# British Masters

The Betfred British Masters is a professional golf tournament. It was founded in 1946 as the Dunlop Masters and was held every year up to 2008, except for 1984. Dunlop's sponsorship ended in 1982, and the name sponsor changed frequently thereafter, with the words "British Masters" usually also in the tournament's official name. The tournament was not held from 2009 to 2014 but returned to the schedule in 2015.

## History

The Dunlop Masters was first held in 1946 at Stoneham Golf Club in Southampton, and was a continuation of the Dunlop-Metropolitan Tournament which had been held before World War II. Like the Dunlop-Metropolitan, the Dunlop Masters was a 72-hole end-of-season event with a restricted field. The Dunlop-Metropolitan had been first played in 1934, the same year as The Masters. The event was sponsored by Dunlop from 1946 to 1982, during which time it continued to have a small field with no 36-hole cut. There were 50 competitors in the final Dunlop-sponsored event in 1982.
During the 1980s the British Masters was one of the most lucrative events on the European Tour with a prize fund that was as high as third among the tournaments on the schedule, but its status, or at least its relative level of prize money, has declined considerably in recent years.
The tournament has been played at many different venues; twice in the "Dunlop Masters" era it was held in the Republic of Ireland. When the Quinn Group took over as sponsors in 2006, the event was moved again, this time to the Group owned Belfry.
The deal with the Quinn Group ended in 2008, and when attempts to find another sponsor were unsuccessful, the British Masters was removed from the European Tour schedule for 2009.

### Tournament hosts

The event returned in 2015 with a leading British golfer choosing the golf course and hosting the event. Since then the editions have been hosted by:
* 2015: Ian Poulter at Woburn Golf Club
* 2016: Luke Donald at The Grove
* 2017: Lee Westwood at Close House Golf Club
* 2018: Justin Rose at Walton Heath Golf Club
* 2019: Tommy Fleetwood at Hillside Golf Club
* 2020: Lee Westwood at Close House Golf Club
* 2021–2022: Danny Willett at The Belfry
* 2023–2026: Nick Faldo at The Belfry

### Notable events

The 1967 event provided British television with its first live hole in one, as Tony Jacklin aced the 16th hole at Royal St George's.
In the 2021 event, Richard Bland, at age 48, claimed his first European Tour victory in his 478th start on the tour.

