Europe’s top senior pros will be heading to La Manga Club next week when the Costa Cálida resort hosts a Legends Tour event. The Farmfoods European Senior Masters will be held at the club from 14 to 16 October.
The field includes reigning champion Marcus Brier, who won the 2021 title at Forest of Arden (Birmingham), and 2005 US champion Michael Campbell (he beat runner-up Tiger Woods by two strokes at Pinehurst No.2 ) and 1999 British Open Championship winner Paul Lawrie.
The event is being hosted by three-time European Tour champion and 1993 Ryder Cup player Peter Baker, who said, “I cannot wait to host the Farmfoods European Seniors Masters at the famous La Manga Club. It is all set to be three days of fantastic golf in the Spanish sunshine!”
Formerly known as the European Senior Tour (for over-50s), the newly-branded Legends Tour also incorporates Celebrity and Alliance Series where amateurs, including personalities from sports, business and media, tee up alongside the pros.
“We cannot wait to visit La Manga Club for the Farmfoods European Senior Masters,” said Legends Tour chief executive officer Phil Harrison, “and I would like to thank Peter Baker for playing as our host.
“The South Course promises to be a challenging test for the Legends Tour players and those who sign up to compete in the Alliance Series, which has proved an enormous success this season with amateurs enjoying the full experience of playing with the professionals where they are able to share the same stage with the greats of the game.”
La Manga Club is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Founded in 1972, it is one of Spain’s flagship golf resorts. Legendary South African Gary Player was La Manga’s first director of golf, and it was also the venue where Severiano Ballesteros made his European Tour debut in 1974. Between 1980 and 1985, Ballesteros was La Manga Club’s official touring pro.
The South Course, where the Legends event will be played, was designed by American Robert Dean Putman before undergoing an extensive redesign by Arnold Palmer. A former host venue of the Spanish Open between 1973 and 1977 as well as the DP World Tour Qualifying School, the par-73 layout measures just over 6,490 metres (7,100 yards). Length is one of its main lines of defence, but the course is also defined by a mixture of short and long holes, with water featuring on 15 holes and deep, sprawling bunkers also a key feature.
On Saturday 15 October La Manga Club, together with the Legends Tour, will host an evening of celebration to kickstart its landmark anniversary.
LET Final Qualifying School
Later this year, La Manga Club will also host the Ladies European Tour’s qualifying school. The North and South Courses will be used for the four-round pre-qualifier (Europe) from 10 to 13 December and the five-round final qualifier on 17-21 December. The top 20 players and ties will be eligible for LET membership for the 2023 season.
This will be the seventh time the school has been held at the holiday, sport and leisure resort which, in addition to three golf courses (also including the West), has a five-star hotel, 28 tennis courts, eight FIFA-sized football pitches, a European Cricket Performance Centre with 29 grass wickets, and several restaurants and bars.
Previous winners have been American Gabriella Then (2021), Wales’ Amy Boulden (2020), and Anna Nordqvist (Sweden), Caroline Masson (Germany), Caroline Hedwall (Sweden) and Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England) from 2008 to 2011, respectively.
