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.
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.
Brian Huggett won in a playoff over Eddie Polland to win his first Senior British Open title and first senior major championship victory.
Venue The event was the fourth Senior Open Championship in a row held at Royal Portrush Golf Club.
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 FinishBrian Barnes 1995, 1996 70 73 68 73 284 −4 3 Bob Charles 1989, 1993 75 73 73 70 291 +3 T9Gary Player 1988, 1990, 1997 70 75 72 75 292 +4 T12Neil Coles 1987 74 74 73 73 294 +6 T21 Bobby Verwey199173737577298 +10T32John Fourie199275747577301 +13T47
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.
PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (€)T1 Brian Huggett71-70-71-71=283−5Playoff Eddie Polland71-71-71-70=2833 Brian Barnes70-73-68-73=284−430,8004 Noel Ratcliffe74-71-71-69=285−325,202T5 Terry Gale70-70-75-71=286−218,165 Malcolm Gregson76-71-72-67=286 Tommy Horton72-68-69-77=286 Denis O'Sullivan71-73-71-71=286T9 Bob Charles75-73-73-70=291+313,580 David Jones69-77-71-74=291 Paul Leonard72-74-70-75=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.
PlacePlayerScoreTo parMoney (€)1 Brian Huggett 4 E 84,000 2 Eddie Polland 5 +1 53,200
Sources:
References
External links Results on European Tour website