Cyprus
Europe's best senior amateur players have gathered in Cyprus this week to contest the European Senior Men's and Ladies' Championships.
Here's everything you need to know before the event gets underway on Thursday:
ABOUT THE EVENT
The event sees two separate European-titled tournaments, the European Senior Men's Championship and European Senior Ladies' Championship, contested in parallel over 54 holes of stroke play.
Inaugurated in 1996 and played annually, this year's event will be the 31st edition of the contests.
The maximum field size is 90 for men and 54 for ladies, which is cut to 54 and 33 and ties respectively after 36 holes.
Medals are awarded to the top-three finishers in each tournament, and prizes are also presented to the top players aged 60-and-over.
With the European Senior Men's and Ladies' Team Championships on the horizon, players also have the extra motivation this week of trying to prove themselves worthy of national-team selection.
THE VENUE
Cyprus and Eléa Golf Club, situated five minutes from the heart of Paphos, will set the stage for the 2026 championships.
The par 71 course was designed by the legendary Sir Nick Faldo and incorporates numerous natural features alongside views of the Mediterranean.
This year’s tournament marks the first time an EGA individual championship has been played on the island.
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS
The 2025 men's championship at Cornelia Golf Club in Turkey was again decided by a playoff, with France's Rodrigo Lacerda Soares successfully defending his title after finishing level with Australia's Richard Heath. It was a second consecutive playoff victory for Lacerda Soares, who claimed his first title in the same fashion in Luxembourg the year before.
On the ladies' side, Belgium's Sylvie Van Molle claimed the 2025 title at Cornelia, one ahead of France's Hélène Malvy. It was a first European Senior Ladies' title for Van Molle, who had previously finished runner-up at this event in 2016.
THE FIELD
144 players from 33 different countries will compete for the European Senior titles this week.
Defending men's champion Rodrigo Lacerda Soares (FRA) returns looking to claim a third consecutive title, a feat that has never been achieved in the event's 30-year history. He will face stiff competition from several familiar names including Sweden's Mattias Pernheden, the 2019 champion. Also returning are Joe Lyons (IRL) and Declan O'Neill (IRL), who were both part of the three-way playoff that Lacerda Soares won in Luxembourg in 2024, along with England's Stephen Jensen, who stood on the podium in 2025.
On the ladies' side, Spain's Macarena Campomanes is the standout name in the field. A three-time champion (2016, 2018, 2019), she’ll be searching for a fourth title to match Virginie Burrus’ record of four wins. Belgium's Sylvie Van Molle will tee it up looking to defend her title, while Italy's Camilla Tolomei di Lippa, who finished third at Cornelia last year, are also among those to watch.
LIVESCORING / MEDIA
Tee times, livescoring, stats, media and more can be followed throughout the week on the championship webpages here:
European Senior Men's Championship
European Senior Ladies' Championship
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