Monday 5 October 2015 15:42, UK
With the British Masters supported by Sky Sports making its return to the European Tour this week, we take a look at the illustrious history of the tournament.
The British Masters was founded in 1946 and soon became regarded as one of the most prestigious and lucrative tournaments in Europe.
Four-time Open champion Bobby Locke shared the spoils with Scotland’s Jimmy Adams in the inaugural event at Stoneham Golf Club, and the roll of honour in its 62-year run reads like a who’s who in the world of golf.
Locke won the title again in 1954, and multiple champions include the likes of Peter Thomson, Tony Jacklin, Bernard Gallacher, Greg Norman, Ian Woosnam and the late, great Seve Ballesteros.
Jacklin created history in the 1967 event at Royal St George’s in Kent, when he hit the first hole-in-one ever to be seen live on British television.
The venue always matched the high quality of the field every year, with Wentworth and Sunningdale among the host courses while the St Pierre Golf and Country Club staged the tournament eight times between 1971 and 1983.
Move to Woburn
Woburn first held the British Masters in 1979, when Australian Graham Marsh edged out Isao Aoki and Neil Coles by a single shot, and Marsh’s compatriot Greg Norman also triumphed on the Duke’s Course two years later.
After being cancelled in 1984, the tournament returned a year later as American legend Lee Trevino cruised to a three-shot win at Woburn, which became the annual host for the event for 10 consecutive years.
Ballesteros won in both 1986 and 1991, while Sandy Lyle followed up his Masters win at Augusta with a British Masters victory less than two months later, holding off challenges from Nick Faldo and Mark McNulty.
Faldo added his name to the illustrious list of champions a year later, posting a then-record score of 267 – 21 under par – in a comprehensive four-shot triumph.
But Faldo’s record was surpassed by one in 1993 following a spectacular performance from Peter Baker, who fired a second-round 64 before closing with a remarkable nine-under 63 which earned him a seven-shot win.
Woosnam was in a class of his own the following year, beating Ballesteros by four strokes, and the tournament then underwent a change of sponsor and venue with Collingtree Park hosting for two years followed by Forest of Arden in 1997 and 1998.
But the British Masters returned to the glorious Duke’s Course at Woburn in 1999, when unheralded American Bob May upstaged defending champion Colin Montgomerie to win his only professional title.
Scotland’s Gary Orr picked up his second win of the 2000 season at Woburn, and the tournament was then switched to the Marquess Course within a year of the new layout opening.
Marquess thriller
Designed by Peter Alliss, Clive Clark and Alex Hay, the Marquess staged a thrilling 2001 edition which saw Thomas Levet clinch his second European Tour title at the third extra hole after the Frenchman had finished level with Mathias Gronberg, Robert Karlsson and David Howell.
Justin Rose claimed his first win on British soil in 2002, finishing a shot ahead of Woburn member and close friend Ian Poulter, who was runner-up again a year later when the tournament returned to Forest of Arden for three years.
The British Masters then made its debut at former Ryder Cup venue The Belfry in 2006, and Lee Westwood denied the luckless Poulter again the following year at the Brabazon Course.
Westwood then lost out to Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano at the third play-off hole in 2008, after which the tournament was sadly pulled from the European Tour schedule after failing to secure the necessary sponsorship.
But the seven-year absence ends in October this year, with Poulter taking on the role of tournament host as he welcomes a star-studded field to his home golf club.
Westwood, Rose and Luke Donald will then take turns to host the event at a venue of their choosing.
Watch the British Masters live throughout the week on Sky Sports - your home of golf
