Tim Thelen’s fine form on the European Senior Tour in 2011 has highlighted the opportunities available to players through the Senior Tour Qualifying School, which returns to Portugal’s Algarve and moves to a January slot for the first time…
The American currently lies 24th on the Senior Tour Order of Merit with earnings of €74,836 from ten events, having launched his Senior Tour career with three consecutive top ten finishes after winning the Qualifying School last November.
Thelen was one of 16 players who earned playing rights for the 2011 season and a new crop of hopefuls will look to follow in their footsteps when they tee it up at three of Pestana Golf Resort’s courses, Silves Golf, Gramacho and Vila Sol, for first stage on January 26 and 27, and final stage at Pestana’s Vale da Pinta from January 30 to February 2.
After turning 50 in June, Thelen made his debut in the Berenberg Bank Masters in Germany where he finished third behind winner Ian Woosnam after sharing the first round lead. He then improved on that performance with a share of second place in the Van Lanschot Senior Open the following week.
Thelen is currently on course to finish inside the top 30 on the Senior Tour Order of Merit and keep his card for the 2012 season and he believes Qualifying School is a fantastic opportunity for other players to earn their chance of playing alongside some of golf’s iconic names such as Sandy Lyle, Sam Torrance and Woosnam.
“I would absolutely recommend it (the Senior Tour) to anyone,” said Thelen. “The players are fantastic over here and the courses are really good.
“The competition is incredible. You look at the players over here and I grew up watching them. There are a couple of green jackets in there. Everybody so far has been just fabulous to work with. It’s been fun.
“It’s been a great start for me and I knew I had to play well because I started my season in June so I knew I needed good results to retain my card because I really don’t want to go back to working as a club pro which I did for 22 years.
“The first few weeks I played well and I've been OK since, but I'm pretty much guaranteed my card. My next goal is to finish in the top 18 or 19 after Taiwan and Mauritius because I’d love to qualify for the US Senior PGA Championship next year.”
Austrian Gordon Manson, who finished tenth at Qualifying School, is also faring well in his debut season on the Senior Tour. Manson is currently 35th on the Order of Merit, bolstered by back-to-back top ten finishes in the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open and the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters.
Last year 180 hopefuls battled it out over the two stages at the Pestana Golf Resort and entries are now open for this year’s contest, which is expected to attract an increased number of participants. The top six players will earn full European Senior Tour cards for the 2012 season and those finishing seventh to 14th will secure alternate playing rights.
Entry forms are available to download now on www.europeantour.com in the Senior Tour Qualifying School section, or by emailing The European Tour’s Entries Department (entries@europeantour.com).
Previous winners of the Senior Tour Qualifying School include Argentine Horacio Carbonetti (2002), winner of the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open in 2003 and 2004, and Stewart Ginn (2005), winner of the 2008 Azores Senior Open. American Pete Oakley is another successful product of the Qualifying School system, first winning his card in 2003 and going on to win The Senior Open Championship the following year at Royal Portrush.
