Ian Woosnam leads an attractive field

Ian Woosnam is powerful even at the age Advanced (Image: KEYSTONE / FR111446 AP / BUTCH DILL)

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The small, strong "Woosie", who turned 60 in March, is one of the most prominent figures, the most famous and the most charismatic of European professional golf. He not only worked on his rich history 27 years ago with his triumph at the Augusta National Golf Club, but also with ten appearances at the Ryder Cup, the continental competition between Europeans and American golfers. He has been a five-time player in the winning team and has won both the captain and vice-captain of the European selection.

André Bossert is long established

André Bossert of Zurich – he participates for the fifth time in a row at the Bad Ragazer Party – is almost six years younger than Woosnam. He has long since established since he joined the seniors at the end of the year 2013. In 2016, he won a tournament in England, before and after scoring many rankings in the top five and in the top ten. "Bossy" is one of those golfers who have won tournaments at all European Tours: on the big European Tour, on the Challenge Tour and on the Senior Circuit. A win at Bad Ragaz would be another highlight of this remarkable 30-year professional career for the native of South Africa born and raised in Zurich.

The tournament of Ü50 professionals every year is a kind of review of the past of the PGA European Tour Decades and also the big Swiss tournament, the Omega European Masters in Crans-Montana. Thus, Northern Irish Ronan Rafferty, the British Jamie Spence and Barry Lane as well as the Italian Costantino Rocca are to be highlighted on the starting field. They won in Valais in 1990 and 1992 respectively, in 1993 and in 1997. Even earlier – 1982 – Ian Woosnam had also won the European Masters.

High caliber on the waiting list

The Bad Ragazer tournament is unchanged among popular players. From the list of entries is a large crowd to identify. Since the field is limited to 54 players, the names of a number of renowned players are on the waiting list. Among them are former winners of major tournaments such as Steven Richardson, Ross Drummond, Andrew Sherborne, Gordon J. Brand or Carlos Franco. Also the Spanish Juan Quiros, winner of Bad Ragaz in 2006, has not entered the lists this week. The huge demand testifies to the high quality of the Swiss tournament, whose prices have been increased from 300,000 to 320,000 euros this year.