The Back 9 begins this week as the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo provides one final opportunity for players to automatically qualify for Team Europe at the Ryder Cup. Here are your five things to know.
Nørgaard makes first DP World Tour title defence
Niklas Nørgaard became the second Dane in three years to win the Betfred British Masters as he claimed his maiden DP World Tour title 12 months ago at The Belfry Hotel & Resort. The then 32-year-old held a four-shot advantage heading into the final round, and despite a double bogey at the 15th he regained his composure to seal a two-shot victory. By doing so, he followed in the footsteps of Thomas Bjørn and Thorbjørn Olesen by becoming the third Danish winner of the event. Thriston Lawrence of South Africa signed for final-round 70 for the runner-up spot, two shots clear of Denmark's Rasmus Højgaard who climbed up to third at 12 under after mixing nine birdies and two bogeys in his 65. Nørgaard went on to register four top 20s over the remaining events of the season to finish a career-best 11th on the Race to Dubai Rankings and secure dual membership with the PGA TOUR for 2025. "Coming back to The Belfry as defending champion feels incredible," said Nørgaard. "Winning my first DP World Tour title here last year was a dream come true, and the memories from that week will stay with me forever.”
All to play for as Back 9 begins
It is all to play for as the Back 9, Phase Two of the Race to Dubai schedule, gets under way this week. From those players chasing breakthrough titles on the DP World Tour to those bidding for more success, battling to retain their cards or targeting qualification for the DP World Tour Play-Offs, there is much at stake over the upcoming nine events. Beginning in England and culminating in South Korea in October, with the return of the Rolex Series and the BMW PGA Championship at the midway point, there are increased Race to Dubai points on offer. The top 70 available players on the season-long Rankings progress to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, before the top 50 then contest the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. The top 110 on the Race to Dubai Rankings will guarentee retaining their DP World Tour card for the 2026 season.
Final push for Ryder Cup qualification
This year's Betfred British Masters is the final counting event for European Ryder Cup qualification, adding extra significance as the race to make captain Luke Donald's team reaches its conclusion. Five of the six automatic qualifying places are all confirmed, with Shane Lowry holding the final spot. Only Rasmus Højgaard can take his place, with the Dane needing to finish in a tie for 29th with one other player or better to earn the 13.7 points that would see him overtake the Irishman. Among the other Ryder Cup hopefuls teeing it up this week are Matt Fitzpatrick, Aaron Rai, Nicolai Højgaard and Matt Wallace. Luke Donald will announce his six Captain's Picks to complete his 12-man team on September 1.
Ryder Cup greats to face off in anniversary match
The Ryder Cup theme this week is further in evidence with four of European golf’s most iconic Ryder Cup heroes teeing it up over the Brabazon Course on Tuesday for a special 40th anniversary match, revisiting the scene of the 1985 Ryder Cup. Four members of that famous European team – Sir Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle and Sam Torrance – will compete over five holes (10th, 11th, 16th, 17th and 18th) in a fourball match play format, with Faldo and Woosnam taking on Lyle and Torrance. “Today, the Ryder Cup is known for being fiercely contested and 1985 was the start of that. It’s going to be great fun catching up with my old team-mates, sharing old stories, and getting our competitive juices flowing," said Sir Nick Faldo. "It’s also a brilliant way to kick start the Betfred British Masters, which I’m hosting for the third time. The tournament promises to have a strong Ryder Cup narrative running through it as the final qualifying event for players to earn their spot in the upcoming match at Bethpage Black.” Fans can watch the event live on the Ryder Cup Europe YouTube channel and on international broadcast platforms, with on course commentary and interviews coming from Sky Sports Golf’s Josh Antmann and Wayne “Radar” Riley.
Golf for Good initiatives with charity at the heart
The DP World Tour is committed to ensuring a positive long-term impact on the courses, countries and communities that we visit and that is certainly on show with a number of Golf for Good activations planned throughout the week. In conjunction with Golf for Hope and the Ukraine Golf Federation, a campaign is being run to donate golf equipment. If you are attending this week as a fan, please do bring any items, including clothing and accessories, and there will be a container in the public car park to help the many soldiers and civilians in their rehabilitation. Our Green Drive campaign returns for its third year in a row, with 100 trees planted for every successful green driven on the iconic short par four tenth at The Belfry. Title Partner Betfred will donate £500 to the campaign for every tee shot that finds the green. Meanwhile, should a hole-in-one be made at the par three 14th, £50,000 will be donated by Betfred to fundraising efforts. For the second year running, Guide Dogs will be the Official Charity Partner of the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo. The ever-popular Long-Putt Challenge will return to the PGA Village, alongside the Iconic Shots Simulator, giving spectators the opportunity to win fantastic prizes and donate to Guide Dogs, while the Drive the Green simulator will be located in the Brabazon Village. Spectators can take part in each of the activations for a minimum donation of just £3, while donation points will be situated in various locations around The Belfry. The G4D Tour’s first Net only event of the season will come to a climax on Tuesday, with a field of ten players – including five debutants – battling for silverware.
