Scot Bernard Gallacher has lashed out at plans to let Europe's aging stars gatecrash the European Seniors Tour party at 45.

European Seniors Tour director Andy Stubbs wants stars like Bernhard Langer (44), Sandy Lyle (44), Nick Faldo (45) or Seve Ballesteros (45) to come on board next year and revive the ailing Seniors circuit.

But former Ryder Cup skipper Gallacher is dead set against allowing the big names to cash in early just because their regular tour careers are coming to an end.

Said Gallacher: "That's too bad, that's too bad. Clearly you are not a senior at 45. Not when you consider that Eduardo Romero is winning the Scottish Open at 47, Scott Hoch is playing in the Ryder Cup at 46 and Des Smyth won a tournament at 48. There is actually a strong case for increasing the age to 55.

"The guys are playing longer, they're fitter, and they're winning more money."

Added Gallacher: "Andy Stubbs is there to support the tour for the guys aged 50 and over. He had better be careful because if he is talking about another tour then there is a conflict of interests. His job is to look after the guys that are over 50.

"I think we have to be careful that the right age group plays with the right age group and also be in with the rest of the world. In the US it's 50, in Japan it's 50 and in Australia and South Africa it's 50.

"If it would help the tour they will have to put their cards on the table as to what way it would help the tour. The only way it would help the tour would be to have more money for more tournaments."

"We would end up giving the money away to the guys you mentioned to play. The issue is that we should be the same as the rest of the world. Is it a Seniors tour or what? Maybe they should give it another name - like a mid tour."

Gallacher points out that Sam Torrance, Des Smyth, Eamonn Darcy and Mark James are all set to turn 50 next year.

"They are all coming on next year so what's the hurry. Everyone is looking forward to Eamonn and Des and Sam and Manuel Pinero next year. The guys you are talking about - the Lyles and Faldos and Langers will definitely go to America so it won't make any difference anyway. "

But Stubbs is determined to explore all the possibilities of increasing the revenue of a tour that has just 18 regular events this year as compared with 21 last season.

Said Stubbs: "I would like to see the 1985 Ryder Cup and Major champions we had in the 80s taking some of the ownership of the European Seniors Tour in the future by putting their name to an event. Say Sandy Lyle with Scotland, Nick Faldo with England, Bernhard Langer with Germany and Woosie with Wales or Jersey."

But Stubbs recognises that he will have his work cut out convincing the current Seniors of the logic of the idea.

"There has been talk that it is like the turkeys voting for Christmas," he said: "It's not meant to be that way. It's meant to be a sensible debate about how we can make the cake bigger.

"We need to ensure there is a seamless transition between the regular tour and the Seniors tour."

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© Brian Keogh 2002

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