2004 Senior British Open Championship

Last updated

2004 Senior British Open Championship
Tournament information
Dates22–25 July 2004
Location Portrush, County Antrim,
Northern Ireland
55°12′00″N6°38′06″W / 55.200°N 6.635°W / 55.200; -6.635
Course(s) Royal Portrush Golf Club
Dunluce Links
Organised by The R&A
Tours
Format72 holes stroke play
Statistics
Par72
Length6,834 yd (6,249 m)
Field144 players, 70 after cut
Cut152 (+10)
Prize fund US$1,600,000
Winner's share US$289,153
Champion
Flag of the United States.svg Pete Oakley
284 (-4)
Location map
Europe relief laea location map.jpg
Icona golf.svg
Royal Portrush GC
Location in Europe
United Kingdom relief location map.jpg
Icona golf.svg
Royal Portrush GC
Location in the United Kingdom
Island of Ireland relief location map.png
Icona golf.svg
Royal Portrush GC
Location in Ireland
Relief Map of Northern Ireland.png
Icona golf.svg
Royal Portrush GC
Location in Northern Ireland
  2003
2005  

The 2004 Senior British Open Championship, for sponsorship reasons named Senior British Open Championship presented by MasterCard, was a senior major golf championship and the 18th Senior British Open Championship, held from 22 to 25 July at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. It was the second Senior British Open Championship played as a senior major championship. [1]

Contents

Pete Oakley won by one stroke over Tom Kite and Eduardo Romero to win his first Senior British Open title and his first senior major championship victory. [2] [3] [4]

Graham Marsh, who finished tied ninth, became the first player on the four main golf tours (PGA Tour, PGA European Tour, PGA Tour Champions or the Legends Tour) to ace the same hole twice in a tournament, when he had a hole-in-one on the 170-yard 11th hole in the third round with an 8-iron, as well as with a 9-iron in the first round. [5]

Venue

Royal Portrush GC 5th hole Royal Portrush Golf Club 5th hole.png
Royal Portrush GC 5th hole

Course layout

NameHoleParYards
Hughie's14392
Giant's Grave25505
Islay33155
Fred Daly's44457
White Rocks54411
Harry Colt's63189
P.G. Stevenson's74431
Himalayas84393
Tavern95475
Dhu Varren105478
Feather Bed113170
Causeway124392
Skerries134340
Calamity Corner143210
Purgatory154365
Babington's164442
Glenarm175548
Greenaway184469
Out363,408
In363,414
Total726,822

Source: [6]

Field

The field consisted of 144 competitors; 138 professionals and six amateurs.

70 players made the 36-hole cut, 69 professionals and one amateur. Roy Smethurst finished leading amateur at tied 41st.

An 18-hole stroke play qualifying round was held on Monday, 19 July, on Valley Links, for players who were not already exempt. The 27 leading players from the qualifying competition joined the 117 exempt players for the championship. [7]

Past champions in the field

Eight past Senior Open champions participated. Three of them made the 36-hole cut; 2003 champion Tom Watson (tied 22nd), 2002 champion Noboru Sugai (tied 46th) and 1989 and 1993 champion Bob Charles (tied 65th). 1987 champion Neil Coles, 1999 and 2000 champion Christy O'Connor Jnr, 1991 champion Bobby Verway, 2001 champion Ian Stanley and 1988, 1990 and 1997 champion Gary Player did not make the cut.

Past winners and runners-up at The Open Championship in the field

The field included three former winners of The Open Championship. Two of them made the cut; 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1983 Open champion Tom Watson (tied 22nd), and 1963 Open champion Bob Charles (tied 65th). 1959, 1968 and 1974 Open champion Gary Player did not make the cut.

The field also included seven former runners-up at The Open Championship; Tom Kite (2nd), Mark McNulty (tied 5th), Andy Bean (tied 13th), Simon Owen (tied 38th), Ben Crenshaw (missed cut), Neil Coles (missed cut) and Rodger Davis (missed cut).

Final round summary and results

Sunday, 25 July 2004

Pete Oakley sank a 10-foot par putt on the final hole to win by one stroke and avoid a playoff. The victory made him only the 10th open qualifier to win a Champions Tour event. Defending champion Tom Watson, who withdrew from The Open Championship the week before, due to a shoulder injury, finished tied 22nd, 13 shots from the winner. [4]

PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney ($)
1 Flag of the United States.svg Pete Oakley 73-68-73-70=284−4289,153
T2 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Kite 71-71-74-69=285−3150,715
Flag of Argentina.svg Eduardo Romero 69-75-74-67=285
4 Flag of England.svg Mark James 72-70-74-70=286−286,764
T5 Flag of Ireland.svg Mark McNulty 72-69-74-72=287−167,121
Flag of the United States.svg Don Pooley 69-72-74-72=287
7 Flag of Scotland.svg Bill Longmuir 71-71-76-72=290+252,040
8 Flag of England.svg Carl Mason 70-71-81-69=291+343,336
T9 Flag of South Africa.svg Bobby Lincoln 78-69-73-72=292+433,799
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graham Marsh 76-73-72-71=292
Flag of the United States.svg Bruce Summerhays 73-73-75-71=292
Flag of Scotland.svg Sam Torrance 72-73-78-69=292

Source: [2]

References

  1. "The Senior Open Championship". The R&A. Archived from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 "The Senior Open Championship presented by MasterCard – Results". European Tour. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  3. "The Senior Open – Past Results". PGA Tour. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Unknown Oakley wins Senior British". ESPN. Associated Press. 25 July 2004. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  5. "Marsh calls historic feat 'freaky'". ESPN. Associated Press. 24 July 2004. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
  6. "Senior British Open Championship presented by MasterCard – Course Card". European Tour. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  7. "Qualifying Results - Valley Links". European Tour. July 2004. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
Preceded by Senior Major Championships Succeeded by

55°12′00″N6°38′06″W / 55.200°N 6.635°W / 55.200; -6.635