British Masters

British Masters 2017 and 2020

We couldn’t be prouder of the success of the British Masters 2017 event, one of the leading professional tournaments on the European Tour, at Close House.

To host the European Tour golf in the North East for the first time in 15 years proved hugely successful, with a record number of spectators (62,298) making their way to Close House. Our achievements don’t stop there – the Betfred British Masters event returned to Close House again on 30th July 2020, this being the first golfing event to return after COVID-19 restrictions were eased. After a successful hosting of the event by golfing legend Lee Westwood, young Italian golfer Renato Paratore played his way to victory and became crowned the British Masters champion 2020.

Over an action-packed six days in 2017, the crowds were treated to entertainment that kept us all busy at Close House. From our tournament host Lee Westwood’s impressive victory in Tuesday night’s Hero Challenge, the spectacular broadcast coverage of the British Masters, the putting challenges and, of course, that magnificent final chip from Paul Dunne – the British Masters was one of our finest moments.

"Close House is just beautiful. It has stunning grounds and it's a lovely place."

Rory McIlroy

The 2017 British Masters champion, Paul Dunne, shot an unrivalled 20 under par to win his first-ever European Tour event. He clinched the title ahead of world number six, Rory McIlroy, who left the final round with a score of 61, finishing with a 17 under par total. Paul Dunne managed seven spectacular birdies and an eagle in his last round, including an amazing birdie on the 18th.

The British Masters has left a lasting impression not only on Close House, but also the Sir Graham Wylie Foundation. The tournament has raised a massive £472,552, with the money helping to educate children and young people in the region.

Our host

The prestigious British Masters was hosted by Lee Westwood, our attached tour professional. Lee, a former world number one golfer, is a legend in the game of golf, making unparalleled contributions to the sport. He has won on the European Tour a massive 25 times and has played in 10 Ryder Cups, in which he has won more points than any other golfer. He’s a regular at the golf club, either playing on one of the two golf courses or using the Golf Academy to hone his game.

"I think it’s been a great week," said Westwood about the British Masters. "We had a really exciting finish with Paul winning and the whole tournament was great."

Lee Westwood – Close House Attached Touring Professional

British Masters

British Masters 2017 and 2020

We couldn’t be prouder of the success of the British Masters 2017 event, one of the leading professional tournaments on the European Tour, at Close House.

Our host

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