British Masters: Famous winners and iconic venues feature in long history of the European Tour event
Danny Willett is joining an elite group of players when he hosts the iconic Betfred British Masters this week at The Belfry.
The former Masters champion is the latest British golfer to take on the role of tournament host since the illustrious event returned to the European Tour schedule, after a seven-year absence, in 2015.
Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood have all previously hosted editions of the event in recent years, which was founded in 1946 and has some of golf’s all-time greats among the list of winners.
Four-time Open Champion Bobby Locke won the inaugural edition and repeated the feat in 1954, while multiple champions of the British Masters include the likes of Peter Thomson, Tony Jacklin, Bernard Gallacher, Greg Norman, Ian Woosnam and the late, great Seve Ballesteros.
The Belfry, a four-time Ryder Cup venue, will welcome back the British Masters after a 13-year absence, having hosted the event from 2006-2008 before the tournament was pulled from the calendar after failing to secure the necessary sponsorship.
It's #BetfredBritishMasters week! ??
Host by @Danny_Willett. pic.twitter.com/QUpZrAd2MA
The tournament returned in 2015, supported by Sky Sports, where Matt Fitzpatrick claimed a maiden European Tour victory with a two-shot win at Woburn – host Poulter’s home course.
Alex Noren won the 2016 contest by the same margin at The Grove, with former world No 1 Donald hosting, while a chip-in birdie at the last helped Paul Dunne see off Rory McIlroy to win the 2017 event at Close House.
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Walton Heath was Justin Rose’s chosen venue for the 2018 edition, where Eddie Pepperell secured his breakthrough European Tour title, with Tommy Fleetwood then taking the tournament to Hillside a year later and the host for Marcus Kinhult’s narrow victory.
Westwood brought the British Masters back to Close House in 2020 and hosted the event for a second time, with the contest having extra significance as it marked the European Tour’s first full field event in four months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The tournament was also the start of a new six-week “UK Swing”, which will return later this summer, with Renato Paratore finishing three shots clear of Rasmus Hojgaard and registering his second European Tour victory.
Willett will welcome a strong field to the West Midlands for this year’s contest, which takes place from Wednesday to Saturday ahead of the PGA Championship the following week, with Robert MacIntyre, Bernd Wiesberger and former world No 1 Martin Kaymer among those in action.
Who will be the next player to join the iconic British Masters winner’s club? Watch the opening round live on Wednesday from 1.30pm on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event.
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