01데이비드 하웰의 회상: 1996년 첫 출전부터
데이비드 하웰에게 브리티시 마스터즈는 특별한 의미를 갖는다. "제가 처음 간 골프 토너먼트가 1989년 우번의 던힐 브리티시 마스터즈였어요. 14살이었고, 엄마가 매거진 광고를 보고 데려가셨어요. 그 화려함에 압도당했죠"라고 회상했다.
프로 전환 후 1996년 첫 출전 이후, 그는 20번이나 이 대회를 경기했다. "영국인으로서 이 토너먼트를 스케줄에 두고 싶어요. 항상 최고였으니까요." 하웰은 2001년과 2005년 두 번의 플레이오프에서 패배했는데, 특히 2005년 포레스트 오브 아든에서 토마스 비욘에게 진 것이 아팠다고 전했다.
이번 벨페리 개최는 하웰에게 긍정적이다. "이 시기는 정말 좋은 대회들이 이어집니다. 아일랜드오픈도 훌륭하지만, 제 시대엔 오픈, PGA, 아일랜드오픈을 연달아 치렀어요. 이 모든 백나인이 끝내주고, 마지막엔 아부다비와 두바이 플레이오프가 있어요. 시즌 마무리가 정말 멋질 거예요."
02켄 브라운의 전설: 1946년부터 이어진 역사
켄 브라운이 첫 브리티시 마스터즈에 출전한 것은 1977년. "린드릭에서 경기했고, 마지막 날 피터 톰슨과 페어웨이를 함께했어요. 아나운서가 '5회 오픈 챔피언, 2회 브리티시 마스터즈 챔피언, 전 세계 72회 우승한 피터 톰슨'이라고 했어요. 그리고 저? '20살, 그레이터 맨체스터 오픈 준우승자 켄 브라운' (웃음). 제 드라이브는 가장 짧았고 그건 50대 초반이었어요."
브라운은 대회의 역사와 전통을 강조했다. "1946년 전쟁 직후가 첫 대회였으니까 정말 긴 역사예요. 옛날엔 연간 상위 60명만 출전할 수 있었고, 트로피에 이름을 올리는 게 모든 선수의 꿈이었어요. 골프의 누가(who's who)가 나열돼 있는 것 같아요."
벨페리 개최의 의미도 강조했다. "라이더컵 역사가 있는 이 상징적 코스에서, 닉 팔도가 주인인 이곳에서 이 토너먼트가 계속되는 건 의미 있어요. 닉은 단순히 이름만이 아니라 뒤에서 많은 일을 하고 있어요. 그는 우리 역사상 최고의 골퍼죠. 가이드 도그 자선사업도 훌륭하고요."
03주목할 선수들
하웰은 백나인의 핵심 선수들에 주목했다. "천사 아요라는 지난해보다 좋은 시즌을 보낼 거 같아요. 아직 우승하지 못했지만, 올해 끝까지 못 우승할 리 없어요. 미겔 앙헬 히메네스는 이번 주 스위스에서 경기해 저의 출전 기록에 1경기 남는데, 저는 상관없어요. 앞으로 몇 년 내 그 기록을 깨질 거 같아요."
브라운은 리처드 맨셀에 주목했다. "그는 부상으로 힘든 시작을 했지만, 최근 아내가 아기를 낳고 골프 폼도 좋아지고 있어요. 로컬 선수고 자신감도 있어 보여요. 이 몇 주간 좋은 모습을 보여줄 수 있을 거 같아요."
04Original (English) — DP World Tour
Between them David Howell and Ken Brown have played in 34 British Masters across 46 years.
This week they both have a watching brief at The Belfry as part of the DP World Tour's world feed broadcast.
Before the action got under way, we asked them to tell us about their memories of the event, what they are looking forward to on the Back 9 and who might be their players to watch.
"The first golf tournament I ever went to was the Dunhill British Masters at Woburn in 1989. I'd got into my golf and my mum, bless her, saw an advert in a magazine and we went to Woburn for two days. I was blown away by the grandeur of it all.
"That was long before I turned pro of course, I was 14, so it was a special thing to me from a very young age and eventually it was a big thrill in 1996 when I played in my first one.
"It's always been a lovely tournament in our schedule, here we are at The Belfry, as good as anywhere if not better, it's a big week in our year.
"It's definitely the only tournament I've lost in two play-offs, in 2001 and 2005.
"The one at Forest of Arden in 2005 which Thomas Bjørn, won really hurt me. I bogeyed the last and the first play-off hole, that really difficult par-three 18th.
"I'd chipped in at 17, birdied 16, momentum was on my side and I was in a good run of form. That was one of the main tournaments I let slip away.
