Age no barrier for past masters

The International Series is definitely the future for the Asian Tour and its up-and-coming players, but it’s also a place where the game’s more experienced campaigners can enjoy competing, which was clearly evident at this week’s International Series Qatar where India’s Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa and Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant and Prayad Marksaeng, all impressively made the cut.

All four are legends on the Asian Tour and they are also all now aged over 50, so their performances over the first two days caught the eye in an event the boasts an extremely strong field.

Thaworn, the Tour’s most successful golfer with 18 victories, shot rounds of 71 and 76 to survive the cut, made at six over, by three. Prayad was four over, after a 73 and a 75, as was Randhawa, who shot 71 and 77, while Singh finished right on the cut mark, following a 74 and 76.

Prayad says he’s not surprised the over 50s still have a chance to compete with the young guns at Doha Golf Club: “Because the course is not actually that difficult, but the wind has been very strong. You have to know how to play in the wind, and make sure you hit the ball in the fairway off the tee.

“The secret is you just have to be able to hit the fairways, and I’ve hit a lot of fairways this week. I was mostly in the fairways and on the greens and I have also putted very well.”

The 57 year old credits his longevity and success to keeping fit and a healthy lifestyle, which has seen him win an impressive 52 professional events. Remarkably, and in more recent times, he has won 18 times on the Japan Senior Tour, while during his heyday he was victorious on 10 occasions on the Asian Tour and six times in Japan, while he has also claimed numerous local events in Thailand.

“The secret for me to keeping fit is because I sleep early, very early. I normally sleep at 8.30pm but I wake up early as well, about 3.30am. I don’t drink or smoke so that’s my secret. Another thing is when I have a tournament, I will not go to the driving range to hit balls before I play because I want to save some energy for the course. Basically, I’ll just do some chipping and putting before I play.”

His compatriot Thaworn, aged 56, is also not surprised that the older players survived the half-way cut this week: “Because we have experience, and don’t think so much about it, we just come here for fun so we’re not stressing about playing well. I played here many times when the event was on the European Tour and my best finish is probably top 20. But I was younger and stronger and hit it longer back then, and the greens were softer, and the wind was not as strong as this week.”

The 2005 and 2012 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner is mainly planning to play senior events this season, but will also play Asian Tour events on courses that he feels suits his game.

“If I have time on the schedule I will play some Asian Tour events, but I will mainly play Thai Senior Tour events and on the Japan Senior Tour,” said Thaworn.

“In Japan, there are lot of new senior players coming up from the JGTO, so I can’t say how it will go this year.”

Randhawa also made the cut in last week’s International Series Oman and thinks his game is in a good place.

Says the 50 year old: “Well, I think I’m playing pretty good, probably hitting the ball better than I ever did right now. Because when you reach my age, there’s no doubt in your mind, you know you’re just playing and you’re just believing in what you’re doing.

“When you’re younger, you’re changing too many things, but now I know exactly what I need to do. It’s just that the body and the mind have to work, so that’s the problem. But playing against the young guys, yeah, I love to compete. I love to be out here playing with them, and if I can give them good competition I look forward to that.”

“I haven’t lost any distance, if anything, I’ve gained about 10 yards with the new driver, the new clubs and new ball, I’m hitting it longer than I used to. Short game is a bit off you know, I don’t practice as much, don’t chip and putt as much so I’m losing a lot of shots there.”

The eight-time Asian Tour winner and 2002 Merit champion also has limited status on the Champions Tour and is looking forward to a stint in the U.S. this summer: “I finished 27th in the Champions Tour Q-School and I can do Monday Qualifiers every week. So come summer I think I’m gonna go try to play six, seven events in May, June and July and see if I can make it.”

Singh, who won the Merit crown in 2006 and has amassed six Asian Tour wins, four DP World Tour victories and six on the Japan Tour, says experience plays such an important part in their games in the latter stages of their careers.

“I think experience plays a big role when the conditions like this come into play on a golf course, especially when it gets so windy. I think over the years, we’ve learned to make sure we keep the ball in play, where you don’t have to be aggressive and where you need to hold back, and where you do need to be aggressive. I think that’s the main reason.

“I think the four of us are playing good golf, and I think that’s the main reason we are here on the weekend playing with the young guns and trying to keep up with them.”

Singh plans to play quite a bit on the Asian Tour in the near future before heading overseas when the European Senior Tour resumes again this summer.

“I am going to play the Asian Tour, I’m going to double-dip basically,” he says.

“If there is no Senior Tour event in Japan or in Europe, I’m going to come and play in Asia because I’m playing under a category which I can get into most of the events. My next one is going to be at Black Mountain in Thailand, then Hong Kong, Vietnam, and hopefully at Nam Seoul.

“Then I’m gonna hit the senior tour, I’m going to be playing mainly in Europe this year, because the money is going up.

“I focused on Japan last year, but this year it’s going to be maybe two or three events in Japan, the rest is going to be in Europe and U.S., which is going to be a few Monday qualifiers and some major championships.”

While neither of them were able to make an impression on the leaderboard over the weekend –Prayad faired the best finishing in a tie for 26th – the fact that the four were present for all four days was an acknowledgement of their unquestionable class and an inspiration to all.