British Masters Tips & Predictions

The Course

The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield - England - Par 72, 7,233 Yards

The Belfry, a Ryder Cup and British golfing institution, returned to the European Tour in 2018 after a 12-year absence as the host venue for the final event of the "UK swing" with the UK Championship and it sits as the host for the British Masters once again this year.

The Belfry comprises three courses; The Derby, the PGA, and The Brabazon, which is where this week's event will be played. I have had the privilege of playing The Brabazon several times, and it has been describe it as a challenging but relatively dull test, similar to the great majority of inland UK venues with the possible exceptions of Woburn, Sunningdale, and even Woodhall Spa. Although the rough has grown up, there is little natural protection, and the absence of spectators will allow for it to become possibly more penal than would usually be the case.

The course is mainly flat, and there is water in play on seven of the 18 holes, most noticeably the 9th, 10th and 18th holes. It is the (sometimes) drivable 10th which is the signature hole and can lead realistically to a score anywhere between a two and a six, and no doubt the tees will be pushed forward on Sunday to heighten the drama at the start of the back nine. Half the field will start their opening rounds on this hole each day when it will likely be tackled as an iron and a wedge. The greens are large and primarily flat poa annua, although a couple of earlier holes have somewhat defined slopes. The keys will be a good driving and putting, with a further emphasis on getting up and down when in trouble. I expect good quality players to rise to the occasion here.

This event begins Wednesday to give those playing next week's USPGA Championship an extra day to prepare. On the back of a couple of places last week, I am looking to continue the momentum for this event.

The British Masters takes place at the Belfry for the fourth year in a row this week with a star-studded field set to battle it out on the famous Brabazon Course.

LIV Golf member Tyrrell Hatton makes a rare appearance on the DP World Tour, as he chases world ranking points, and he leads the betting at 7/1, ahead of fellow Englishman Matt Wallace (16/1).

South African Thriston Lawrence and 2022 champion Thorbjorn Olesen are both priced at 22/1, ahead of 25/1 shot Rasmus Hojgaard, who claimed the spoils here in the 2020 ISPS Handa UK Championship.

Host of the Ryder Cup four times, the Belfry is an iconic venue in the world of golf and the Brabazon Course presents a difficult test that will reward accuracy and crisp ball-striking.

Tip 1: [Yannik Paul to win and each-way @ 33/1https://www.betuk.com/betting#event/1021502640

German Yannik Paul hasn't enjoyed the same consistency this year as he did in 2023 but there were positive signs last time out at the Danish Golf Championship, where he ended up tied-19th, and more improvement is expected here.

The 30-year-old has had two cracks at the British Masters and he impressed on both outings at the Belfry, finishing 16th on debut in 2022 before returning the following year to clinch eighth place.

Precise approach play will be key to success this week and it bodes well that Paul ranks sixth in greens in regulation this season, while his scrambling percentage of 57.76 is way above the field average and that is another plus given how crucial this department has been in recent years.

Tip 2: Thomas Aiken to win and each-way @ 100/1

It has been over a decade since Thomas Aiken last tasted success but there has been plenty to like about his performances this season and he could end his long drought for a fourth DP World Tour title this week.

The 41-year-old South African's last six starts have seen him record one top-10, two top-15s and one top-20 finish, evidence of his consistent play, and he can get in the mix in Warwickshire.

Aiken is one of the most reliable players off the tee, ranking third in driving accuracy, while he boasts one of the best short games in the business with a ranking of seventh in both scrambling and strokes gained putting.

Tip 3: Calum Hill to win and each-way @ 66/1

Calum Hill's form has dipped over his last three starts, missing the cut twice, but a return to a course he has thrived in over recent years could help reignite his season.

The 29-year-old Scot was ninth in the 2020 ISPS Handa UK Championship - a one-off event held at the Belfry - while he was eighth at the 2021 British Masters and fourth in last year's edition.

If Hill can show improvement with his irons, an area of his game that has been letting him down of late, then he can get himself into contention given he is one of the best putters on tour.

Last Five Winners

The History of British Masters Golf

Relaunched in 2015, the British Masters has re-established itself as one of the most prestigious tournaments on the European Tour.

This year, the event is in England at the historic Walton Heath golf club in Surrey. The former Ryder Cup venue becomes the 28th course to stage the British Masters since the competition began in 1946.

In its unique history, the British Masters has led a nomadic existence, visiting the finest golf courses in the British Isles, and can boast a string of legendary golfers among its champions. The British Masters made history as the location of the first televised hole-in-one and was one of the world’s most lucrative golf tournaments during its 1980s heyday.

Early Days of the British Masters

Founded in 1946 as the Dunlop Masters, the event carried its original sponsor’s name until 1982. The British Masters began life as the Dunlop-Metropolitan Tournament, an invitation event held in south-east England which launched in 1934.

Birmingham-based rubber goods maker, Dunlop, had begun producing golf balls in 1909. By the 1930s, the company manufactured a wide range of balls which included the iconic “Sixty-Five”, launched to mark Henry Cotton’s historic round of 65 at the 1934 British Open.

