Golfer and former world number one Lee Westwood will once again host the British Masters as the popular tournament returns to the North East.
Close House in Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland , previously hosted the contest in 2017 , where Irishman Paul Dunne won by three shots.
Almost 70,000 golf fans turned out to support the event, which was the first European Tour competition to take place in the region for 15 years.
Now - following this year's event at Hillside Golf Club in Southport - Westwood has confirmed the British Masters will be back at Close House from July 30 to August 2, 2020.
The 24-time European Tour winner and ten-time Ryder Cup pick said: “I’m delighted to announce that the Betfred British Masters is once again going to be at Close House.
“Hopefully we will get another great field and I am sure it will be a great spectacle like it was a couple of years ago. The crowds in the North East love their sport and their big events, and Close House will be at its best again.
“I’m really looking forward to taking on the hosting role again too. Last time we did some interesting things - on the pitch at St James Park and hitting balls by the Tyne Bridge – so it will be fun to do it a second time.”
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Westwood becomes the first player to host the British Masters on more than one occasion following the tournament’s return to the European Tour’s schedule in 2015.
Ian Poulter was the first host at Woburn, followed by Luke Donald at The Grove in 2016, Westwood at Close House in 2017, and Justin Rose at Walton Heath in 2018.
Graham Wylie, the owner of Close House, said: “It’s a big honour to bring the British Masters back to Close House next year.
"People in Newcastle and the North East region love sport and we had some great crowds in 2017, a great TV audience and some great engagement on social media, so I’m sure we will get the same again.
“We don’t get too many big sporting events in Newcastle, but when we do, we really support them. With 15 months to promote it, I’m sure we will get a lot of people there and it will be a lot of fun, as it always is in Newcastle.
"Close House is a great spectator course and the fans loved getting so close to some of the world’s best players.”
Tickets to the British Masters in 2020 at Close House are now on sale .
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