Philadelphia once again hosting big time golf as seniors head to Cricket Club

Professional golf tournaments in and around Philadelphia are few and far between. Unlike most big cities in America, there is no regular tour stop.

And when they do happen, it takes a trek out to Atlantic City (the LPGAShopRite Classic was last week) or further to see the world’s best play.

This weekend, theConstellation Senior Players Championship tees off atPhiladelphia Cricket Club in Flourtown. And though it might not be as star-studded asMerion was when it hosted the U.S. Open a few years back, there are plenty of household names in the field.

Players like Colin Montgomerie, possibly one of the best golfers of all time never to have won a major. He landed in Philly (after waiting on a long line to get through immigration) and is excited about the pristine golf course.

“This is a good golf course,” Monty, who has won three senior major titles, said.”I’ve heard a lot about this golf course. A lot of people have spoken about it over the months and years that we’ve been thinking about coming here. Every word has been true and it’s been very, very positive. You know, it’s got a feel of Oakmont to it in many ways now with the trees being cut down… It’s a great golf course. You’ve got to keep the ball below the hole, got to know your way around, got to know the distances with your second shots having hit the fairway. So it will be a good test, a great test of golf and a very difficult test of golf as well, which is super.”

Things begin Thursday afternoon on Golf Channel, or not far north of the city (about 16 miles). It’s worth checking out, if for no other reason then to see John Daly’s outfit — and his monster drives.

The former PGA Champion doesn’t have many Philadelphia ties but is a diehard Cowboys fan. And as such, as he told Philly.com, he has an opinion about localfans (who doesn’t?).

“The Philadelphia fans are unbelievable,” he told the website, “but I get a little upset when they boo their Eagles. I’m a Cowboy fan, and I don’t want that to turn people away. Cowboy fans, we never boo our team. But Philadelphia is a great city, and their fans are loyal. They’re really good.”

Of the 81 players in the field, 57 have recorded PGA Tour victories including Daly, Montgomerie,Tom Watson, Vijay Singh,Mark O’Meara, Bernhard Langer, Lee Janzen, Tom Lehman and others.