Record prize money of £1,000,000 – double the previous largest prize fund in the history of the European Seniors Tour – has been confirmed for the 2003 Senior British Open, presented by MasterCard, to be played over the Ailsa Course at the Westin Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire, Scotland, from July 24-27.
The Champion in 2003 will collect a record first prize of £157,800, which represents a near 100 per cent increase on the £79,000 which Japan’s Noboru Sugai received for winning the Senior British Open, presented by MasterCard, at The Royal County Down Golf Club in 2002. The winner’s cheque is, in fact, £10,800 more than the total prize fund for the inaugural Championship.
The Senior British Open, presented by MasterCard, is jointly sanctioned by The European Tour and the US Champions Tour, in partnership with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and IMG, the world’s largest sports marketing company. Today’s announcement lifts the minimum prize money for the 2003 Seniors Tour Schedule to €5,876,000 (£4,269,000).
Ken Schofield, Executive Director of The European Tour said, ‘The 100 per cent increase in the prize fund for the 2003 Senior British Open, presented by MasterCard, is a significant milestone in the continuing development of the European Seniors Tour.
‘The Championship has gone from strength to strength since the inaugural edition in 1987, when our own Chairman, Neil Coles, claimed the title at the Westin Turnberry Resort, and has now been deservedly recognised as a Major Championship this year.
‘It is also entirely appropriate that this prestigious Championship returns to the Ayrshire venue, where it originated, with a first prize significantly greater than the entire prize fund 16 years ago. The magnificent Ailsa Course has proved itself to be one of the best venues in world golf and will unquestionably identify a great champion in July.’
Peter Dawson, secretary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, said: ‘We are delighted that the new status of the Senior British Open as a Major Championship has been reflected in this year’s increase of the prize fund from £500,000 to £1,000,000. This announcement further enhances the prestige of the Championship and we all look forward to another outstanding event at the Westin Turnberry Resort in July.’
The spectacular Ailsa Course has hosted the Open Golf Championship on three occasions and the Senior British Open, presented by MasterCard, four times, including the first event in 1987 and among the great names who have indicated at this early stage that they will play are Ben Crenshaw, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.
Player collected two Senior British Open Championships, presented by MasterCard, at the Westin Turnberry Resort in 1988 and 1990 while the Ailsa Course delivered one of the most compelling final days in the history of the Open Golf Championship in 1977.
That was the year when Watson and Nicklaus held the world spellbound when they staged their epic ‘duel in the sun’. Watson prevailed by a single shot on that occasion to win a first prize of £10,000 while Palmer closed with rounds of 67 and 69 for a share of seventh place, before finishing in the top ten in all previous four Senior British Open Championships, presented by MasterCard, between 1987 and 1990.
For ticket information, contact
http://www.seniorbritishopen.com/home.asp
For further information, contact:
Communications Department
The European Tour
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Gordon Simpson
Director of Communications
The European Tour
Tel: + 44 (0) 1344 840454
Fax:+44 (0) 1344 840444
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