FORMER European Ryder Cup captains' Sam Torrance and Mark James make their Northumberland Seniors Classic debuts at Slaley Hall today.

And both have been installed among the favourites to lift the title at the picturesque resort on Sunday night having succeeded in the past by winning on the US Tour.

The Northumberland Classic represents the eighth leg of the 2005 Seniors Tour and the pair face stiff competition for the £150,000 tournament from European No 1 Carl Mason, course designer Neil Coles and defending champion Malcolm Gregson.

And James is relishing the prospect of returning to Slaley Hall, where he spent many summer days playing when the main Tour's Compaq European Grand Prix and the Great North Open arrived in the North-East.

"I enjoy playing at Slaley," said James. "I played every year in the main European Tour event and I like the place a lot.

"I'm looking to forward to coming back and I'm sure it will be a good week."

"I reckon I'm halfway towards keeping my card for the Champions Tour, which is my priority, and if I do that, then I will play more in Europe. I will probably also play in the Seniors British Open, but Slaley has been pencilled in for a while."

The past few years have been a testing time for James, who has had to overcome a battle with testicular cancer in 2000 and 2002 before returning to the fairways.

After making a recovery he then qualified for the US Champions Tour and incredibly won an event - becoming the first European to do just that.

He shot a final round 73 to hold off Jose Maria Canizares for a one-stroke victory in the Ford Senior Players Championship.

"That win was important, because it gave me enough money to be exempt for the next year," said James. "It meant I could plan my schedule and that's what I like to do - I like to know my schedule."

James played in seven Ryder Cups from 1977-95 and was Europe's captain in 1999 in the controversial defeat at Brookline.

Torrance, meanwhile, has won top events in the last three decades, including 21 European Tour titles. Having turned 50 in August 2003, the Scot has focused his attention on Seniors golf.

Tickets for the tournament are now on sale and there are still places available in the pro-am for teams of three, priced at £600.

For information on both Thursday's Pro-Am pro-am and tickets (£10 for day tickets, £25 for season tickets) contact De Vere Slaley Hall on 01434 673154 or the European Seniors Tour office on 01344 840407.

Published: 24/06/2005