Former Ryder Cup players José Maria Cañizares, Antonio Garrido, Manuel Piñero and José Rivero will head a strong home contingent when the European Senior Tour visits the Spanish island of Mallorca for the inaugural Son Gual Mallorca Senior Open from May 8-10.

Garrido, along with Seve Ballesteros, was the first continental golfer to be selected for The Ryder Cup in 1979, two years after the pair won the World Cup for Spain in the Philippines. 

The 65 year old has won two Senior Tour titles - the Scottish Seniors Open in 1994 and the Lawrence Batley Seniors in 1997 – as well as five European Tour titles, including the Spanish Open in 1972 and the Madrid Open in his home town in 1977. 

Piñero played in The Ryder Cup in 1981 and was part of the winning European Team at The Belfry in 1985, where he teamed up with Ballesteros to win two foursomes and one fourball match before maintaining his 100 per cent singles record by defeating Lanny Wadkins 3 and 2. 

The 56 year old has yet to win a Senior Tour title – his best finish being runner up in the Digicel Jamaica Classic in 2003 – but he is a nine time winner on The European Tour and lifted the World Cup twice, in 1976 and 1982. 

Compatriot Rivero was part of the winning European Ryder Cup Teams in 1985 and 1987 and has three Senior Tour titles to his name, winning both the DGM Barbados Open and the Wales Senior Open in 2006 en route to finishing third in the Order of Merit, and the Scottish Seniors Open in 2007. 

The 53 year old, who has also won four European Tour titles, finished 19^th on the 2008 Order of Merit, with his best placing coming in the season ending OKI Castellón Open España – Senior Tour Championship where he tied for fourth behind Sam Torrance.

Cañizares, who won the World Cup for Spain in 1984 partnering Rivero, also heads to Mallorca searching for his first Senior Tour title after winning six times on The European Tour. 

The quartet will join former Ryder Cup Captains Mark James, Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam at the €300,000 event at Son Gual Golf, in Palma, which has a first prize of €45,000.

Former Ryder Cup players Gordon Brand Jnr, Eamonn Darcy, Gordon J Brand and Des Smyth have also been confirmed, along with another home favourite Spaniard Juan Quiros who will be hoping to maintain his run of winning in each of the seasons he has played on the Senior Tour.

Quiros claimed his third Senior Tour title last season when he added the Irish Seniors Open in association with Fáilte Ireland and Allied Irish Bank to the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open he won in 2006 and Open de France Senior de Divonne in 2007.

He also recorded six other top ten finishes in 2008 en route to finishing fourth on the Order of Merit and led the US Senior Open after the first round following a fine 67 at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs. 

Domingo Hospital, who finished tenth in the Senior Tour Order of Merit in his rookie season in 2008, will also part of the Spanish Armada heading for Mallorca along with current Spanish PGA Senior Champion Fernando Chaves, Victor Garcia, Emilio Rodriguez and the winner of the regional qualifying tournament held on the island, Florencio Fuentes. 

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