ARTHUR SPRING is heading for the US tomorrow so as to intensify his build up for the European Seniors Tour, which starts with the Beko Turkish Open on May 8th to 10th. His immediate target is the $800,000 Southwestern Bell Dominion tournament in San Antonio, Texas, later this month.
The former Munster amateur interprovincial, who was the only Irish qualifier from the European Seniors Tour School, is particularly anxious to sharpen his putting. Obviously its easier to do some practice in the sunshine," he said yesterday. "After Texas, I plan to visit some friends in Oklahoma."
Spring faces a daunting challenge in San Antonio where he will join as many as 100 competitors next Monday in attempting to gain only four places in the tournament proper. But if he were to get into the field of 78, a top 50 finish would earn him about $2,500.
Last year, the top prize of $97,500 was captured by Toil Weiskopf. More interestingly, from Spring's standpoint, however, was the fact that Charlie Epps, a Monday qualifier, finished in a share of ninth place to collect $16,900.
Activities on the regular European Tour move to Maspalomas this week for the Turespana Masters Open Canarias. It marks the return of Philip Walton, who opted out of the Portuguese Open last weekend, when Darren Clarke led the Irish finishers in fourth place.
Clarke and Walton are among seven Irish challengers who will go into action in the Canaries on Thursday morning. The others are Padraig Harrington, Des Smyth Christy O'Connor Jnr, Raymond Burns and David Higgins. It also seems likely that John McHenry will get into the field.
It will come as no surprise that Harrington, with eight successive tournament appearances, has been the most active player in the top 15 of the Order of Merit so far this season. The closest to him, with six appearances each, are Heineken Classic winner Miguel Angel Martin and the Frenchman, Marc Faivy.
Further down the order, however, Japan's Katsuyoshi Tomori and Sweden's Daniel Chopra have also played in all eight events. And the least productive has been Christian Cevaer of France with only £431 from four appearances - an average of less than £108 per tournament. Which would just about cover his caddie for practice rounds.
After next week's Madeira Island Open, all European Tour players will have a two week break, with the exception of those competing in the US Masters on April 10th to 13th. They then return far the Cannes Open on April 17th to 20th, followed by the Spanish Open in which Harrington will have to contend with Greg Norman and Bernhard Langer in his attempt at retaining the title.
As it happened, Wayne Riley failed to retain the Portuguese title but his fellow Australians have been doing rather well elsewhere. In fact on the Florida Swing, Steve Elkington's win in the Doral Ryder Open has been followed by a victory for Stuart Appleby in the Honda Classic at Heron Bay on Sunday.
It will be recalled that earlier in the month, there was another surprise Australian victory when Richard Green captured the Desert Classic in Dubai. And the year began, of course, with Greg Norman's triumph in the Andersen Consulting World Championship in Arizona.
Appleby, who will be 26 in May, has made dramatic progress in the last three months. As recently as December 9th last, he was one of 13 players who tied for the last qualifying places in the US Tour School. Now he has qualified for the US Masters, a distinction that has eluded former US Open and USPGA champion, Payne Stewart so far this season.
Almost inevitably, putting was a crucial element of Appleby's victory in the Honda in which he had only 22 putts in a third round of 67. But it was a pitch into the hole far an eagle three at the long 14th of the final round that set him up for victory.
The Australian then birdied the long 16th, whereas his closest challenger, Stewart, had to settle for par at both of these reachable par fives - a difference of three strokes. But Appleby could not be considered a one day wonder, given that as far back as six years ago he won the Queensland Professional Open, as an amateur.
Meanwhile, former world Formula One champion, Nigel Mansell will have another high profile attempt tomorrow at leaving his mark on the golfing scene. Mansell and his partner, John Putt, face an opening match against former Ryder Cup player Paul Way and amateur Terry Crawley in the Sunningdale Foursomes.
Way, a former Volvo PGA champion who made a major impact on the Ryder Cup in 1983 and 1985, lost his European tour cards at the end of last season. He then faced an uncertain future after failing to come through the tour's qualifying school in November.
