
“I’m struggling a bit of bit as a result of I had two months off resulting from a again damage. I’m slowly coming again and my sport felt a lot better final week at Royal Troon. Making the lower at The Open final week was a very massive deal as a result of I didn’t even give myself an opportunity to make the lower.”
Čejka joins 15 Main winners within the discipline this week, together with Ian Woosnam, Paul Lawrie, Darren Clarke, Michael Campbell, Angel Cabrera, John Daly, Shaun Micheel, Retief Goosen, Justin Leonard, Jose Maria Olazábal, Wealthy Beem, Vijay Singh, Y.E. Yang, Langer and Harrington.
Lawrie, Harrington – each winners of The Open at Carnoustie – and Daly will bid to turn into the fifth participant to win each The Open and The Senior Open, becoming a member of Bob Charles, Gary Participant, Tom Watson and Clarke as the one males to take action.
To comply with the dwell scores from the Senior Open Championship, which is being held from July 25-28, click on right here.
