Christy O'Connor Jnr beat John Bland by two strokes and successfully defended his Senior British Open title from 1999. Bland repeated his second-place finish from the year before.[2][3]
The hosting course, one of the oldest on the island of Ireland, originally designed by Old Tom Morris and located in naturally links settings in the Murlough Nature Reserve, stretching along the shores of Dundrum Bay, was established in 1889.[4]
132 players, 124 professionals and eight amateurs, entered the competition.
Two qualifying tournaments were held on Tuesday 25 July. 28 players, 25 professionals and three amateurs qualified through an 18-hole qualifying round at Kilkeel Golf Club. 28 players, 25 professionals and three amateurs qualified through an 18-hole qualifying round at Spa Golf Club on 24 July. They joined 76 players, who were exempt into the championship.[7][8]
One player withdraw before the cut. 64 players, 60 professionals and four amateurs, made the 36-hole cut. Ken Forster finished leading amateur at tied 33rd.