1981 European Tour

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1981 European Tour season
Duration9 April 1981 (1981-04-09) – 4 October 1981 (1981-10-04)
Number of official events22
Most winsSpain Seve Ballesteros (2)
West Germany Bernhard Langer (2)
Scotland Sandy Lyle (2)
Australia Greg Norman (2)
Spain Manuel Piñero (2)
Official money listWest Germany Bernhard Langer
Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the YearEngland Jeremy Bennett
1980
1982

The 1981 European Tour, titled as the 1981 PGA European Golf Tour,[1] was the 10th season of the European Tour, the main professional golf tour in Europe since its inaugural season in 1972.

Changes for 1981

[edit]

The season was made up of 22 tournaments counting for the Official money list, and some non-counting tournaments later known as "Approved Special Events".[2][3]

There were several changes from the previous season, with the addition of the Lawrence Batley International,[4] and the loss of the Newcastle Brown "900" Open and the Merseyside International Open.

Rule changes

[edit]

The local rule that had been introduced on the tour in 1976 which allowed spike marks to be repaired was rescinded, and a local rule that prohibited touching of the line of a putt with a club was introduced.[3]

Schedule

[edit]

The following table lists official events during the 1981 season.[5]

DateTournamentHost countryPurse
(£)
Winner[a]Notes
12 AprMasters TournamentUnited StatesUS$365,000United States Tom Watson (5)Major championship[b]
26 AprMadrid OpenSpain37,500Spain Manuel Piñero (5)
3 MayItalian OpenItaly45,000Spain José María Cañizares (4)
10 MayPaco Rabanne Open de FranceFrance37,500Scotland Sandy Lyle (5)
17 MayMartini InternationalEngland65,000Australia Greg Norman (5)
25 MaySun Alliance PGA ChampionshipEngland70,000England Nick Faldo (4)
31 MayDunlop MastersEngland75,000Australia Greg Norman (6)
7 JunLawrence Batley InternationalEngland60,000Scotland Sandy Lyle (6)New tournament
14 JunCold Shield Greater Manchester OpenEngland40,000Scotland Bernard Gallacher (7)
21 JunBilly Butlin Jersey OpenJersey45,000England Tony Jacklin (7)
21 JunU.S. OpenUnited StatesUS$360,000Australia David Graham (n/a)Major championship[b]
28 JunCoral ClassicWales40,000Republic of Ireland Des Smyth (4)
5 JulScandinavian Enterprise OpenSweden50,000Spain Seve Ballesteros (15)
11 JulState Express ClassicEngland65,000Australia Rodger Davis (1)
19 JulThe Open ChampionshipEngland200,000United States Bill Rogers (n/a)Major championship
26 JulKLM Dutch OpenNetherlands40,000South Africa Harold Henning (1)
2 AugGerman OpenWest Germany40,000West Germany Bernhard Langer (2)
9 AugPGA ChampionshipUnited StatesUS$400,000United States Larry Nelson (n/a)Major championship[b]
16 AugCarroll's Irish OpenIreland80,000Scotland Sam Torrance (3)
23 AugBenson & Hedges International OpenEngland90,000United States Tom Weiskopf (1)
30 AugSwiss OpenSwitzerland55,000Spain Manuel Piñero (6)
6 SepDixcel Tissues European OpenEngland105,000Australia Graham Marsh (8)
13 SepHaig Whisky TPCScotland60,000Scotland Brian Barnes (9)
27 SepBob Hope British ClassicEngland90,000West Germany Bernhard Langer (3)Pro-Am
4 OctBenson & Hedges Spanish OpenSpain50,000Spain Seve Ballesteros (16)

Unofficial events

[edit]

The following events were sanctioned by the European Tour, but did not carry official money, nor were wins official.

