THE ISPS HANDA SENIOR MASTERS AT STAPLEFORD PARK

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When Aussie giant Peter Fowler ended a two-year wait for a maiden European Senior Tour title with his three stroke victory in the ISPS Handa Senior Masters at Stapleford Park, near Melton Mowbray, it brought to a close a hectic week at the luxury hotel and sporting estate near Melton Mowbray.

The Australian produced a final round 70 to finish on 10 under par 209 for the tournament that was being held at the Donald Steel-designed course for the second year running. The thousands of spectators who turned up to watch some of the European Senior Tour’s top names enjoyed warm but breezy conditions – a marked improvement on last year!

The event had kicked off with several other activities, including the thrill of some golf coaching by the pro golfers for a number of local children from Whissendine CofE Primary School.

Two pro-am events brought in many local golfers, sports stars and businessmen and the ISPS Handa Japan Relief Fund, which was set up help funnel aid to the area so badly hit by an earthquake and tsunami back in March, was eventually boosted to the tune of £21,000 as snooker star Willie Thorne acted as a celebrity auctioneer for an evening, persuading auction punters to part with their cash.

There was also a special treat for two of the competing golfers as Major winner Wayne Grady and defending champion Bill Longmuir made a flying start to the event by taking to the skies over Stapleford Park to launch the tournament.

The two players climbed into the cockpit of the Extra-300 LP planes and were treated to some stunts and manoeuvres by The Blades, the world's only globally accredited aerobatic airline, flying over the Leicestershire course. They passed the south of the clubhouse and then performed a loop over the 18th green, watched by the rest of the field, which included former Ryder Cup Captains Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam.

Longmuir, who captured the inaugural title last year by seven strokes for his eighth European Senior Tour victory, said: "It was a fantastic thing to do. I felt like a kid again. It’s like a rollercoaster ride and I didn't want to get off!"

Grady, the 1990 US PGA Champion, added: “It was incredible. I have my own plane but that was a whole new experience, so much fun.”

During the tournament itself, the towering Fowler had to hold off a determined challenge from another of the Tour’s relative newcomers, Scotland’s Andrew Oldcorn, to get his maiden Seniors win. Welshman Mark Mouland carded a joint best of the day 69 to finish third on five under par.

Fowler had initially struggled with a back injury upon joining the Senior Tour in June 2009 and in his victory speech he not only paid tribute to the greens staff at Stapleford Park for the condition of the course but also the Tour’s physios for helping to keep him playing.

After he had been presented with his trophy and winner’s cheque by sponsor ISPS’s (International Sports Promotion Society) executive director Midori Miyazaki, Fowler, who won the 1993 BMW International Open on The European Tour, said: “I’ve been trying to win again for the last 18 years so this is a great feeling. When I had back surgery two years ago I didn’t know if I would even play Tour golf again, so this victory means a lot.”

ISPS, which is based in Tokyo, was founded by Japanese philanthropist, Dr Haruhisa Handa in 2006 to support charitable causes throughout the sporting world. ISPS has fostered partnerships with golf governing bodies worldwide to help develop the game at every level and promote blind and disabled golf.