Peter Baker showed why he is the form player on the Legends Tour by storming into a four-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at Trump International Links.
The 55-year-old has won twice on his previous five starts on the Legends Tour with victories at the Irish Legends in June before another success at this month’s JCB Championship.
A second round of six-under-par 66 – a course record off the tournament tees – helped Baker reach nine under overall and open up a commanding four-shot lead.
Fellow Englishman Greg Owen is his nearest challenger on five under after rounds of 69 and 70 with Scotland’s Andrew Oldcorn, 2005 US Open champion Michael Campbell and Welshman Stephen Dodd a further shot behind.
But Baker, a three-time winner on the European Tour and a member of the 1993 European Ryder Cup team, is the man to beat in the £500,000 event.
He said: “It’s been a good year.
“We are only halfway there, though.
“I’m just trying to keep the run going but not getting ahead of myself.
“Golf is a funny game. It’s tough and when you find a bit of form you want to keep it going.
“Hopefully the form will last for a couple more days here.
“I think everything in my game has been a bit better this year. It’s not just one department. That’s all added up.
“I’m driving it a lot better, my irons are good and my putting has improved. That’s been huge.”
The senior circuit has tended to be dominated by players in their early fifties but Baker takes inspiration from 65-year-old Bernhard Langer, who is second in the order of merit on the lucrative Champions Tour in the United States.
He said: “Bernhard Langer is a great example to everybody.
“You just have to manage yourself, what’s good for you.
“The hard bit is that age is against you.
“We’re lucky with golf that at 50 you get another chance at it.
“I played with Fred Funk who is 67 and he played lovely today.
“He still loves playing. If I can get anywhere near Fred and Bernhard and still be playing then, I’ll be delighted.
“The massive change is with preparation these days. I do little and often.
“I don’t go for hours on end at the range like you used to do. I break it up a little bit more as it can be hard on the body.”
His game plan certainly worked on a weather-disrupted day at Trump International Links.
Baker was safely inside the clubhouse having completed his round when play was suspended for almost 90 minutes due to the threat of thunder and lightning.
After his bogey-free round of 66, he said: “The course record was nice.
“It’s a great course. I came up here three years ago with some friends and we played off the back tees.
“It was a huge mistake. We moved up after 12 holes.
“It was just impossible. It’s a sensational course.
“Through the dunes, it’s tremendous. It feels like a real proper event.”
Owen relishing being back in action
Four birdies over the closing seven holes helped Owen move into second spot.
The 51-year-old from Mansfield has endured a tough period off the course in recent years.
He said: “It’s been a long day.
“We had to deal with some extra conditions.
“It was a lovely finish, my caddie got me through.
“It’s been a struggle coming back. I’ve not played competitively for a long time.
“I’m dealing with a few things but the golf is there, I just have to play.
“This is my first full year, but I had major back surgery and then some personal issues and haven’t really played for six years.
“It’s nice to get back and play some decent stuff.”
Spectators have been amazing so far this week…. who's excited for an action-packed weekend?🙌#SPGAChamp pic.twitter.com/a2oH2Mc1In
— Legends Tour (@euLegendsTour) August 25, 2023
Local knowledge helps Dodd
Welshman Stephen Dodd, winner of the 2021 Senior Open Championship, had the help of some local knowledge in the form of Ladies European Tour pro Michele Thomson as his caddie.
He moved into contention with a five-under 67 to end the day tied second.
He said: “It is nice to have Michele on the bag.
“I was looking for a local caddie and she was available.
“She’s been stuck with me for the last few days and now a few more. We’re enjoying it.
“It was a good day, kept it in position nicely.
“The wind was the opposite direction when we started, but it was a gentle breeze.
“Not quite Porthcawl for the Senior Open! I drove it very well and holed out nicely. All in all a solid day.”
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