Langer and Woosnam renew rivalry

Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam, the two leading players on the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit, will go head-to-head in the Czech Republic after Woosnam confirmed he will tee up at the inaugural Casa Serena Open from September 5-7. The Welshman is currently €30,000 ahead of Germany’s Langer in the race to land a maiden John Jacob’s Trophy and the Casa Serena Open could prove vital to the end of season standings with a top prize of €90,000 – one of the largest on the 2008 Schedule. It will be the Seniors Tour‘s first visit to the Czech Republic and the battle between the two Ryder Cup winning Captains is expected to be a fascinating one at Casa Serena Golf. Both players are former winners of The Masters Tournament – Langer winning The Green Jacket at Augusta National in 1985 and 1993 and Woosnam in 1991. They have both made a seamless start to their new careers in seniors golf, with Woosnam twice winning on the Seniors Tour in Poland and Russia to take control of the European Seniors Tour’s Order of Merit. Langer’s outstanding form has seen him dominate American Senior golf after two victories on the US Champions Tour – coupled with a second place finish at the US Senior PGA Championship and a fourth place at The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard – ensured him the top spot on the US Champions Tour Money List. Langer, whose brother Erwin’s company Langer Sport Marketing is running and managing the tournament, won the Czech Open on The European Tour in 1997 with a final round 63 at Prague Karlstejn Golf Club and is hoping to repeat that success at Casa Serena Golf. He said: “I enjoyed my visit to Prague last time and I loved the golf course. I played some superb golf and was very happy to win the Czech Open and add another great tournament to my title collection. “The 63 on Sunday was one of my best rounds in my career and almost flawless. There are not many times when you play 18 holes where you don’t make mistakes and that was one of those days I will never forget. “I hope it will be a very successful Casa Serena Open and the first of many many tournaments to come in the Czech Republic and that we will help to make golf more popular in the country. I look forward to seeing some of my old friends from The European Tour and I hope to play well.“