Owen gets Jack of clubs again

Simon Owen fancies a crack at the US Senior Tour

Simon Owen, pipped by Jack Nicklaus at St Andrews in 1978, met up again with the Golden Bear at the British Senior Open at Royal County Down. Afterwards he spoke with BBC Sport Online's John Haughey.

Twenty-three years on and Simon Owen joked that he had been "pipped by Jack again."

"But at least there are three rounds left this time," laughed the 50-year-old New Zealander who finished two shots behind Jack Nicklaus at the 1978 Open Championship.

Thursday's opening round of the Senior British Open was the first time Owen had played with Nicklaus since that fateful day at St Andrews.

"In fact, we have only played together twice. It is just a coincidence that they were both British Opens - THE Open and now the Senior British Open. Yeah 23 years. It is quite a long time," said Owen.

We had another good day though he got me by a shot again

  Simon Owen

Nicklaus was not keen to get into any sentimental chat about 1978 when he was asked about playing again with Owen after the 23-year absence.

"It wasn't discussed," said Nicklaus and that very definitely was the end of the matter was far as the Golden Bear was concerned.

Owen, however, did reveal that Nicklaus had sought him out on the practice ground before the start.

"He just said: 'G'day Simon, I'm looking forward to it'.

"We had another good day though he got me by a shot again!"

More than two decades on, Owen is comfortable talking about that day at St Andrews.

"I had a little bit of bad luck towards the end of that round because I hit some good shots but just got the bad bounce.

'Pumped up'

"I did play very well that day so I have always been able to sleep easily since then.

"I did not feel like I blew it although I had a couple of bogeys. I was probably just a bit too much pumped up".

Twenty-three years on, he did not play quite so well which was something of a disappointment after he had excelled in practice on Wednesday.

"This course, as it dries out, is getting bouncier and bouncier which maybe made it a bit harder today."

If things go to plan, Owen could have further encounters with Nicklaus next year as the New Zealander intends competing in the US Seniors Tour School in November.

"There is absolutely nothing you can do over here to get exempt over there.

Owen plays out of the Royal County Down rough

You have got to go to that Tour School and go through both stages to get one of only eight cards.

"The guys from Europe who have gone over there and made it onto the US Seniors Tour have tended to do very well but getting on is the hard bit."

Part one of Owen's plan involved selling up his 10-acre farm back home so he could devote an entire season to the European Seniors Tour.

"It had been a little hobby farm for the past 16 years but things change in your lifestyle.

"My wife is with me, my daughter, who is our only child, is away now so the property had almost outgrown us.

"We will still live in New Zealand but we have just got to find a smaller property. To maintain 10 acres is just a bit too much when you are not there.

"My wife is Scottish and she has been spending quite a lot of time with her mother in Glasgow as well as with me on tour here".

Paying off

Owen's Paris-based daughter Sarah is spending part of her annual leave caddying for dad this week.

So far Owen's decision to resume competitive golf is paying off although he is not entirely happy with his form.

"I am eighth in the money list at the minute which is not too bad.

"I suppose over the last couple of years I have hardly played and it just takes a while to get the old form going.

"Yesterday I thought it was starting to come. It was probably the best I have hit the ball since I came to this tour. I could not quite capture it today but at least it is coming".

Finishing one place better than on his previous visit to the Emerald Isle this year would do nicely.

Young guy

Owen was second in the AIB Irish Seniors Open at Powerscourt in May when a bogey at the final hole handed the title to Japan's Seiji Ebihara.

"To be quite frank I should have won that. I didn't finish very well. Seiji finished birdie, birdie but I did bogey the last.

"I've had a few other top10s but when you start to play Seniors Tour you expect to play well because you're the young guy."

Owen was in good shape after his first round and with the wind getting up in the afternoon, he was unlikely to be any more than three strokes off the lead at the close of play.