Corsaletti to feature in UK Senior open

Dar es Salaam Gymkhana professional golfer Phillippe Corsaletti during a past training session. PHOTO | MAJUTO OMARY

What you need to know:

The event’s Membership and Entries Administrator, Daniel Youngs, said yesterday that Corsaletti would be the only professional golfer from Tanzania.

Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam Gymkhana professional golfer Phillippe Corsaletti has been cleared to feature in the Senior Open Championship at the Old Course, St Andrews, on July 26-29.

The championship will be a 72-hole stroke play, with 18 holes to be played each day.

The event’s Membership and Entries Administrator, Daniel Youngs, said yesterday that Corsaletti would be the only professional golfer from Tanzania.

According to Youngs, 144 golfers from various countries will take part in the event.

“We have accepted Corsaletti’s applications and a confirmation will be sent out shortly,” said Youngs in a brief statement.

Corsaletti’s clearance to compete in the event gives him another chance to show his prowess.

Earlier, the golfer featured in the European Senior Tour Qualifying School in Portugal and finished in the 78th position among the 132 golfers.

Corsaletti told The Citizen that he would train hard ahead of the event.

He believes he will come out with impressive results.

“It is another opportunity for me to compete at the international event. It gives me exposure as well as experience in the sport. I have started preparations for the coming event. Five months are enough for me to do the best,” said Corsaletti.

July 22 will be the official practice day and the following day will be a qualifying round. July 24 and 25 will be practising days and July 26-29 will be the Senior Open championship.

The Old Course has hosted the Open Championship 29 times, most recently last year when Zach Johnson claimed his first major title, and has held the Women’s British Open on two occasions, but has up until now never hosted the over-50s event. The event is the 13th venue to accommodate the Senior Open Championship.

Entrants into the championship must have attained the age of 50 years on or by July 26 this year.

The Senior Open Championship boasts rich and variety history, with a rollcall of champions which includes some of the game’s leading lights: Tom Watson, Gary Player, Berhard Langer and Fred Couples having lifted the trophy.