*(stats since 1975)
First played
: 1927
Most wins
: Three:
Seve Ballesteros, 1983, 85, 86
Nick Faldo, 1991, 92, 93
Bernhard Langer, 1984, 87, 94
Colin Montgomerie, 1996, 97, 01
Consecutive wins
:
Mark James, 1979, 80
Seve Ballesteros, 1985, 86
Ian Woosnam, 1988, 89
Nick Faldo, 1991, 92, 93
Colin Montgomerie, 1996, 97
Youngest winner
: Sergio Garcia, aged 19 in 1999
Oldest winner
: Sam Torrance, aged 41 in 1995
Lowest 18 hole score
: 62 (-9) :
Colin Montgomerie, 1997
Barry Lane, 1998
Miguel Angel Martin, 1999
Lowest first 18 hole score
: 63 (-8), Colin Montgomerie, 2001
Lowest 36 hole score
: 129 (-13), Patrik Sjöland, 2000
Lowest 54 hole score
: 198 (-15), Rolf Muntz, 2000
Lowest 72 hole score
: 266 (-18), Colin Montgomerie, 2001
Lowest under par winning score
: 275 (-21), Christy O’Connor Jnr, 1975
Lowest final round by a winner
: 62 (-9), Colin Montgomerie, 1997
Wire-to-wire-winners
:
Christy O’Connor Jnr, 1975
Bernhard Langer, 1987
Nick Faldo, 1992
Colin Montgomerie, 2001
Largest winning margin
: 10 shots, Bernhard Langer, 1984
Biggest final round comeback by a winner
: 4 shots:
Mark James, 1979
Nick Faldo, 1993
Bernhard Langer, 1994
Play-offs
:
Seve Ballesteros beat Bernhard Langer, 1985
Ian Woosnam beat Philip Walton, 1989
Nick Faldo beat Wayne Westner, 1992
Nick Faldo beat José Maria Olazábal, 1993
Sam Torrance beat Stuart Cage and Howard Clark, 1995
David Carter beat Colin Montgomerie, 1998
Holes-in-one
: 22
Low cut
: 142 (-2), 1984
High cut
: 154 (+10), 1982
INTERESTING FACTS
Although Darren Clarke is the most recent Irish player to win on home soil (in 2001 at the Smurfit European Open), you have to go back to John O’Leary in 1982 to find the last home grown winner of the Irish Open title. Nick Faldo (1991-93) joined Ian Woosnam (Monte Carlo Open 1990-92) as the only players to win the same official event three consecutive times since the birth of The European Tour in 1972. That was since equalled by Colin Montgomerie (Volvo PGA Championship 1998-00) and Tiger Woods (World Golf Championships – NEC Invitational (1999-01). The Murphy’s Irish Open has a history for producing quality champions. Since 1975, the 16 different winners have managed to win 20 Major Championships and 261 official European Tour events between them.
