Irish Masters

The Irish Masters, currently referred to as the Benson & Hedges Irish Masters for sponsorship purposes, is a professional invitational snooker tournament. It currently features the top eight players in the world rankings, with the world champion being included if they are not ranked in the top eight. Formerly, the tournaments participants were picked solely on an invitational basis (up until 1991). The tournament has been sponsored by cigarette manufacturer Benson & Hedges since the first edition in 1978, but the sponsorship will end after the 2002 tournament, held during the 2002/2003 snooker season, due to the British sponsorship ban for cigarette companies.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is the current champion. * Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Ken Doherty 9-3 in the 1998 final, but O'Sullivan failed a drugs test after testing positive for cannabis. Thus, Doherty was awarded the trophy and prize money by default, and O'Sullivan was stripped of his title.

List of multiple winners

 * Steve Davis (8) - 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994
 * Stephen Hendry (4) - 1992, 1995, 1997, 1999
 * Terry Griffiths (3) - 1980, 1981, 1982
 * Ronnie O'Sullivan (3) - 1996, 2001, 2002