Looking Back: Lawrence Batley Seniors Tournament

The Lawrence Batley Seniors was a golf tournament for 50-and-over golfers on the European Senior Tour. It was part of that tour's very first schedule when the tour launched in 1992 and was a mainstay event for 11 years.

First played: 1992

Last played: 2002

The Lawrence Batley Seniors was a 54-hole tournament. Unlike most golf tournaments that had title sponsors, this event was sponsored not by a company but by an individual. The wealthy businessman Lawrence Batley was the sponsor, bringing the tournament to his hometown of Huddersfield, England. The tournament ended following Batley's death in 2002. (Batley earlier sponsored a European Tour event, the Lawrence Batley International.)

Winners of the Lawrence Batley Seniors

1992 — Bobby Verwey, 204
1993 — Peter Butler, 207
1994 — John Morgan, 202
1995 — Alberto Croce, 209
1996 — Malcolm Gregson, 209
1997 — Antonio Garrido, 206
1998 — Bobby Verwey, 210 (def. Antonio Garrido in playoff)
1999 — Eddie Polland, 204
2000 — David Huish, 212 (def. Neil Coles, John Fourie in playoff)
2001 — Nick Job, 204
2002 — Neil Coles, 209 (def. David Creamer, Steve Stull in playoff)

In 1998, the Lawrence Batley Seniors came down to a playoff between Bobby Verwey, winner of the tournament the first time it was played, and Antonio Garrido, the defending champion. Verway won that playoff, becoming the tournament's first — and, it turned out, only — 2-time winner.

The tournament's 54-hole scoring record was 202, set by John Morgan in 1994. Verwey's 6-stroke win in the inaugural 1992 event remained the largest margin of victory.

The most notable event in the tournament's history was Neil Coles' win in 2002. It was Coles' ninth and last victory on the European Senior Tour. He was 67 years and 276 days old, setting a record as oldest winner on the European Senior Tour.

Golf course: Every tournament took place in the Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, area in England. It was played at Huddersfield Golf Club from 1995 through the end. In 1992-93, Huddersfield GC shared hosting duties with Woodsome Hall Golf Club, and Woodsome Hall was the solo site in 1994.

Sources:
EuropeanTour.com. "Oldest winners on the European Senior Tour," archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20150910022603/http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/news/newsid=186327.html
EuropeanTour.com. "Senior past champions: former events," archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20150907123227/http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/news/newsid=186399.html
New Zealand Herald. "Age triumphs on European Seniors Tour," June 30, 2002, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/golf-age-triumphs-on-european-seniors-tour/537KIEUZA2T7QZ7EPUO747RCHI/