Sam Torrance

ELIGIBILITY CODE: 15

Will attempt to regain the John Jacobs Trophy in 2011 after finishing tenth on the 2010 Order of Merit, recording four top five finishes - including a share of second in the Berenberg Bank Masters - but failing to win for the first time since 2003. Won the 2009 European Senior Tour Order of Merit with a third place finish at the season-ending OKI Castellón Senior Tour Championship. That was good enough to see him leapfrog Ian Woosnam at the top of the Order of Merit to secure the third John Jacobs Trophy of his Senior Tour career. Victory in the 2009 DGM Barbados Open, the 11th Senior Tour win of his career, was the highlight of a season that yielded a further five top six finishes, including fifth spot at The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard over his home course of Sunningdale. His resurgence following an arm injury that troubled him for two seasons can be traced back to the final event of 2008 when he won the OKI Castellón Open España Senior - Tour Championship. That win moved him up to eighth in the Order of Merit and took him past the �1million career earnings mark on the Senior Tour. His ninth Senior Tour victory, in the 2007 Bendinat London Seniors Masters, was all the sweeter given that son Daniel had only taken on his caddie duties four weeks previously. Topped the Order of Merit for the second year in succession in 2006 after a hugely impressive season, during which he notched four victories and four runner-up finishes en route to earnings of �347,525.
Captained the European Ryder Cup Team to victory in The Ryder Cup at The De Vere Belfry in 2002, 17 years after holing the winning putt at the same venue which ended a 28 year drought in the event. Became the first golfer in European Tour history to notch up 600 tournaments in the 1998 Trophée Lancôme. Started under guidance of his father, Bob â?? his one and only coach â?? at Rossendale in Lancashire before his father returned to Scotland at Largs in Ayrshire. Left school at 13, turned professional at 16, started out on Tour aged 17 and took nine events to make first cut. Won events in the last three decades, the most recent of his 21 European Tour titles being Peugeot Open de France in 1998 after hitting a seven wood â??stiff' at the 71st hole. Awarded MBE in 1996 for services to golf and the OBE in the 2003 New Year Honours List for his inspired Captaincy of Europe's Ryder Cup Team. Won the team event at the 2003 dunhill links championship at St Andrews in partnership with his son Daniel. He was a member of the 1981, '83, '85, '87, '89, '91, '93 & '95 Ryder Cup Team and will be toasted forever as the man who holed the winning putt in the Ryder Cup at Belfry in 1985. . He was also the first big name pro on the European Tour to switch to the 48 inch "broomhandle" putter after problems putting in 1988. Has used it every year since.