Two-time Major Champion Sandy Lyle captured an emotional first tournament victory in 19 years with a hard fought win in the inaugural ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented by Mission Hills China.
Lyle who won the '85 Open Championship and the '88 Masters had been without a victory since winning the last of his 18 European Tour titles in the 1992 Volvo Masters but the Scot brought that barren run to a commanding end with a flawless final round 70 over the World Cup Course at Mission Hills to finish on 12 under par 204, three strokes clear of Australian Peter Fowler.
“You wonder after about four or five years whether you’ll ever win again let alone nearly 20, so this is very special,” said the 53 year old.“I joined the Senior Tour and it didn’t happen as quickly as I expected it to so you do have doubts. My trophy cabinet has been gathering dust over the years so I feel relieved to get a win and it’s even better that it’s here in China on this course.
This answers a lot of questions I had about myself.”
I always remember Sandy who for years eschewed his driver for his beloved 1 iron off the tee always seemed, much like Joe Bugner, to need a competitive fire to be lit under his backside, but that was Sandy, easy come easy go, and in hindsight, most guys play their entire career without winning a major... he had 2. Welcome back Sandy..!!
Bryan Angus
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