Colin Montgomerie defends his Benson and Hedges International Open title this week as the European Tour returns to the UK for the first time in the 2000 season.
The Benson and Hedges International Open celebrates its 30th anniversary with a move to The Brabazon Course at the DeVere Belfry and record prize money of £1 million. Twelve months ago Montgomerie claimed the first of his six victories in 1999 on his way to winning the Volvo Order of Merit for an unprecedented seventh successive season by holding off the challenges of Argentina’s Angel Cabrera and Sweden’s Per-Ulrik Johansson at The Oxfordshire. Montgomerie last played a European Tour event at The Belfry in 1992 and then in 1993 collected 3 ½ points in the Ryder Cup, including a singles win over Lee Janzen.
Darren Clarke, winner in 1998 and the current Number One in the Volvo Order of Merit following his victory in the Andersen Consulting Match Play in February, returns to action along with Open champion Paul Lawrie and 1999 Masters champion José Maria Olazábal. Lee Westwood also returns to the fray and is joined in the world-class field by ten of this season’s champions.
Bernhard Langer twice a winner of the Benson and Hedges International Open, once at St Mellion and once at The Oxfordshire, will attempt to become the first player to win the event of three occasions.
The Belfry, which in 2001 will host the Ryder Cup for the fourth time, first became a European Tour venue in 1978 with the playing of the Hennessy Cognac Cup and it has hosted the English Open on nine occasions. The Lawrence Batley International was staged at The Belfry from 1984 to 1986 and more recently the Belfry Seniors PGA Seniors Championship has made its home in the Midlands.
Since the 1993 Ryder Cup matches the Brabazon course has undergone a number of major changes as part of an overall investment of over £40 million. Some £3.5 million has been spent on the Brabazon course alone with 120 significant changes to the layout.
The Benson and Hedges International Open has a superb roll-call of champions including Seve Ballesteros, Tony Jacklin, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Greg Norman, Jose Maria Olazabal, Lee Trevino and Tom Weiskopf, all winners of major championships.