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | Venue | Ref. |
| Betfred British Masters ||||||||
| 2024 | Niklas Nørgaard | 272 | −16 | 2 strokes | Thriston Lawrence | The Belfry | |
| 2023 | Daniel Hillier | 278 | −10 | 2 strokes | Gunner Wiebe Oliver Wilson | The Belfry | |
| 2022 | Thorbjørn Olesen | 278 | −10 | 1 stroke | Sebastian Söderberg | The Belfry | |
| 2021 | Richard Bland | 275 | −13 | Playoff | Guido Migliozzi | The Belfry | |
| 2020 | Renato Paratore | 266 | −18 | 3 strokes | Rasmus Højgaard | Close House | |
| 2019 | Marcus Kinhult | 272 | −16 | 1 stroke | Robert MacIntyre Eddie Pepperell Matt Wallace | Hillside | |
| Sky Sports British Masters ||||||||
| 2018 | Eddie Pepperell | 279 | −9 | 2 strokes | Alexander Björk | Walton Heath | |
| British Masters ||||||||
| 2017 | Paul Dunne | 260 | −20 | 3 strokes | Rory McIlroy | Close House | |
| 2016 | Alex Norén | 266 | −18 | 2 strokes | Bernd Wiesberger | The Grove | |
| 2015 | Matt Fitzpatrick | 269 | −15 | 2 strokes | Søren Kjeldsen Shane Lowry Fabrizio Zanotti | Woburn | |
| 2010–2014: No tournament ||||||||
| 2009 | Cancelled due to lack of sponsorship | Cancelled due to lack of sponsorship | Cancelled due to lack of sponsorship | Cancelled due to lack of sponsorship | Cancelled due to lack of sponsorship | Cancelled due to lack of sponsorship | Cancelled due to lack of sponsorship |
| Quinn Insurance British Masters ||||||||
| 2008 | Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño | 276 | −12 | Playoff | Lee Westwood | The Belfry | |
| Quinn Direct British Masters ||||||||
| 2007 | Lee Westwood | 273 | −15 | 5 strokes | Ian Poulter | The Belfry | |
| 2006 | Johan Edfors | 277 | −11 | 1 stroke | Gary Emerson Stephen Gallacher Jarmo Sandelin | The Belfry | |
| Daily Telegraph Dunlop Masters ||||||||
| 2005 | Thomas Bjørn | 282 | −6 | Playoff | Brian Davis David Howell | Forest of Arden | |
| Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters ||||||||
| 2004 | Barry Lane | 272 | −16 | 3 strokes | Ángel Cabrera Eduardo Romero | Forest of Arden | |
| 2003 | Greg Owen | 274 | −14 | 3 strokes | Christian Cévaër Ian Poulter | Forest of Arden | |
| Victor Chandler British Masters ||||||||
| 2002 | Justin Rose | 269 | −19 | 1 stroke | Ian Poulter | Woburn | |
| 2001 | Thomas Levet | 274 | −14 | Playoff | Mathias Grönberg David Howell Robert Karlsson | Woburn | |
| 2000 | Gary Orr | 267 | −21 | 2 strokes | Per-Ulrik Johansson | Woburn | |
| 1999 | Bob May | 269 | −19 | 1 stroke | Colin Montgomerie | Woburn | |
| One 2 One British Masters ||||||||
| 1998 | Colin Montgomerie | 281 | −7 | 1 stroke | Pierre Fulke Eduardo Romero | Forest of Arden | |
| 1997 | Greg Turner | 275 | −13 | 1 stroke | Colin Montgomerie | Forest of Arden | |
| 1996 | Robert Allenby | 284 | −4 | Playoff | Miguel Ángel Martín | Collingtree Park | |
| Collingtree British Masters ||||||||
| 1995 | Sam Torrance | 270 | −18 | 1 stroke | Michael Campbell | Collingtree Park | |
| Dunhill British Masters ||||||||
| 1994 | Ian Woosnam (2) | 271 | −17 | 4 strokes | Seve Ballesteros | Woburn | |
| 1993 | Peter Baker | 266 | −22 | 7 strokes | Carl Mason | Woburn | |
| 1992 | Christy O'Connor Jnr | 270 | −18 | Playoff | Tony Johnstone | Woburn | |
| 1991 | Seve Ballesteros (2) | 275 | −13 | 3 strokes | Eamonn Darcy David Gilford Tony Johnstone Sam Torrance Keith Waters | Woburn | |
| 1990 | Mark James | 270 | −18 | 2 strokes | David Feherty | Woburn | |
| 1989 | Nick Faldo | 267 | −21 | 4 strokes | Ronan Rafferty | Woburn | |
| 1988 | Sandy Lyle | 273 | −15 | 2 strokes | Nick Faldo Mark McNulty | Woburn | |
