Landmark victory for Torrance

Scotland’s Sam Torrance triumphed for the first time in the senior game when he won the Travis Perkins Senior Masters at Wentworth Club after equalling the lowest round shot on the European Seniors Tour.

He reached another landmark in his career when he fired a sizzling final round 10 under par 62 over the Edinburgh Course to beat Japan’s Seiji Ebihara by two strokes.

Torrance could literally stroll home with the Travis Perkins trophy as he lives on the Wentworth Estate.

And he said: “I played great the first two days and I knew if I kept playing the way I was playing things would happen. I got off to a wonderful start. It was as good as I have ever played from tee to green.”

The Scot, who started the day three off the lead, birdied the first four holes and birdied seven and nine to make the turn in six under. He then stamped his authority on the tournament by eagling the par five 10th.

Overnight leader Ebihara battled valiantly to catch Torrance but the Scotsman nailed birdies on 15 and 16 to help seal the victory.

The Japanese golfer, playing in the last group, eagled the 16th to lie one behind Torrance playing the last but bunkered his second on the 18th and failed to get up and down.

Ebihara closed with 67 while American Alan Tapie finished four strokes further back after shooting 69.

Torrance, who turns 51 on August 24, finished with a three round total of 13 under par and won a cheque for £33,730 (€50,000) – not bad for someone who had only played the course once before the start of the week.

Australian Noel Ratcliffe carded a 62 last week in the De Vere PGA Seniors while the only other player to go 10 under on the Seniors Tour is England’s Tommy Horton.

England’s Carl Mason, who beat Ebihara in a sudden-death play-off to win the De Vere PGA Seniors last weekend, finished in sole possession of fourth place.

New Zealand’s Bob Charles claimed the Hardys Super Senior Prize as the leading player aged over 60. The legendary left-hander finished joint 12th.