Harwood, Rookie of the Year
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
Australia’s Mike Harwood has won the 2009 European Senior Tour’s Rookie of the Year award presented at a gala dinner held during the Travis Perkins plc Senior Masters.
Harwood capped a magnificent first season as a senior in Europe, with victory at the season-ending OKI Castellon Senior Tour Championship.
“This was a nice reward and unexpected after 14 years away from full time golf,” Harwood explained.
“Overall I wasn’t completely satisfied with my first season, but to end with a win and then finish ninth on order of merit was great result.”
In 2010, the 51 year-old has been mixing the European Senior Tour with the ever expanding PGA Legends Tour in Australia and will defend his Australian Senior Open title in November.
“Winning the Australian Open was a highlight for me because I beat a quality field that included the likes of Peter Senior, Michael Clayton, Rodger Davis and David Merriman,” said Harwood.
“I’m looking forward to defending the Aussie Open which is now co-sanctioned with the European Senior Tour. It is an exciting time for the Seniors Tour in Australia and I am really looking forward to supporting it as much as I can to help it grow to great heights in the future.”
Harwood also has the desire to play on the lucrative Champions Tour, although he understands the difficulty getting there.
“There has been a change in the qualifying system this year that sees only one spot to play for which makes it hard when you’re not playing consistent enough to compete on a week to week basic.”
Harwood will return to Australia following his commitments to the European Senior Tour in preparation for the Fiducian Legends PGA Australian Senior Championship at Killara Golf Club, Sydney from 11 – 13 November, before the Handa Australian Senior Open at Royal Perth Golf Club from 19 – 21 November.