1998 Senior British Open

The 1998 Senior British Open was a professional golf tournament for players aged 50 and above and the 12th British Senior Open Championship, held from 6 to 9 August at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

1998 Senior British Open

Tournament information
Dates	6–9 August 1998
Location	Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom 55.200°N 6.635°W / 55.200; -6.635
Course(s)	Royal Portrush Golf Club Dunluce Links
Organised by	The R&A
Tour(s)	European Seniors Tour Senior PGA Tour
Format	72 holes stroke play
Statistics
Par	72
Length	6,690 yd (6,120 m)
Field	113 players, 61 after cut
Cut	152 (+8)
Prize fund	€372,903
Winner's share	€84,000
Champion
Brian Huggett
283 (−5)
Location map
Royal Portrush GC Location in Europe Show map of Europe Royal Portrush GC Location in the United Kingdom Show map of the United Kingdom Royal Portrush GC Location in Ireland Show map of island of Ireland Royal Portrush GC Location in Northern Ireland Show map of Northern Ireland
← 1997 1999 →

In 2018, the tournament was, as all Senior British Open Championships played 1987–2002, retroactively recognized as a senior major golf championship and a PGA Tour Champions (at the time named the Senior PGA Tour) event.^[1]

Brian Huggett won in a playoff over Eddie Polland to win his first Senior British Open title and first senior major championship victory.^[2][3]

Venue

Main article: Royal Portrush Golf Club

The event was the fourth Senior Open Championship in a row held at Royal Portrush Golf Club.^[4]

Royal Portrush GC 5th hole

Field

113 professionals, no amateurs, entered the competition. One of them withdraw and one was disqualified. 61 players made the 36-hole cut.

Past champions in the field

Six past Senior British Open champions participated. All of them made the 36-hole cut.

Player	Country	Year(s) won	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total	To par	Finish
Brian Barnes	England	1995, 1996	70	73	68	73	284	−4	3
Bob Charles	New Zealand	1989, 1993	75	73	73	70	291	+3	T9
Gary Player	South Africa	1988, 1990, 1997	70	75	72	75	292	+4	T12
Neil Coles	England	1987	74	74	73	73	294	+6	T21
Bobby Verwey	South Africa	1991	73	73	75	77	298	+10	T32
John Fourie	South Africa	1992	75	74	75	77	301	+13	T47

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

The field included three former winners of The Open Championship, Bob Charles (tied 9th), Gary Player (tied 12th) and Tony Jacklin (missed cut).

The field also included three former runners-up at The Open Championship; Brian Huggett (won), Neil Coles (tied 21st) and Christy O'Connor Snr (tied 41st).

Final round and playoff summaries

Final round

Sunday, 9 August 1998

Brian Huggett and Eddie Polland tied the lead after the fourth round, to meet in a sudden death playoff, to decide the winner. Brian Barnes birdied the 15th and 17th holes to move within a shot of the leaders and had a 20-foot putt on the 18th green to tie, but missed and finished a shot from the playoff. Defending champion Gary Player finished tied 12th nine shots behind the leaders.

Place	Player	Score	To par	Money (€)
T1	Brian Huggett	71-70-71-71=283	−5	Playoff
	Eddie Polland	71-71-71-70=283
3	Brian Barnes	70-73-68-73=284	−4	30,800
4	Noel Ratcliffe	74-71-71-69=285	−3	25,202
T5	Terry Gale	70-70-75-71=286	−2	18,165
	Malcolm Gregson	76-71-72-67=286
	Tommy Horton	72-68-69-77=286
	Denis O'Sullivan	71-73-71-71=286
T9	Bob Charles	75-73-73-70=291	+3	13,580
	David Jones	69-77-71-74=291
	Paul Leonard	72-74-70-75=291

Playoff

Sunday, 9 August 1998

The sudden-death playoff went on the par-4 18th hole, to be played until one of the players had a lower score on the hole than the other. 61-year-old Brian Huggett beat Eddie Polland with a par at the first extra hole. Polland missed the green on the right side with his second shot and, after chipping in to the green, missed his putt from nine feet.

Place	Player	Score	To par	Money (€)
1	Brian Huggett	4	E	84,000
2	Eddie Polland	5	+1	53,200

Sources:^[2][5][6]