Having enjoyed successful careers on the DP World Tour – including three wins apiece – Jamie Donaldson and Johan Edfors both turned 50 in recent weeks and are now ready to embark on the challenge of Seniors golf in picturesque Puglia, in southern Italy.
The tournament features a field stacked full of Legends Tour talent, with Major winners Michael Campbell and Ian Woosnam joining Ryder Cup stars Stephen Gallacher, David Howell and Peter Baker, along with a raft of 2025 Legends Tour winners, including the Order of Merit leader, Scott Hend. The defending champion is Germany’s Thomas Gögele, who edged out Bradley Dredge on a dramatic final day 12 months ago.
“It’s great to be back playing,” said Donaldson, who famously claimed the winning point for Team Europe at the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. “I’ve bumped into a lot of people already, it’s like playing on the Tour 20 years ago. It’s also very nice to be a youngster again, versus being at the latter end as I was on the main Tour. There’s a lot of young guys coming out on that Tour that hit the ball a long way, so hopefully I’ll be one of those out here on the Legends Tour.”
Donaldson won three times on the Challenge Tour before finally breaking through on the DP World Tour with victory at the 2012 Irish Open. He then secured the biggest win of his career at the 2013 Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, before booking his place on Paul McGinley’s European Team with victory at the 2014 D+D Real Czech Masters. The Welshman then performed admirably in his Ryder Cup debut, twice partnering Lee Westwood to foursomes victory, and then clinching the vital point in the Sunday singles with a wedge to 2ft for a 5&3 win over Keegan Bradley.
Eleven years on, Donaldson is now relishing the challenge of the Legends Tour. “There’s definitely a bit of first-day-at-school feeling, but it’s more excitement about trying to get back in the mix again. I’ve not played a lot over the last three months after a bit of surgery but I’m back relatively fit and ready to go. So it’ll be very exciting to get going in what is a new era for me really. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Sweden’s Edfors is equally excited ahead of this next stage of a professional career that really took off in 2006 when he won three times in the space of four months, with victory at the TCL Classic, the Quinn Direct British Masters and the Barclays Scottish Open helping him to 10th on the Order of Merit.
“It’s going to be awesome to play again with some of my old friends out here – it’s probably the first time in quite a few years that I’ve been looking forward to a birthday,” said Edfors. “I recognise more names here than I do on the regular Tour nowadays, it’s been really fun to see some familiar faces here. It’s very chilled and everyone seems quite relaxed.
“I’m going to play four events this year and see where that takes us. I don’t know what to expect. I’ve been playing with some of the young kids on the Nordic League and that’s been a little bit of a wake-up call. I always used to hit it quite far – and now I don’t hit it far on that Tour, that’s for sure. Hopefully I can outdrive a few of the guys here this week and have a little bit of an advantage with being young and fit. This is probably the last time I’ll be young and promising!”
Last year’s event at the beautiful San Domenico was a memorable one, with Germany’s Thomas Gögele claiming a maiden victory on the Legends Tour after a closing 67. “Yes it’s great to be back as defending champion after I won last year,” said Gögele. “Even before I won, I really liked the place and the tournament so it’s very special. I always play well when my wife is on the bag, as she was last year. I played solid all week, I putted well, and did all the mental things I wanted to do. I hope something else good happens this week with that same process.”
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