Paul Eales

Nephew of former English Amateur Champion Terry Shingler and long-time pupil of Royal Lytham & St Annes professional, Eddie Birchenough (became an assistant at Lytham in 1987). He pays meticulous attention to diet and is one of the fittest players on The European Tour. He loves sport on the radio and can occasionally be heard in that capacity working for Radio Five Live. He turned professional in 1985 and joined the Challenge Tour in 1990. The following season he won the Audi Open and in 1992, finished third on the Challenge Tour Rankings to graduate to the main European Tour for the 1993 season.
After a solid rookie season in 1993, Eales won the 1994 Extremadura Open on his way to a career-best 35th place on the European Tour Order of Merit. He assured himself of a place among the exempt players in 2000 by finishing third behind Colin Montgomerie and Mark James in the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth Club. He had to fight to retain his playing privileges in 2000, occupying 112th position on the Volvo Order of Merit thanks to a fighting 12th place in his final start, the Italian Open. Ensured no such worries at the end of the 2001 season thanks to a consistent year, his best finish coming in the Novotel Perrier Open de France, where he finished in a T-2nd, two shots behind winner Jose Maria Olazabal. He was never able to win another event on the European Tour after his '94 Extremadura victory, mostly finishing within the top 100 on the Order of Merit until 2004, when he lost his tour card. He did play in 2005 but finished 191st on the order of merit. In his European card, he played 337 events with 21 top-ten finishes and earnings of 1.87 million euros.
He is now the teaching pro at Garstang Country Hotel and Golf Club. He is a European Tour Players' Committee member and regularly works as an analyst on BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Sports. He is the golf ambassador for UK bank Northern Rock. On turning 50 in August 2013, he did play some European Tour events.
2013 European Seniors Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 9; top-10 finishes - 4; Euro78,865 (ranked 18th); Best finish, 3rd English Senior Open, and T3rd Dutch Senior Open.
2014 European Seniors Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 13; top-10 finishes - 2; Euro64,073 (ranked 22nd); Best finish, T-4th English Senior Open.
2015 European Seniors Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 10; top-10 finishes - 2; Euro61,576 (ranked 21st); Best finish, T-3rd MCB Tour Championship.
2016 European Seniors Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 12; top-10 finishes - 3; Euro94,380 (ranked 17th); Best finish, winner Prostate Cancer UK Scottish Senior Open. It was his first victory in 22 years, becoming just the 7th player to win on the European, European Challenge, and European Senior Tour.
2017 European Staysure Seniors Tour Summary: Tournaments entered - 14; top-10 finishes - 4; Euro67,351 (ranked 26th); Best finish, T-2nd Dutch Masters.
2018 Notes: Played in 17 Staysure Tour events with five top-ten finishes. Best was a T-2nd at the Shipco Masters. Was T-5th at the Paris Legends Championship and T-6th at the WINSTONgolf Senior Open. Eales finished 23 on the European Legends Tour Order of Merit with euro119,843.
2019 Notes: Played in 16 European Legends Tour events with two top-ten finishes. Was 22nd in the Order of Merit with earnings of euro85,177. Was T-7th at the Senior Italian Open and T-3rd at the MCB Tour Championship - Seychelles, two shots back of winner Peter Fowler.
2021 Notes: Played in ten Legends Tour events with one top-ten finish. He was 31st in the Order of Merit. Best finish T-7th at the Farmfoods European Senior Masters.
2022 Notes: Played in 13 Legends Tour events with two top-ten finishes. He was 25th in the Order of Merit. He was T-2nd at the Irish Legends, a shot back from the winner Phillip Price. He was T-6th at the MCB Tour Championship - Mauritius.
2023 Notes: Was T-41st at the Riegler & Partner Legends.