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Broadhurst aiming to end 2018 season on a high at inaugural Indian Ocean Swing
December 06, 2018
Staysure Tour Number One Paul Broadhurst is determined to rubber-stamp his 2018 season as he prepares for the MCB Tour Championship-Mauritius, the first event of the inaugural Indian Ocean Swing.
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Winner of The Senior Open Presented by Rolex at Carnoustie in 2016, Broadhurst won his second Senior Major, the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in May and has since recorded his eighth victory in just three and a half years on the over-50s circuit.Returning to the Legend Course at Constance Belle Mare Plage, Broadhurst has finished no lower than tenth in three appearances in Mauritius and was runner-up two years ago before finishing Number One on the Order of Merit.
Set to be awarded the John Jacobs Trophy for the second time in three years for topping the Rankings, the 1991 Ryder Cup player hopes to end his year on a high with the MCB Tour Championship-Seychelles drawing the season to a close next week.
“It’s a good place to come for a couple of weeks and end our season,” said Broadhurst. “There aren’t many of us who are used to playing in these conditions, so it’s a good leveler for the Europeans.
“It’s a tricky course, no question about that, but the greens are very grainy and we’re not used to playing on this grass either – it’s the same for most of the guys out here.
“There’s a score out there, but you have to play well. I’m not sure how I’m playing at the moment. I had a disappointing end to my season in the United States. I had a driver shaft snap and that knocked my confidence from off the tee. I’ve had three weeks off and changed my clubs, so I’ll be learning those this week.”
Broadhurst is one of 11 Ryder Cup players in this week’s field, and is joined by 2006 Captains Tom Lehman and Ian Woosnam and 2014 Captain Paul McGinley in Mauritius.
Former World Number One and 1996 Open Champion Lehman, winner of the inaugural MCB Tour Championship in 2011, is hopeful of securing silverware in the Indian Ocean once again.
“It would mean a lot to win this event again. We’re treated so well by everyone at MCB and Constance Hotels and the European Tour have been so kind to me over the years. I’m glad to have won once, but a big reason I want to do it again is because it’s a way to show them that I gave my best effort in wanting to win here.
“I am a little weary after the travel from America, but I played well today in the Pro-Am and feel as though I can go out there and continue that form.”
After his record-breaking exploits in 2017, Thaworn Wiratchant returns to defend his title as he bids for a second victory this season after winning the Sharjah Senior Golf Masters presented by Shurooq at the start of the year.
The most prolific winner on the Asian Tour with 18 titles, Wiratchant set the record for the lowest-ever 54 hole total to par on the Staysure Tour, reaching 23 under par after a ten under par final round 62 at last year’s MCB Tour Championship.
Fellow former winners David Frost, Barry Lane and Paul Wesselingh are also teeing it up this week, with Wesselingh looking to secure his place inside the top 29 of the Order of Merit to guarantee his spot at the season-ending MCB Tour Championship-Seychelles.
