Shaun Micheel is a member of that elite group, which also includes John Daly, José María Olazábal, Angel Cabrera, Michael Campbell, Ian Woosnam and Paul Lawrie. Micheel can’t wait to test himself against such a strong field: “I love playing with and against all my contemporaries. Many of these players have been recognized by their significant contributions to golf and their careers have been cemented by their Major wins and their Hall of Fame inductions.”
The 2003 US PGA Championship winner played at Trump International Golf Links last year in this event, missing the final round cut, but that hasn’t dampened his enthusiasm for the venue or for the challenge of links golf: “I really enjoy links golf as it allows for creativity and artistry versus technical, one-dimensional golf. Hitting a perfect shot can lead to frustration if you find a well-placed pot bunker. It takes a lot of skill and precision but there’s an element of luck needed, especially over the course of a tournament.
“After playing in it last year, I recognized that this event deserves such a prestigious title. Not only is the list of players a who’s who of golf, but the host venue is put together by a family who love golf. Trump International Golf Links will continue to provide a fun experience for amateurs but also a challenge to those of us who have played at the highest level. I’m grateful to be a member of the Legends Tour and I can’t wait to join everyone in Aberdeen!”
Micheel finished in third place at the season-opening Barbados Legends hosted by Ian Woosnam in May, ending the week just two shots shy of making the play-off. Now he’s looking to make an impact on the rest of the season and in this event. The American’s best finish from his four Open Championship appearances was tied 35th at Carnoustie in 2007. However, the 55-year-old from Tennessee remains competitive and is
determined to have a second lease of life in his Senior career with the Legends Tour. He’s practicing hard, trying to do what he can to ensure he can mix it with the rest at Trump International Golf Links at the end of this month: “Although I am at the golf course nearly every day, my practice isn’t as structured as it once was. One thing remains consistent though, I always start around the chipping and pitching area. I do that to get the basic motion of the swing and to find the ground. From there, it just depends on whether I’m going to play or just practice. Putting and hitting a few balls is always part of my practice day.”
Micheel isn’t one for big changes to his bag composition, although he does carry something special with him wherever he plays: “My golf bag stays very consistent and I don’t add a whole lot unless I’m traveling to cold/wet climates. An umbrella, my rain pants, a light jacket and a bag cover always travel but they may not be part of the bag during a round.
“I’m not superstitious but I do carry a valuables pouch that my late caddy, Bob Szczesny, gave to me after winning the PGA in 2003. Plus, I have plenty of foreign coins that I use as ball markers. Typically, I will use a 20 pence piece as it’s the perfect size and it is easy to find on the green!”
During his earlier career, Micheel made occasional trips to play in Europe and in 2006 at Wentworth in the World Match Play he would beat Tiger Woods, Luke Donald and Robert Karlsson before losing to Paul Casey in the final.
Like all players, he’s trying to find that rich vein of form – ensuring he can replicate the great days of ball-striking and take that back out onto the golf course again. However, that’s not something Micheel wants to be looking for in his game once he arrives in Aberdeen: “Hopefully my practice time during an event is just ‘fine tuning’ but there have been many times when I’ve been in full search mode. That’s never a good feeling! I typically won’t hit a ton of balls and will spend more time on the course getting a feel for the shots that I’ll need once the event begins.
“However, I do use my practice time to make some changes, most of it is just keeping a club in my hands and keeping my body used to the rigors of the swing. I always work on my grip, especially around the greens, because I use a variety of grips when chipping and pitching. Those things take a lot of practice and that, hopefully, leads to trust and consistency on the course.”
While there are the memories of last year and a yardage book to refer to this week, there remains a learning curve for Micheel when he arrives on-site: “A new course requires a lot of prep work but with the information in a yardage book and the use of lasers, the time needed has decreased dramatically. I think most players at our level process information very well, trouble spots around the course get committed to memory very quickly.
“I focus mostly around the greens and chart areas that I absolutely cannot be in when playing to certain hole locations. Trump International Golf Links is a very demanding course from tee to green, getting the ball in play is an absolute premium. When the wind is up, the elevated teeing areas make picking your starting line a challenge – you have to be totally committed to the shot. The undulating greens also make the proper club selection a necessity to allow for legitimate birdie opportunities. All in all, Trump International Golf Links allows for scoring, but it can also present a lot of problems if you’re not striking it well!”
Micheel will be lining up in the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship hosted by Colin Montgomerie from July 31st to August 4th at Trump International Golf Links, Scotland.
Confirmed names in the field include eight-time European Tour order of merit winner, our tournament host Colin Montgomerie; 1991 Masters Champion Ian Woosnam, 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie, 2005 US Open winner Michael Campbell, two-time Major winner Angel Cabrera (2007 US Open & 2009 Masters), defending champion Peter Baker, Legends Tour leader on the MCB Road to Mauritius rankings – Scott Hend, and the 2014 European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley.
Wednesday 31st July will feature the Luxe Scot Celebrity Pro-Am with a series of big names taking part – all playing for a nominated charity, with £10,000 going to the winner, £7,500 for second place and £2,500 for third.
Celebrities confirmed to be playing include Anton du Beke, Brian McFadden, Damon Hill, Darren Gough, Gavin Hastings, Gianfranco Zola, Gordon Strachan, Jimmy Nesbitt, Judy Murray, Keith Duffy, Leone Rolle (DJ Rudimental), Kriss Akabusi, Roberto di Matteo and Scott Quinnell.
For patrons, there will be plenty to see on the golf course and around it too with the spectator village featuring plenty to see, including Q&A sessions with Ryder Cup captains and Major winners.
The tented village will also feature the Staysure Show Stage where local acts will be performing throughout the week, including an Acoustic Lunch session from Thursday to Sunday and a Saturday night party after the end of play too.
Patrons can take on some iconic putts recreated from the history of golf, with the world’s best movable putting floor – the Zen Green Stage. This 20-foot stage provides the chance to attempt to recreate some iconic moments in golf, with a leaderboard throughout the week – the winner (with the most completed putts) will get a Glenmuir voucher worth £150.
There will also be free putting lessons with PGA Coaches during the week, while Titleist will be offering some golf ball education for patrons and club fitting sessions for Legends Experience Guests and VIP’s.
