The Benson & Hedges International Open was a men's professional golf tournament which was played in England. It was founded in 1971 and for its first five years it was called the Benson & Hedges Festival of Golf. It was sponsored by Benson & Hedges, a cigarette company. It was part of the European Tour's annual schedule from the tour's first season in 1972 until the tournament ceased in 2003, following the introduction of a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship of sporting events by the British government. The prize fund for the final edition of the tournament was €1,596,861, which was mid-range for a European Tour event at the time.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | England |
| Established | 1971 |
| Course(s) | The Belfry (Brabazon Course) |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,119 yd (6,510 m) |
| Tour(s) | European Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | £1,100,000 |
| Month played | May |
| Final year | 2003 |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 266 Vicente Fernández (1975) |
| To par | −18 Vicente Fernández (1975) −18 Sam Torrance (1984) |
| Final champion | |
 Paul Casey | |
| Location map | |
  The Belfry Location in England  The Belfry Location in Warwickshire | |
Winners edit
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Venue | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benson & Hedges International Open | ||||||||
| 2003 | Paul Casey |
277 | −11 | 4 strokes |  Pádraig Harrington |
The Belfry | [1] | |
| 2002 |  Ángel Cabrera |
278 | −10 | 1 stroke | Barry Lane |
The Belfry | [2] | |
| 2001 |  Henrik Stenson |
275 | −13 | 3 strokes | Ángel Cabrera Paul McGinley |
The Belfry | [3] | |
| 2000 |  José María Olazábal (2) |
275 | −13 | 3 strokes |  Phillip Price |
The Belfry | [4][5] | |
| 1999 |  Colin Montgomerie |
273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Ángel Cabrera Per-Ulrik Johansson |
The Oxfordshire | ||
| 1998 |  Darren Clarke |
273 | −15 | 3 strokes | Santiago Luna |
The Oxfordshire | ||
| 1997 |  Bernhard Langer (2) |
276 | −12 | 2 strokes | Ian Woosnam |
The Oxfordshire | ||
| 1996 |  Stephen Ames |
283 | −5 | 1 stroke | Jon Robson |
The Oxfordshire | ||
| 1995 |  Peter O'Malley |
280 | −8 | 1 stroke | Mark James Costantino Rocca |
St Mellion International | ||
| 1994 | Seve Ballesteros |
281 | −7 | 3 strokes | Nick Faldo |
St Mellion International | ||
| 1993 | Paul Broadhurst |
276 | −12 | 1 stroke | Mark James José María Olazábal |
St Mellion International | ||
| 1992 | Peter Senior |
287 | −1 | Playoff |  Tony Johnstone |
St Mellion International | ||
| 1991 | Bernhard Langer |
286 | −2 | 2 strokes |  Vijay Singh |
St Mellion International | ||
| 1990 | José María Olazábal |
279 | −9 | 1 stroke | Ian Woosnam |
St Mellion International | ||
| 1989 | Gordon Brand Jnr |
272 | −12 | 1 stroke | Derrick Cooper |
Fulford | ||
| 1988 | Peter Baker |
271 | −17 | Playoff | Nick Faldo |
Fulford | ||
| 1987 | Noel Ratcliffe |
275 | −13 | 2 strokes | Ove Sellberg |
Fulford | ||
| 1986 | Mark James |
274 | −14 | Playoff |  Hugh Baiocchi Lee Trevino |
Fulford | ||
| 1985 | Sandy Lyle |
274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Ian Woosnam |
Fulford | ||
| 1984 | Sam Torrance |
270 | −18 | 1 stroke | Wayne Grady |
Fulford | ||
| 1983 | John Bland |
273 | −15 | 1 stroke | Bernhard Langer |
Fulford | ||
| 1982 | Greg Norman |
283 | −5 | 1 stroke |  Bob Charles Graham Marsh Ian Woosnam |
Fulford | ||
| 1981 | Tom Weiskopf |
272 | −16 | 1 stroke | Eamonn Darcy Bernhard Langer |
Fulford | ||
| 1980 | Graham Marsh (2) |
272 | −16 | 2 strokes |  John Bland |
Fulford | ||
| 1979 | Maurice Bembridge |
272 | −8 | 2 strokes | Ken Brown |
St. Mellion International | ||
| 1978 | Lee Trevino |
274 | −10 | Playoff | Neil Coles Noel Ratcliffe |
Fulford | ||
| 1977 |  Antonio Garrido |
280 | −4 | 3 strokes | Bob Charles |
Fulford | ||
| 1976 | Graham Marsh |
272 | −12 | 2 strokes | Mark James |
Fulford | ||
| Benson & Hedges Festival of Golf | ||||||||
| 1975 | Vicente Fernández |
266 | −18 | 1 stroke | Maurice Bembridge |
Fulford | ||
| 1974 |  Philippe Toussaint |
276 | −8 | Playoff | Bob Shearer |
Fulford | ||
| 1973 | Vin Baker |
276 | −8 | 2 strokes | Dale Hayes |
Fulford | [6] | |
| 1972 | Jack Newton |
281 | −3 | 1 stroke | Harry Bannerman |
Fulford | ||
| 1971 | Tony Jacklin |
279 | −5 | Playoff | Peter Butler |
Fulford | [7] | |
References edit
- ^ "Casey wins at The Belfry". BBC Sport. 11 May 2003. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
- ^ "Cabrera reigns at The Belfry". BBC Sport. 12 May 2002. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
- ^ "Stenson proves big at The Belfry". BBC Sport. 13 May 2001. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
- ^ "Belfry leader disqualified". BBC Sport. 14 May 2000. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
- ^ Garrod, Mark (14 May 2000). "Olazabal cashes in on Harrington horror". The Independent. Retrieved 1 February 2011.[dead link]
- ^ "Baker's first major win". The Glasgow Herald. 20 August 1973. p. 5.
- ^ "Jacklin upholds his reputation". The Glasgow Herald. 23 August 1971. p. 5.