The English Men's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship for the Brabazon Trophy is the national amateur stroke play golf championship in England (although entry is open to overseas golfers). It has been played annually since 1947 and is organised by the England Golf.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | England |
| Established | 1947 |
| Course(s) | Saunton Golf Club (2022) |
| Organised by | England Golf |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 270 Christiaan Maas (2022) |
| Current champion | |
| Liam Nolan | |
The format is 72 hole stroke play contested over four days. After 36 holes the leading 60 competitors and ties play a further 36 holes over the final two days.
History edit
In March 1938, John Moore-Brabazon was elected president of the English Golf Union.[1] Early in 1939 a new EGU competition was announced, with a trophy presented by Moore-Brabazon. The event was to be a 72-hole strokeplay tournament to be played at Royal Liverpool from 4 to 6 October.[2] Because of the start of World War II the event was cancelled. The idea was revived after the war and was first played in 1947 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, called the English Golf Union president's trophy. It was won by Duncan Sutherland following an 18-hole playoff.[3]
Before the 1948 event, the official name of the tournament was changed to the Brabazon Trophy, named after Moore-Brabazon, who had become Lord Brabazon in 1942.[4][5] It was played at Royal Lytham and was won by Charlie Stowe, 7 strokes ahead of Gerald Micklem.[6]
The first few events were, like the English Amateur, restricted to English golfers, but from 1951 it became an open event, amateur golfers from any part of the world being able to play.[7]
Initially an 18-hole playoff was used if two or more players were tied after the 72 holes. However, after the 1963 event, playoffs were abandoned and the trophy was shared.[8] The last tie was in 2007. Ties are now decided by a sudden-death playoff.
The first player to successfully defend the trophy was Ronnie White in 1950 and 1951, a feat which has been matched a further five times, Philip Scrutton (1954–55), Michael Bonallack (outright in 1968 and tied in 1969), Rodney Foster (tied 1969 and outright 1970), Gary Evans (tied 1990–91) and Neil Raymond (2011–12).
The tournament has received an increasingly international field over time, the first winner from outside of the British Isles was Neville Sundelson of South Africa in 1974. The tournament has subsequently been won (or tied) by international competitors on eight occasions.
The record for the most wins by a single individual is four (including one tie) held by Sir Michael Bonallack and won between 1964 and 1971.[5] The tournament has twice been won by players who would go on to win a men's major championship, Sandy Lyle who won in 1977 would go on to win The Open Championship and the Masters Tournament and Charl Schwartzel who won in 2002 would go on to win the Masters.
The championship has never been played on the same course in consecutive years, however many of the host courses have hosted the tournament on multiple occasions with Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Moortown Golf Club and Hunstanton Golf Club having been used to host the competition on five occasions each.[5]
Four golfers have won both the Brabazon Trophy and the Carris Trophy in the same year. The Carris Trophy is the equivalent event for under-18s. Patrick Hine (1949), Sandy Lyle (1975) and Peter Baker (1985) were each 17 years old when they won the Brabazon Trophy, while Ben Schmidt was 16 years old when he won both in 2019.[9] Other under-18 winners of the Brabazon Trophy have been Ronan Rafferty, who was 16 when he was a joint-winner in 1980, and Charl Schwartzel who was 17 when he won in 2002.[10] The George Henriques Salver is awarded to the leading player from Great Britain and Ireland under the age of 20. Henriques was president of the EGU in 1951. After his death in 1961 the salver was donated by his widow and first awarded in 1962.
Winners edit
- ^ Ravetto won at the second extra hole. Power dropped out after the first extra hole.
- ^ Poppleton beat Nienaber at the second extra hole.
- ^ a b c Event reduced to 54 holes because of adverse weather.
- ^ In the 18-hole playoff Shade scored 75, Green 77.
- ^ In the 18-hole playoff Slater scored 71, Shepperson 74.
- ^ In the 18-hole playoff Wolstenholme scored 72, Christmas 77.
- ^ In the 18-hole playoff Sewell scored 78, Bonallack 79.
- ^ In the 18-hole playoff Sutherland scored 85, Rothwell 86.
Multiple winners edit
The following golfers have won (or tied) the Brabazon Trophy on more than one occasion
| Golfer | Total | Years |
|---|---|---|
 Michael Bonallack
|
4 | 1964, 1968, 1969 (tied), 1971 |
| Philip Scrutton
|
3 | 1952, 1954, 1955 |
 Ronnie Shade
|
3 | 1961, 1963, 1967 |
| Ronnie White
|
2 | 1950, 1951 |
| Charlie Stowe
|
2 | 1948, 1953 |
| Doug Sewell
|
2 | 1957, 1959 |
| Rodney Foster
|
2 | 1969 (tied), 1970 |
| Sandy Lyle
|
2 | 1975, 1977 |
| Gary Evans
|
2 | 1990 (tied), 1991 (tied) |
| Neil Raymond
|
2 | 2011, 2012 |
Venues by course edit
The championship has been hosted at several golf courses on multiple occasions
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Limitation of golf clubs". The Glasgow Herald. 17 March 1938. p. 2.
- ^ "New E.G.U. Trophy". Liverpool Echo. 6 April 1939. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com/.
- ^ a b "Close finish at Birkdale". The Manchester Guardian. 22 September 1947. p. 2 – via Newspapers,com.
- ^ Crawley (16 September 1948). "Test for amateur golfers First=Leonard". The Daily Telegraph. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com/.