"The one at Woburn in 2001, I forced my way into contention and didn't really mess that one up but I felt like I let the one at the Forest go - I wouldn't say it's lived with me forever but it was a great chance to win another event.
"As an Englishman you want the British Masters on your schedule, it's always been an absolute cracker. That's why I played in it 20 times, you'd have to have a really big, good reason not turn up at this amazing event.
"This is in a really nice week now and a good opportunity for many of our good players who play a lot of their golf in America to come back and it's strong field.
"It's got a really nice vibe, it's beautifully presented, there's loads of kids about, Sir Nick with the Faldo Series, we're at the PGA headquarters so there's the teaching pro side of things encouraging people to play and develop their own golf.
"There were thousands here for the pro-am and it's got a really nice feel."
As an Englishman you want it on your schedule, it's always been an absolute cracker
"The Back 9 is our time to shine for sure. The golf world is a crowded world and this is our period.
"Angel Ayora has maybe not had quite the year that we thought he might, following on from last year. He's yet to win and I would be surprised if he doesn't produce well. I do think he'll win by the end of the year.
"Miguel Ángel Jiménez plays next week in Switzerland to get within one of my appearance record and I have no problem with him taking it over the next few years.
"I do know I am exempt for the Australian PGA Championship due to my win back in 1998, they really covet their ex-winners and you can play until you're 60.
"So you never know, if schedules allow and things align I might take my son down there to caddie.
"But if Miguel ends up taking the record it's more than fitting because he's been an absolute legend for our Tour and still plays good golf. I'm sure he's going to overtake me."
"The British Masters has been around for a long, long time - 1946 just after the war was the first one so it's got a great history and a lot of marvellous winners as well.
"The first time I played it was 1977 and we played at Lindrick and on the last day I played with Peter Thomson. He was announced on the tee: 'Peter Thomson, five-time Open champion, two-time British Masters champion, has won 72 times around the world' and he hit his ball.
"My turn to tee up, I was only 20: 'Ken Brown on the tee, runner-up at the Greater Manchester Open' and I hit my tee shot down there.
"I walked past the first ball to one 20 yards on and of course my tee shot was the shortest one and his was the longest one and he was almost in his 50s by then.
"So it gives players a chance to play with some great champions.
"I've got some happy memories and in the old days it was a limited field to get in it, you had to finish in the top 60 on the year and it was an event where you really wanted to get your name on the trophy – it's like a who's who of golf.
"It's been a splendid tournament right up until now, it's grown and grown and grown.
"Coming to The Belfry which is such an iconic course after all the Ryder Cups coming here and a special venue, it keeps the legacy up of an event that players are keen to play in and get their name on the trophy.
"Having Sir Nick involved is a fantastic thing. It's not just his name as the host but he does a lot of work behind the scenes and he wants this tournament to grow.
"It does great work for the charity with the Guide Dogs.
"When Nick does something he puts his heart and soul into it and he's done a lovely job here. He adds a bit of sparkle because he's arguably our greatest ever golfer.
"The Belfry has always had tremendous support going way back to when we played the English Classic in 1979. There's a big catchment area and they're very keen on their golf. so we should get a great crowd which adds massively to an event, it gives it a vibe.
"The challenge of The Belfry has always been a stiff one. You've got to play pretty well from tee to green, you're not going to win it with just a tidy short game. It's still a good stern test and it's stood the test of time.
"We first played it in the late 70s and not too much has changed, one or two tees further back but not a lot and it's still an enjoyable challenge.
It was an event where you really wanted to get your name on the trophy – it's like a who's who of golf
"This final part of the season are exceptional tournaments, a great run of tournaments. The Irish Open is still a great tournament but in my day it was The Open and then the PGA and the Irish Open were very close and we got them back-to-back.
"The Irish love their golf and the PGA Championship is an event, a big crowd on a well established course, there's a lot for the spectators and it's a sell out.
"The whole Back 9 going through to the Play-Offs in Abu Dhabi and Dubai which are as good as you can get anywhere in the world.
"It's going to be a fantastic end to the season. It's a bit tighter at the top this year, it's not just going to be the Rory story but I suspect it might be in the end.
"Richard Mansell is a player I think who might show a bit of sparkle towards the end of the season after a tough start to the year with injuries and his wife has recently had a baby so it's been a stop-go start.
"But he's local to here and has come into some golf form so it wouldn't surprise me if he found a bit of sparkle these next few weeks, he was speaking with a lot of confidence on the range. "
Features
The DP World Tour caught up with former champion Eddie Pepperell at the Husqvarna British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo to discuss famous friends, his emergence from the darker side of professional sport and what maybe comes next.
