Australian Masters

(Redirected from Uniqlo Masters)

The Australian Masters was an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia held in Victoria, Australia from 1979 to 2015.

Australian Masters
Tournament information
LocationMelbourne, Australia
Established1979
Course(s)Huntingdale Golf Club
Par71
Length7,682 yards (7,024 m)
Organized byIMG
Tour(s)PGA Tour of Australasia
European Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundA$750,000
Month playedNovember
Final year2015
Tournament record score
Aggregate268 Bradley Hughes (1998)
To par−24 as above
Final champion
Australia Peter Senior
Location map
Huntingdale GC is located in Australia
Huntingdale GC
Huntingdale GC
Location in Australia
Huntingdale GC is located in Victoria
Huntingdale GC
Huntingdale GC
Location in Victoria

History

In 1989 the International Management Group took control of the management of the tournament.[1]

Though the Australian Masters usually was part of the PGA Tour of Australasia's calendar, the event was not on the Order of Merit in 1992. The PGA Tour of Australasia requested that the field expand from 100 players to a full-field of 120 players. International Management Group (IMG), which ran the event, rejected the request. Frank Williams, an employee of IMG, justified the decision by stating, "The sponsors expect the Masters to be different from other Australian tournaments and it was sold to them as a limited-field special event."[1]

The tournament was co-sanctioned by the European Tour from 2006 to 2009, with a significant 20% increase in the prize fund. Because the tournament is played late in the calendar year, in November or December, it formed part of the following year's European Tour schedule from 2006 through 2008. With the European Tour's decision to realign its schedule with the calendar year for 2010, the 2009 event was the first to be part of the current calendar year's tour schedule. The co-sanctioning with the European Tour was dropped after the 2009 event.

On 18 March 2009 the Victorian State Government announced a major coup, confirming that then World Number 1 Tiger Woods would play in the 2009 event at its new venue, Kingston Heath.[2] The announcement caused a minor public backlash due to 50% of Woods' A$3 million appearance fee being paid by taxpayer funds. Woods' appearance was tipped to generate close to A$20 million for the Victorian economy via tourism and other related areas.[3]

The event is owned by IMG.[4] The event was not played in 2016 and its future is reported to be in doubt.[5]

The tournament's iconic broadcast theme music used during the 1980s and 1990s was "Send Them Victorious" by Graham De Wilde, with tournament's tagline "The Tradition Continues" in use for the duration of its existence.Greg Norman won the Masters a record six times.The final event featured 56-year-old Peter Senior as the champion. It was his third win in this event and became the first player to win the Australian Open, the Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Masters all in his fifties. Future major winner who was an amateur at the time Bryson DeChambeau finished tied in second place.[6]

Venues

Until 2008, the Australian Masters was always held at the Huntingdale Golf Club in South Oakleigh. From 2009, a rotation system was introduced and the event was staged at different courses in the Melbourne area.[7]

The following venues have been used since the founding of the Australian Masters in 1979.

VenueLocationFirstLastTimes
Huntingdale Golf ClubVictoria1979201531
Kingston Heath Golf ClubVictoria200920122
Victoria Golf ClubVictoria201020112
Royal Melbourne Golf ClubVictoria201320131
Metropolitan Golf ClubVictoria201420141

Winners

YearTour(s)[a]WinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upVenueRef.
Uniqlo Masters
2015ANZ Peter Senior (3)276−82 strokes Bryson DeChambeau (a)
Andrew Evans
John Senden
Huntingdale
BetEasy Masters
2014ANZ Nick Cullen279−91 stroke James Nitties
Adam Scott
Josh Younger
Metropolitan
Talisker Masters
2013ANZ Adam Scott (2)270−142 strokes Matt KucharRoyal Melbourne
2012ANZ Adam Scott271−174 strokes Ian PoulterKingston Heath
JBWere Masters
2011ANZ Ian Poulter269−153 strokes Marcus FraserVictoria
2010ANZ Stuart Appleby274−101 stroke Adam BlandVictoria
2009ANZ, EUR Tiger Woods274−142 strokes Greg ChalmersKingston Heath
Sportsbet Australian Masters
2008ANZ, EUR Rod Pampling276−12Playoff Marcus FraserHuntingdale
Mastercard Masters
2007ANZ, EUR Aaron Baddeley275−13Playoff Daniel ChopraHuntingdale
2006ANZ, EUR Justin Rose276−122 strokes Greg Chalmers
Richard Green
Huntingdale
2005ANZ Robert Allenby (2)271−17Playoff Bubba WatsonHuntingdale
2004ANZ Richard Green271−17Playoff Greg Chalmers
David McKenzie
Huntingdale
2003ANZ Robert Allenby277−11Playoff Jarrod Moseley
Craig Parry
Adam Scott
Huntingdale
2002ANZ Peter Lonard (2)279−9Playoff Gavin Coles
Adam Scott
Huntingdale
Ericsson Masters
2001ANZ Colin Montgomerie278−101 stroke Nathan GreenHuntingdale
2000ANZ Michael Campbell282−104 strokes Brett RumfordHuntingdale
1999ANZ Craig Spence276−161 stroke Greg NormanHuntingdale
1998ANZ Bradley Hughes (2)268−245 strokes Mathew GogginHuntingdale
1997ANZ Peter Lonard276−16Playoff Peter O'MalleyHuntingdale
1996ANZ Craig Parry (3)279−132 strokes Bradley HughesHuntingdale
Australian Masters
1995ANZ Peter Senior (2)280−121 stroke Wayne Grady
Lucas Parsons
Tom Watson
Huntingdale
Microsoft Australian Masters
1994ANZ Craig Parry (2)282−103 strokes Ernie ElsHuntingdale
1993ANZ Bradley Hughes281−11Playoff Peter SeniorHuntingdale
Pyramid Australian Masters
1992 Craig Parry283−93 strokes Greg NormanHuntingdale
1991ANZ Peter Senior278−141 stroke Greg NormanHuntingdale
Australian Masters
1990ANZ Greg Norman (6)273−192 strokes Mike Clayton
Nick Faldo
John Morse
Huntingdale
1989ANZ Greg Norman (5)280−125 strokes Russell Claydon (a)Huntingdale[8]
1988ANZ Ian Baker-Finch283−9Playoff Roger Mackay
Craig Parry
Huntingdale[9]
1987ANZ Greg Norman (4)273−199 strokes Peter SeniorHuntingdale
1986ANZ Mark O'Meara284−81 stroke David GrahamHuntingdale[10]
1985ANZ Bernhard Langer281−113 strokes Nick Faldo
Greg Norman
Huntingdale
1984ANZ Greg Norman (3)285−73 strokes David Graham
Bernhard Langer
Huntingdale[11]
1983ANZ Greg Norman (2)285−74 strokes Bernhard LangerHuntingdale[12]
1982ANZ Graham Marsh289−31 stroke Stewart GinnHuntingdale[13]
1981ANZ Greg Norman289−37 strokes Terry Gale
Norio Suzuki
Huntingdale[14]
1980ANZ Gene Littler288−4Playoff Rodger DavisHuntingdale[15]
1979ANZ Barry Vivian289−31 stroke Bob ShearerHuntingdale[16]

Sources:[17][18]

Notes

References

37°55′S 145°06′E / 37.92°S 145.10°E / -37.92; 145.10