MIGUEL Angel Jiménez will resume competition with his own age group after confirming his participation in the record-breaking Senior Open Championship at Sunningdale later this month.

The 51-year-old Spaniard, the oldest winner in European Tour history, joins a world class field including 32 Major Champions with 77 Major titles when the 2015 Championship takes place from July 23-26.

This year’s field contains more Major winners than ever before, with 17 players who have won on the main tours and 15 who have captured titles in their post-50 era.

Only five can claim entry to an exclusive club for Major success before and after reaching 50 – Fred Couples, Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Mark O’Meara and Tom Watson.

Meanwhile, the popular Jiménez remains highly competitive at the very top, claiming his 21st European Tour win in the 2014 Open de España to extend his record as the tour’s oldest champion, aged 50 years and 133 days, before winning on his US Champions Tour debut last April at the Greater Gwinnett Championship.

This season, he notched a second victory in America at the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii before returning to play a full schedule on The European Tour, sharing second place in the defence of his Open de España title.

He followed that with a second consecutive runner-up spot with Thongchai Jaidee in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Now Jiménez returns to the area for the Senior Open Championship, bringing him into direct conflict with a host of US stars plus Colin Montgomerie and Langer, who have taken America by storm in 2015.

Montgomerie heads to Sunningdale having captured his third Senior Major title in May at the US Senior PGA Championship, before coming up agonisingly short in the recent US Senior Open by finishing runner-up to Jeff Maggert.

Langer takes centre stage at Sunningdale’s iconic Old Course as defending champion, having romped to a 13-shot victory over Montgomerie at Royal Porthcawl last year to land his second Senior Open crown.

The German has tasted success over the Sunningdale Old Course, winning the European Open in 1985, as did Sir Nick Faldo seven years later.

“I’m looking forward to returning to Sunningdale for my second Senior Open Championship,” said Jiménez, who finished tied eighth on his first Senior Open appearance last July.

“It’s a great golf course – an old fashioned heathland layout - and I am really looking forward to going back there to have another crack at winning my first Senior Major.

“I’ve enjoyed my occasional appearances on the Senior Tours in Europe and America since turning 50 last January and coming up against some very familiar faces. One thing I have also come to appreciate is that the standard at Senior level is incredibly high.” He added: “Even though I have been playing most weeks on The European Tour, that doesn’t give me a divine right to come onto the Senior Tour and expect an easy ride.

“There are many great players – legends with fantastic careers – and this year’s Senior Open promises to be one of the best.” The roll call reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of world golf with Watson and Faldo leading the way with a grand total of 14 Majors between them.

The likes of Lee Janzen, Lyle, O’Meara and Curtis Strange will also be competing along with Mark Brooks, Mark Calcavecchia, Couples, Steve Jones, Lehman, Larry Mize, Jerry Pate, Jeff Sluman, Bob Tway and Ian Woosnam.

Ascot’s Roger Chapman claimed back-to-back Major victories in the 2012 US Senior PGA Championship and the US Senior Open and will also take part at Sunningdale.

For the first time, four qualifying courses will be in operation on Monday, July 20 with qualifiers from Burhill, Camberley Heath, Foxhills and The Berkshire attempting to join the exempt players in the field.

Tickets are available now, priced £80 for a season and £30 for a one-day pass. Practice day tickets on Wednesday, July 22 are only £12. Under 16s are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Parking is also free.

For more information visit www.senioropengolf.com.

MIGUEL Angel Jiménez will resume competition with his own age group after confirming his participation in the record-breaking Senior Open Championship at Sunningdale later this month.

The 51-year-old Spaniard, the oldest winner in European Tour history, joins a world class field including 32 Major Champions with 77 Major titles when the 2015 Championship takes place from July 23-26.

This year’s field contains more Major winners than ever before, with 17 players who have won on the main tours and 15 who have captured titles in their post-50 era.

Only five can claim entry to an exclusive club for Major success before and after reaching 50 – Fred Couples, Bernhard Langer, Tom Lehman, Mark O’Meara and Tom Watson.

Meanwhile, the popular Jiménez remains highly competitive at the very top, claiming his 21st European Tour win in the 2014 Open de España to extend his record as the tour’s oldest champion, aged 50 years and 133 days, before winning on his US Champions Tour debut last April at the Greater Gwinnett Championship.

This season, he notched a second victory in America at the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii before returning to play a full schedule on The European Tour, sharing second place in the defence of his Open de España title.

He followed that with a second consecutive runner-up spot with Thongchai Jaidee in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Now Jiménez returns to the area for the Senior Open Championship, bringing him into direct conflict with a host of US stars plus Colin Montgomerie and Langer, who have taken America by storm in 2015.

Montgomerie heads to Sunningdale having captured his third Senior Major title in May at the US Senior PGA Championship, before coming up agonisingly short in the recent US Senior Open by finishing runner-up to Jeff Maggert.

Langer takes centre stage at Sunningdale’s iconic Old Course as defending champion, having romped to a 13-shot victory over Montgomerie at Royal Porthcawl last year to land his second Senior Open crown.

The German has tasted success over the Sunningdale Old Course, winning the European Open in 1985, as did Sir Nick Faldo seven years later.

“I’m looking forward to returning to Sunningdale for my second Senior Open Championship,” said Jiménez, who finished tied eighth on his first Senior Open appearance last July.

“It’s a great golf course – an old fashioned heathland layout - and I am really looking forward to going back there to have another crack at winning my first Senior Major.

“I’ve enjoyed my occasional appearances on the Senior Tours in Europe and America since turning 50 last January and coming up against some very familiar faces. One thing I have also come to appreciate is that the standard at Senior level is incredibly high.” He added: “Even though I have been playing most weeks on The European Tour, that doesn’t give me a divine right to come onto the Senior Tour and expect an easy ride.

“There are many great players – legends with fantastic careers – and this year’s Senior Open promises to be one of the best.” The roll call reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of world golf with Watson and Faldo leading the way with a grand total of 14 Majors between them.

The likes of Lee Janzen, Lyle, O’Meara and Curtis Strange will also be competing along with Mark Brooks, Mark Calcavecchia, Couples, Steve Jones, Lehman, Larry Mize, Jerry Pate, Jeff Sluman, Bob Tway and Ian Woosnam.

Ascot’s Roger Chapman claimed back-to-back Major victories in the 2012 US Senior PGA Championship and the US Senior Open and will also take part at Sunningdale.

For the first time, four qualifying courses will be in operation on Monday, July 20 with qualifiers from Burhill, Camberley Heath, Foxhills and The Berkshire attempting to join the exempt players in the field.

Tickets are available now, priced £80 for a season and £30 for a one-day pass. Practice day tickets on Wednesday, July 22 are only £12. Under 16s are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Parking is also free.

For more information visit www.senioropengolf.com.