- ^ a b c "Brabazon History". English Golf Union. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
- ^ a b "C. Stowe wins Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 20 September 1948. p. 4.
- ^ "Brabazon Trophy now open event". The Glasgow Herald. 2 November 1950. p. 6.
- ^ "Championship rules changed". The Glasgow Herald. 25 November 1963. p. 5.
- ^ "Schmidt's winning streak continues at the Carris Trophy". English Golf Union. 27 July 2019.
- ^ a b "Peter McEvoy". The Glasgow Herald. 19 May 1980. p. 20.
- ^ "Brabazon Trophy: South Africa's Maas is the master". England Golf. 22 May 2022.
- ^ "2021 Brabazon Trophy". golfgenius. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ^ "Brabazon Trophy: Frenchman Ravetto motors to famous victory". England Golf. 20 August 2020.
- ^ "2020 Brabazon Trophy". golfgenius. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ^ "2019 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ "Play off drama as Poppleton wins Brabazon Trophy". England Golf. 3 June 2018.
- ^ "2018 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ "2017 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ "2016 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ "2015 Brabazon Trophy supported by Your Golf Travel". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
- ^ "Late birdies see Stow pip his England pals". England Golf. 28 June 2014.
- ^ "Darren is made of the Wright Stuff to win Brabazon Trophy". Scottish Golf View. 27 June 2010.
- ^ "Brilliant Kearney lifts Brabazon Trophy to cap perfect day". The Irish Independent. 18 May 2009. p. 20.
- ^ "The Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 22 May 1989. p. 20.
- ^ "Walker Cup player Bobby Eggo". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1988. p. 10.
- ^ "Only 10 days after making his Walker Cup debut". The Glasgow Herald. 18 May 1987. p. 11.
- ^ "Kaplan's mental triumph". The Guardian. 19 May 1986. p. 26 – via Newspapers,com.
- ^ "Peter Baker". The Glasgow Herald. 20 May 1985. p. 17.
- ^ "Mark Davis". The Glasgow Herald. 21 May 1984. p. 14.
- ^ "Charlie Banks". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1983. p. 17.
- ^ "Paul Downess". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1982. p. 15.
- ^ "A final round of 74". The Glasgow Herald. 18 May 1981. p. 15.
- ^ "David Long". The Guardian. 21 May 1979. p. 29 – via Newspapers,com.
- ^ Davies, David (22 May 1978). "Gordon shows a tenacious brand of golf". The Birmingham Post. p. 12 – via Newspapers,com.
- ^ "Brabazon trophy for Lyle". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1977. p. 15.
- ^ "Peter Hedges". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1976. p. 17.
- ^ Jacobs, Raymond (19 May 1975). "Lyle youngest Brabazon winner". The Glasgow Herald. p. 23.
- ^ Jacobs, Raymond (20 May 1974). "S. African wins after trailing by 10 strokes". The Glasgow Herald. p. 5.
- ^ "Revell upsets the odds". The Glasgow Herald. 21 May 1973. p. 5.
- ^ "Moody wins by a stroke". The Glasgow Herald. 22 May 1972. p. 5.
- ^ "Brabazon trophy for Bonallack". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1971. p. 5.
- ^ Jacobs, Raymond (18 May 1970). "Foster takes trophy by two strokes from MacDonald". The Glasgow Herald. p. 4.
- ^ Jacobs, Raymond (19 May 1969). "Foster ties with Bonallack for English title". The Glasgow Herald. p. 5.
- ^ "Brabazon won by Bonallack". The Glasgow Herald. 20 May 1968. p. 7.
- ^ "Shade again wins English open amateur title". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1967. p. 5.
- ^ "Another triumph for Townsend". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1966. p. 4.
- ^ "Exciting finish to Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1965. p. 11.
- ^ "Bonallack wins Brabazon". The Glasgow Herald. 25 May 1964. p. 8.
- ^ "Shade and Green to play off". The Glasgow Herald. 6 May 1963. p. 5.
- ^ "Shade wins Brabazon trophy play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 16 September 1963. p. 9.
- ^ "Slater easily wins play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 2 July 1962. p. 4.
- ^ "Brabazon win for Shade". The Glasgow Herald. 3 July 1961. p. 9.
- ^ "English title tie at Ganton". The Glasgow Herald. 20 June 1960. p. 4.
- ^ "Play-off victory". The Glasgow Herald. 3 August 1960. p. 9.
- ^ "Sewell beats Bonallack in Brabazon Play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 22 June 1959. p. 4.
- ^ "Brabazon trophy for A. H. Perowne". The Glasgow Herald. 23 June 1958. p. 10.
- ^ "Brabazon trophy for Sewell". The Glasgow Herald. 17 June 1957. p. 9.
- ^ "Brabazon trophy tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 10 September 1956. p. 4.
- ^ "Scrutton retains trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 12 September 1955. p. 11.
- ^ "Brabazon trophy retained". The Glasgow Herald. 13 September 1954. p. 11.
- ^ "Stowe's record aggregate". The Glasgow Herald. 14 September 1953. p. 9.
- ^ "Brabazon trophy for Scrutton". The Glasgow Herald. 15 September 1952. p. 8.
- ^ "White retains Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 17 September 1951. p. 9.
- ^ "England complete Harlech team". The Glasgow Herald. 18 September 1950. p. 9.
- ^ "Youth wins Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 10 October 1949. p. 3.