Golfer Wayne O'Callaghan claims senior tour title

Wayne O’Callaghan rounded off a good year on the course last week in Spain, winning the Marbella Senior Open and claiming the Senior Golf Tour Europe Order of Merit.

O’Callaghan played in six of the tour events this year, and came away with an impressive haul of five wins. 

The Senior Golf Tour is a competitive over 50’s event for professionals and amateurs, and features a season long schedule of 12 every across nine countries.

After finishing 10th in Valencia in his first event in April, O’Callaghan reeled off five straight wins thanks to some work on his putting in the studio. Based in Cork Golf Centre in Inniscarra, the Advanced PGA Professional has built up a reputation as a top class putting coach. 

“I didn’t have a great start in Valencia, I putted poorly and came back and was contemplating giving it up” said O’Callaghan. 

“But I came home and checked my putting on the SAM Puttlab and found a new putter that helped with my aim, because I found a big aim issue with the one I was using.”

The difference was clear, and O’Callaghan went back on tour with renewed confidence. 

“I went from there to Italy and I played some really good golf. I don’t think I had a bogey until the final round and shot four under and won by two shots. 

"I had a big result in Prague where I shot five under par for my last ten holes. I finished on six under for the tournament and caught the leader by a shot.” 

Wayne went on to win again in Lithuania before his fourth win in Spain.

“I had a massive win in Isla de Canela where I was six shots down after round one in third place. I started a bogey on the final day to go seven behind the leader. 

"But plugged away, it was a really tough golf course, it was very windy and very tight and I ended up with a two shot lead on the fifteenth.” O’Callaghan went on to win that tournament by a single stroke, holing a great six foot putt to claim another win.

Six events were counting for the order of merit and Wayne had only played five events going into the final event of the tour, the Senior Marbella Open. 

He knew he had a chance to make up the 178 point deficit. Although 3 off the lead after the opening round, O’Callaghan saved his best golf for the final round. 

The Cork pro started smartly with two birdies to build some momentum and put the leaders under a bit of pressure. He was tied for the lead going up the 18th, and a birdie followed. 

As it happened the pressure was off at that stage, his nearest opponent missed the green and took two putts, giving O’Callaghan the win by two shots. 

That result also meant that O'Callaghan claimed the Order of Merit title.

This is Wayne’s second year back playing competitive golf. 

He was a prolific performer on the PGA Irish Region up until a few years ago, regularly winning and featuring in the prizes. 

His growing teaching and coaching business meant that playing tournaments took a back seat for a while, but he has rediscovered the love for competitive golf.

O’Callaghan is also happy that the success has come on the back of a lot of hard work on the range and in the gym. 

“Last year I put in a lot of work with my trainer Frank Long from Signature Health in Wilton, and we came up with a winter plan this year to try and go a bit better.

“It was a great year. 

"I’ve a lot of work done on my game, in my own studio with the 3D force plates, that’s where I really unlocked some power. We established that if my legs got stronger, then my ground force got better. 

"My speed went up around 10 miles per hour with the driver and I gained around 20 yards off the tee.

“The golf courses we played also suited my game, they are very positional courses. I hit the ball straight and I can shape it both ways.” 

That ability to keep the ball out of trouble was there to be seen in the stats, in 36 holes in Marbella, Wayne only missed one fairway and three greens ensuring that he gave himself plenty of scoring chances.”