Golf

Golf fans could return for May’s British Masters at the Belfry

European Tour hoping 1,000 could attend each day if tournament is a pilot event

The Belfry hosts the British Masters in May. Photograph: Getty

Ewan Murray
Wed Mar 24 2021 - 15:13

The European Tour hopes to attract 1,000 spectators a day to the British Masters in May, after applying to the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to be included in a batch of pilot events aimed at testing the return of crowds to venues.

The FA Cup final and world snooker championships have already been confirmed as pilot competitions, with the DCMS aiming for “around a dozen”. Golf differs from those competitions as a designated outdoor, non-stadium sport. The DCMS refused to offer specific comment on the situation regarding the British Masters, with a spokesman pointing out the complete makeup of test events will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The European Tour hopes its positive relationship with the government body, which was instrumental in golf’s six-week UK swing last summer, will help the case for the British Masters. The tournament at the Belfry from May 12th-15th will be hosted by the former Masters champion Danny Willett.

A spokesperson for the European Tour said: “We have applied to the DCMS for the Betfred British Masters to be a pilot event in the outdoor event category and we await their decision. We feel this is an excellent opportunity for golf to show what it can do to stage events during the pandemic. As far as numbers of spectators are concerned, we will adhere to government guidance should we get the green light.”

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Such positive news, if forthcoming, would also be inevitably greeted by the R&A, which hopes to host its Open Championship in front of large galleries at Royal St George’s in July. The European Tour’s Scottish Open takes place in the week immediately preceding that, with a further six UK-based tournaments falling later in the men’s schedule.

The recent Florida swing on the PGA Tour was completed with limited galleries in attendance. Next month’s Masters will also see crowds – again at a far lower level than is customary – on the grounds at Augusta National. - Guardian

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