Estoril Open:Former Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance is hoping that regular matches with Tim Henman - at golf not tennis - will pay dividends when he extends his record number of appearances on the European Tour this week.
The 55-year-old Scot, whose debut was way back in 1972, plays his 705th event in the Estoril Portuguese Open at Oitavos Dunes.
That is 81 more than anybody else - next in the table comes England’s Barry Lane, who is also in the field - and Torrance said: “I’ve been playing three or four times a week at Sunningdale and playing a lot with Tim.
“He’s very competitive and I’ve benefited from it. He’s a one-handicapper and I give him one shot. He breaks par every time virtually and has shot 66 round the New Course.
“He’s only 34 so he’s 16 years away from the Seniors Tour, but he could compete right now.”
Torrance won on the over-50s circuit in Barbados two weeks ago, but because they do not have their next event for over a month he sought and was granted an invitation to this week’s €1.25million tournament.
“It might be delusions of grandeur, but I’m here to play, I know the course and I’m looking forward to it.”
None of the 150-strong starting line-up are playing in The Masters next week, but Torrance is Augusta-bound as part of the BBC commentary team.
Another Scot is now in charge of the Ryder Cup team, of course, and he said of Colin Montgomerie taking over: “Monty will absolutely eat, sleep and drink Ryder Cup until it comes around.
“It’s the best thing I ever did in golf. Colin has a wealth of experience as a player and all the desire in the world for the job.”
Who serves as the assistants at Celtic Manor next year remains to be seen, but Torrance was not surprised that Jose Maria Olazabal has voiced doubts about doing it as Montgomerie hopes he will if he does not qualify for the team.
“You have to understand Ollie has done his stint as vice-captain (to Nick Faldo last year).
“It is a huge learning experience, but he doesn’t want to be the second in command any more and that’s exactly how he should feel.”
Defending champion this week is Frenchman Gregory Bourdy, who beat former Ryder Cup star David Howell and Scot Alastair Forsyth in a play-off last April.
For Howell that was a welcome return to the spotlight after falling from ninth in the world to outside the top 200.
The Swindon golfer also finished seventh at the British Open and third in the Johnnie Walker Championship and rose from 142nd on the Order of Merit to 45th.
But after seven events this season he has yet to finish in the top 30 and is down at 147th in the Race To Dubai.
There is a seven-strong Irish contingent competing in Estoril this week. Paul McGinley, Damien McGrane, Peter Lawrie, Gary Murphy, Gareth Maybin, Michael Hoey and Jonathan Caldwell are all in the field.
