Mitchell pleased with debut year

Mitchell is pleased with his success but feels he could have done even better

Ashford's Peter Mitchell has said finishing third on the European Senior Tour Order of Merit in his debut season has exceeded his expectations.

The 50-year-old won three tournaments this year - the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors Open, Scottish Seniors Open, and the Lake Garda Italian Seniors Open.

He told BBC Radio Kent: "I'm really happy, it's a great finish.

"To win one tournament was great, to win another even better, and to win a third was just the icing on the cake."

He added: It's just a shame I didn't finish any better. But if you'd said to me when I started playing I was going to finish third I would have loved that

It's great to have him as the number one on the seniors tour. He's a fantastic player and a top man Peter Mitchell on Ian Woosnam

"I don't have many expectations, I'm not a goal-setter but I'm going to play a lot more next year."

Ian Woosnam took the Order of Merit title, something Mitchell said the Welshman thoroughly deserved.

"I had no chance of catching him, I started too late, even with the form that I had. I would have probably needed to win five or six tournaments to catch him," added Mitchell.

"It's great to have him as the number one on the seniors tour. He's a fantastic player and a top man."