The original Dunlop-Metropolitan competition was held towards the end of the year, like today’s version of the event. It was informally known as the “Championship of Champions” and the competition modelled itself as the British equivalent to the US Masters which was founded in the same year. The original tournament was cancelled in 1939 with the outbreak of the second world war.

Following the end of the war, the inaugural British Masters was held at Stoneham Golf Club in Southampton. Four-time Open champion Bobby Locke shared the spoils in a tie with Scotland’s Jimmy Adams. Locke would win the title again in 1954 and join 12 other men to have lifted the trophy twice, including Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam.

British Masters - From Boom To Bust And Back

The venue for the British Masters tended to change from year to year and the competition was a regular visitor to the likes of Sunningdale, Wentworth and St Andrews. By the 1970s and 1980s, the British Masters had become one of the most prestigious events in the golfing calendar and boasted a prize fund to suit. In the mid-80s, the cash reward was the third highest in the world.

After Dunlop ceased sponsoring the event in 1982, various backers lent their name to the British Masters before the owners of the Belfry took over in 2006. Lending the competition their prestigious venue for three editions, the deal with the Quinn Group ended in 2008. Fresh funding attempts failed, and the British Masters was cancelled in 2009.

The event did not return until 2015 and has since been “hosted” by well-known professionals, including Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Ian Poulter.

British Masters Winners and Legends

Golfers representing 15 different countries have won the British Masters. That number includes the 2017 winner Paul Dunne, who became the sixth Irishman to win the event. Dunne hit a staggering nine-under-par final round of 61 to beat Rory McIlroy by three strokes at Close House in Northumberland.

For those wanting to bet on golf during the British Masters, UK players are certainly worth a look if history is anything to go by.

An Englishman has won the title on 22 occasions, golfers from Scotland have claimed victory eight times and a Welshman has lifted the trophy on five occasions.

The list of winners of the British Masters reads like a who’s who of golfing greats. Bernard Gallacher and Greg Norman have been champions in consecutive years and Nick Faldo made history in 1989 with a then-record equalling score of 267: 21 under par.

The British Masters and That Hole-In-One

The British Masters entered golfing folklore when the first televised hole-in-one was hit by Tony Jacklin in 1967. Back then, because of the complexities of outdoor broadcasting, only the final few holes of competitions tended to be broadcast.

Jacklin’s ace came on the 16th at Royal St George’s and was watched by millions in black-and-white. Hitting a sweet seven-iron from the tee, the ball took a single bounce on the par-three green before sinking into the hole. A stunned Jacklin shrugged his shoulders and shared a joke with playing partner Christy O’Connor Jr as history was made.

What is the British Masters?

The British Masters is a golf competition which began in 1946. The contest’s predecessor, the Dunlop-Metropolitan tournament, commenced in 1936 but was cancelled with the outbreak of World War II.

The British Masters has traditionally been played at a variety of courses around the British Isles. In its heyday of the 1970s and 80s, it was one of the biggest competitions in the golfing calendar and at one point the British Masters boasted the third highest prize in the world.

The British Masters follows golf’s stroke play format which simply means the player who has taken the lowest number of shots after four rounds of 18 holes will be crowned the winner. After two rounds, half of the field is “cut” and will play no further part in the competition.

The British Masters is a European Tour event and so one of a series of 47 tournaments which contribute to the Race to Dubai rankings. At the end of the season, the players with the most points accumulated during the Tour share a prize pot following the final event, the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates. The highest point scorer lands $1.5 million and the Race to Dubai trophy.

Why The British Masters Is A Big Deal

The British Masters was always intended to be one of the biggest tournaments in golf. Originally billed as the “Championship of Champions”, the competition was by invitation only to the best players in the world. The tournament considered itself the British equivalent of the US Masters which was founded in the same year.

The list of golfers who have won the British Masters includes some of the greatest names to play the game. Bernard Gallacher, Seve Ballesteros, Tony Jacklin and Greg Norman are among the legends who have won the tournament twice. Nick Faldo hit a then record-equalling low score on his way to victory in 1989 something that is still regularly spoken about in today's game.

How The Masters Feels Different To Traditional Golf Tournaments

Much has been written about the supposed declining popularity of golf in Britain, but tournament chiefs will be hoping for a post-Ryder Cup boost in interest. When the British Masters was relaunched in 2015, it was clear that its organisers wanted to bring a new feel to the competition which dates back to the 1940s.

The British Masters is one of just three European Tour events to be played in England this season, so it will attract a huge number of golf fans. Crowds have topped 70,000 for the tournament in recent years with reasonable ticket prices and giveaways swelling numbers. A range of family-friendly activities will take place alongside the main event.

Supported by Sky Sports, the British Masters has been planned with TV audiences in mind and you’ll find extensive broadcast coverage and other innovations such as mid-round interviews with the players and a host of online and social media features.

Some of the top golfers will pretty much sign off their season after the British Masters, ahead of a final outing at the Tour’s Dubai showpiece in November, so it may be the last chance to see a host of big names playing together in Europe this year.