DateTournamentHost countryPurse
(£)
Winner(s)Notes
20 SepRyder CupEnglandn/a Team USATeam event
11 OctSuntory World Match Play ChampionshipEngland100,000Spain Seve BallesterosLimited-field event
18 OctTrophée LancômeFrance45,000Australia David Graham
25 OctCacharel World Under-25 ChampionshipFrancen/aUnited States Tim Simpson

Official money list

[edit]

The official money list was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Pound sterling.[6]

PositionPlayerPrize money (£)
1West Germany Bernhard Langer81,036
2England Nick Faldo48,108
3Scotland Sandy Lyle44,732
4Australia Greg Norman44,254
5Spain Manuel Piñero39,640
6Scotland Sam Torrance36,012
7Spain Seve Ballesteros35,154
8Republic of Ireland Des Smyth29,105
9Republic of Ireland Eamonn Darcy25,805
10Spain José María Cañizares25,529

Awards

[edit]
AwardWinnerRef.
Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the YearEngland Jeremy Bennett[7]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The number in brackets after each winner's name is the number of European Tour events they had won up to and including that tournament. This information is only shown for European Tour members and are inclusive of the three United States-based major championships which were included on the schedule for the first time in 1998, with earlier editions having retrospectively been recognised as official tour wins.
  2. ^ a b c Unofficial money event at the time, but retrospectively counted as an official win.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Tour History". European Tour. Archived from the original on 4 April 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  2. ^ Jacobs, Raymond (17 December 1980). "Putting an end to Europe's spiky problem". Glasgow Herald. Glasgow, United Kingdom. p. 17. Retrieved 9 June 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  3. ^ a b Plumridge, Christopher (17 December 1980). "Putting an end to Europe's spiky problem". The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. p. 21. Retrieved 9 June 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Chairman's tournament". The Times. London, United Kingdom. 16 December 1980. p. 22. Retrieved 9 June 2020 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  5. ^ "1981 Tournament schedule". European Tour. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Langer way out in front". Hull Daily Mail. Hull, United Kingdom. 8 October 1981. p. 22. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Williams, Michael (24 November 1981). "Jeremy Bennett named Rookie for Year". The Daily Telegraph. London, United Kingdom. p. 28. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
[edit]

    1981 European Tour season
    Duration9 April 1981 (1981-04-09) – 4 October 1981 (1981-10-04)
    Number of official events22
    Most winsSpain Seve Ballesteros (2)
    West Germany Bernhard Langer (2)
    Scotland Sandy Lyle (2)
    Australia Greg Norman (2)
    Spain Manuel Piñero (2)
    Official money listWest Germany Bernhard Langer
    Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the YearEngland Jeremy Bennett
    1980
    1982

    The 1981 European Tour, titled as the 1981 PGA European Golf Tour,[1] was the 10th season of the European Tour, the main professional golf tour in Europe since its inaugural season in 1972.

    Changes for 1981

    The season was made up of 22 tournaments counting for the Official money list, and some non-counting tournaments later known as "Approved Special Events".[2][3]

    There were several changes from the previous season, with the addition of the Lawrence Batley International,[4] and the loss of the Newcastle Brown "900" Open and the Merseyside International Open.

    Rule changes

    The local rule that had been introduced on the tour in 1976 which allowed spike marks to be repaired was rescinded, and a local rule that prohibited touching of the line of a putt with a club was introduced.[3]

    Schedule

    The following table lists official events during the 1981 season.[5]

