British Masters must be protected
If, as is widely expected, the European Tour’s 2019 schedule – due to be announced next week – does not include The British Masters, then it will be a serious setback for the Tour’s chief executive, Keith Pelley.
Last week’s tournament delivered a masterly win from Eddie Pepperell (below) on a tough, heathery, Walton Heath course, which in some difficult weather conditions tested every part of the players’ games.
That holding of the Sky Sports Masters was the concluding event in a four-year deal.
From the outset, we knew Sky were never in for the long term, after all they are a broadcaster, not a sponsor.
But the visionary head of Sky Sports, Barney Francis, was hoping, that by putting on memorable events, a sponsor would come forward to keep this iconic tournament going.
It is very difficult to know what more Sky could have done.
Our leading players Ian Poulter, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and, lastly, Justin Rose, all hosted the tournament on their favourite courses.
Children were allowed in free of charge and many of the pros on show gave voluntary golf lessons.
We’ve had exciting young winners such as Matthew Fitzpatrick, who came to prominence at Woburn, Alex Noren at The Grove, and young Irishman Paul Dunne holding off Rory Mcilroy in front of huge crowds in the golf-starved North East at Newcastle’s Close House.
It is deeply frustrating that no headline sponsor has come forward to be associated with an event that dates back to 1946. To readers of a certain vintage, the tournament will always be remembered as the Dunlop Masters, as it was until 1982.
Previous winners include Open Champions Tony Jacklin, Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman and Sir Nick Faldo
Even yours truly won back in 1974, as a young professional, beating the legendary Gary Player in a play-off at St Pierre. Then, for good measure, I went on to successfully defend the title at Ganton the following year.
The British Masters was considered second-in-prestige only to The Open, and in the early days before the European Tour was formed, it concluded the season in the UK.
It comprised a small field of tournament winners, players high up on the Order of Merit and past Champions, so winning in this elite company was considered special.
Today it has evolved into a much bigger event, but it has never lost its gravitas. Justin Rose summed it up succinctly when he said: “It’s tournaments with history we should be focusing on, quality over quantity.”
I will find it very disappointing if the European Tour manage to put resources into gimmicky events like The Shot Clock Masters and the Golfsixes at the expense and exclusion of The British Masters.