| 1987 | Mark McNulty | 274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Ian Woosnam | Woburn | |
| 1986 | Seve Ballesteros | 275 | −13 | 2 strokes | Gordon Brand Jnr | Woburn | |
| 1985 | Lee Trevino | 278 | −10 | 3 strokes | Rodger Davis | Woburn | |
| Silk Cut Masters ||||||||
| 1984: No tournament ||||||||
| 1983 | Ian Woosnam | 269 | −15 | 3 strokes | Bernard Gallacher | St. Pierre | |
| Dunlop Masters ||||||||
| 1982 | Greg Norman (2) | 267 | −17 | 8 strokes | Bernhard Langer | St. Pierre | |
| 1981 | Greg Norman | 273 | −15 | 4 strokes | Graham Marsh | Woburn | |
| 1980 | Bernhard Langer | 270 | −14 | 5 strokes | Brian Barnes | St. Pierre | |
| 1979 | Graham Marsh | 283 | −5 | 1 stroke | Isao Aoki Neil Coles | Woburn | |
| 1978 | Tommy Horton | 279 | −5 | 1 stroke | Dale Hayes Graham Marsh Brian Waites | St. Pierre | |
| 1977 | Guy Hunt | 291 | +7 | Playoff | Brian Barnes | Lindrick | |
| 1976 | Baldovino Dassù | 271 | −13 | 1 stroke | Hubert Green | St. Pierre | |
| 1975 | Bernard Gallacher (2) | 289 | +5 | 2 strokes | Dale Hayes | Ganton | |
| 1974 | Bernard Gallacher | 282 | −2 | Playoff | Gary Player | St. Pierre | |
| 1973 | Tony Jacklin (2) | 272 | −12 | 7 strokes | Bob Charles | St. Pierre | |
| 1972 | Bob Charles | 277 | −11 | 2 strokes | Tony Jacklin | Northumberland | |
| 1971 | Maurice Bembridge | 273 | −11 | 2 strokes | Peter Oosterhuis | St. Pierre | |
| 1970 | Brian Huggett | 293 | +9 | 5 strokes | David Graham | Royal Lytham & St Annes | |
| 1969 | Cobie Legrange (2) | 281 | | 3 strokes | Peter Butler | Little Aston | |
| 1968 | Peter Thomson (2) | 274 | | 5 strokes | Dave Thomas | Sunningdale | |
| 1967 | Tony Jacklin | 274 | | 3 strokes | Neil Coles | Royal St George's | |
| 1966 | Neil Coles | 278 | | 1 stroke | Christy O'Connor Snr Peter Thomson | Lindrick | |
| 1965 | Bernard Hunt (2) | 283 | | 1 stroke | Peter Thomson | Portmarnock | |
| 1964 | Cobie Legrange | 288 | | 1 stroke | Max Faulkner Ralph Moffitt | Royal Birkdale | |
| 1963 | Bernard Hunt | 282 | | Playoff | Ralph Moffitt | Little Aston | |
| 1962 | Dai Rees | 278 | | 2 strokes | Ralph Moffitt Peter Thomson | Wentworth | |
| 1961 | Peter Thomson | 284 | | 8 strokes | Christy O'Connor Snr | Royal Porthcawl | |
| 1960 | Jimmy Hitchcock | 275 | | 2 strokes | Max Faulkner John Jacobs Bobby Locke | Sunningdale | |
| 1959 | Christy O'Connor Snr (2) | 276 | | 4 strokes | Joe Carr (a) Norman Drew | Portmarnock | |
| 1958 | Harry Weetman (2) | 276 | | 4 strokes | Bobby Locke | Little Aston | |
| 1957 | Eric Brown | 275 | | 3 strokes | Peter Alliss | Notts | |
| 1956 | Christy O'Connor Snr | 277 | | 1 stroke | Eric Brown | Prestwick | |
| 1955 | Harry Bradshaw (2) | 277 | | 4 strokes | Henry Cotton | Little Aston | |
| 1954 | Bobby Locke (2) | 291 | | 3 strokes | Harry Bradshaw | Prince's | |
| 1953 | Harry Bradshaw | 272 | | 3 strokes | Max Faulkner | Sunningdale | |
| 1952 | Harry Weetman | 281 | | 4 strokes | Arthur Lees | Mere | |
| 1951 | Max Faulkner | 281 | | 4 strokes | Reg Horne | Wentworth | |
| 1950 | Dai Rees | 281 | | 4 strokes | Charlie Ward | Royal Liverpool | |
| 1949 | Charlie Ward | 290 | | Playoff | John Burton | St Andrews | |
| 1948 | Norman Von Nida | 272 | | 2 strokes | Fred Daly | Sunningdale | |
| 1947 | Arthur Lees | 283 | | Playoff | Norman Von Nida | Little Aston | |
| 1946 | Jimmy Adams Bobby Locke | 286 | | Title shared | Title shared | Stoneham | |

## Multiple winners

* 2 wins: Seve Ballesteros, Harry Bradshaw, Bernard Gallacher, Bernard Hunt, Tony Jacklin, Cobie Legrange, Bobby Locke, Greg Norman, Christy O'Connor Snr, Dai Rees, Peter Thomson, Harry Weetman, Ian Woosnam