    DateTournamentHost countryPurse
    (£)
    Winner[a]Notes
    12 AprMasters TournamentUnited StatesUS$365,000United States Tom Watson (5)Major championship[b]
    26 AprMadrid OpenSpain37,500Spain Manuel Piñero (5)
    3 MayItalian OpenItaly45,000Spain José María Cañizares (4)
    10 MayPaco Rabanne Open de FranceFrance37,500Scotland Sandy Lyle (5)
    17 MayMartini InternationalEngland65,000Australia Greg Norman (5)
    25 MaySun Alliance PGA ChampionshipEngland70,000England Nick Faldo (4)
    31 MayDunlop MastersEngland75,000Australia Greg Norman (6)
    7 JunLawrence Batley InternationalEngland60,000Scotland Sandy Lyle (6)New tournament
    14 JunCold Shield Greater Manchester OpenEngland40,000Scotland Bernard Gallacher (7)
    21 JunBilly Butlin Jersey OpenJersey45,000England Tony Jacklin (7)
    21 JunU.S. OpenUnited StatesUS$360,000Australia David Graham (n/a)Major championship[b]
    28 JunCoral ClassicWales40,000Republic of Ireland Des Smyth (4)
    5 JulScandinavian Enterprise OpenSweden50,000Spain Seve Ballesteros (15)
    11 JulState Express ClassicEngland65,000Australia Rodger Davis (1)
    19 JulThe Open ChampionshipEngland200,000United States Bill Rogers (n/a)Major championship
    26 JulKLM Dutch OpenNetherlands40,000South Africa Harold Henning (1)
    2 AugGerman OpenWest Germany40,000West Germany Bernhard Langer (2)
    9 AugPGA ChampionshipUnited StatesUS$400,000United States Larry Nelson (n/a)Major championship[b]
    16 AugCarroll's Irish OpenIreland80,000Scotland Sam Torrance (3)
    23 AugBenson & Hedges International OpenEngland90,000United States Tom Weiskopf (1)
    30 AugSwiss OpenSwitzerland55,000Spain Manuel Piñero (6)
    6 SepDixcel Tissues European OpenEngland105,000Australia Graham Marsh (8)
    13 SepHaig Whisky TPCScotland60,000Scotland Brian Barnes (9)
    27 SepBob Hope British ClassicEngland90,000West Germany Bernhard Langer (3)Pro-Am
    4 OctBenson & Hedges Spanish OpenSpain50,000Spain Seve Ballesteros (16)

    Unofficial events

    The following events were sanctioned by the European Tour, but did not carry official money, nor were wins official.

    DateTournamentHost countryPurse
    (£)
    Winner(s)Notes
    20 SepRyder CupEnglandn/a Team USATeam event
    11 OctSuntory World Match Play ChampionshipEngland100,000Spain Seve BallesterosLimited-field event
    18 OctTrophée LancômeFrance45,000Australia David Graham
    25 OctCacharel World Under-25 ChampionshipFrancen/aUnited States Tim Simpson

    Official money list

    The official money list was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Pound sterling.[6]

    PositionPlayerPrize money (£)
    1West Germany Bernhard Langer81,036
    2England Nick Faldo48,108
    3Scotland Sandy Lyle44,732
    4Australia Greg Norman44,254
    5Spain Manuel Piñero39,640
    6Scotland Sam Torrance36,012
    7Spain Seve Ballesteros35,154
    8Republic of Ireland Des Smyth29,105
    9Republic of Ireland Eamonn Darcy25,805
    10Spain José María Cañizares25,529

    Awards

    AwardWinnerRef.
    Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the YearEngland Jeremy Bennett[7]

    Notes

    1. ^ The number in brackets after each winner's name is the number of European Tour events they had won up to and including that tournament. This information is only shown for European Tour members and are inclusive of the three United States-based major championships which were included on the schedule for the first time in 1998, with earlier editions having retrospectively been recognised as official tour wins.
    2. ^ a b c Unofficial money event at the time, but retrospectively counted as an official win.

    References

    1. ^ "Tour History". European Tour. Archived from the original on 4 April 2010. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
    2. ^ Jacobs, Raymond (17 December 1980). "Putting an end to Europe's spiky problem". Glasgow Herald. Glasgow, United Kingdom. p. 17. Retrieved 9 June 2020 – via Google News Archive.
    3. ^ a b Plumridge, Christopher (17 December 1980). "Putting an end to Europe's spiky problem". The Guardian. London, United Kingdom. p. 21. Retrieved 9 June 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
    4. ^ "Chairman's tournament". The Times. London, United Kingdom. 16 December 1980. p. 22. Retrieved 9 June 2020 – via The Times Digital Archive.
    5. ^ "1981 Tournament schedule". European Tour. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
    6. ^ "Langer way out in front". Hull Daily Mail. Hull, United Kingdom. 8 October 1981. p. 22. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
    7. ^ Williams, Michael (24 November 1981). "Jeremy Bennett named Rookie for Year". The Daily Telegraph. London, United Kingdom. p. 28. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
    • Official website
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1981_European_Tour&oldid=1220962358"