Brabazon Trophy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brabazon Trophy
Tournament information
LocationEngland
Established1947
Course(s)Saunton Golf Club (2022)
Organised byEngland Golf
FormatStroke play
Tournament record score
Aggregate270 Christiaan Maas (2022)
Current champion
Liam Nolan

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.

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]

Year Winner(s) Score Margin
of victory
Runner(s)-up Venue Ref.
2023 Republic of Ireland Liam Nolan 277 Playoff England Zach Little Sunningdale
2022 South Africa Christiaan Maas 270 5 strokes England Arron Edwards-Hill Saunton [11]
2021 England Sam Bairstow 273 2 strokes England Zachary Chegwidden Ganton [12]
2020 France David Ravetto 274 Playoff[a] Denmark Christoffer Bring
Republic of Ireland Mark Power
Sherwood Forest [13][14]
2019 England Ben Schmidt 271 5 strokes England Harry Hall Alwoodley [15]
2018 England Nick Poppleton 272 Playoff[b] South Africa Wilco Nienaber Frilford Heath [16][17]
2017 South Africa Kyle McClatchie 282 1 stroke England Jake Burnage
England Jack Singh Brar
Scotland Jamie Stewart
Woodhall Spa [18]
2016 England Jamie Bower 276 1 stroke Australia Cameron Davis London [19]
2015 Northern Ireland Cormac Sharvin 281 1 stroke Republic of Ireland Gavin Moynihan Hollinwell [20]
2014 England Ben Stow 278 1 stroke England Ashley Chesters
England Ryan Evans
Seaton Carew [21]
2013 England Jordan Smith 286 4 strokes Republic of Ireland Brian Casey Formby
2012 England Neil Raymond 287 2 strokes Republic of Ireland Kevin Phelan Walton Heath
2011 England Neil Raymond 287 1 stroke Northern Ireland Alan Dunbar
England Andy Sullivan
Burnham & Berrow
2010 England Darren Wright 285 4 strokes England Simon Richardson Royal Liverpool [22]
2009 Republic of Ireland Niall Kearney 208[c] 5 strokes England Liam Burns Moortown [23]
2008 England Steven Uzzell 197[c] 4 strokes France Benjamin Hébert Trevose
2007 France Romain Bechu
England Jamie Moul
281 Tied Forest of Arden
2006 England Robert Dinwiddie 282 3 strokes England Ross McGowan Ganton
2005 Scotland Lloyd Saltman 278 6 strokes England James Crampton
England Oliver Fisher
The Oxfordshire
2004 England Matthew Richardson 279 1 stroke England Sam Osborne West Lancashire
2003 England Jon Lupton 287 2 strokes Scotland Jack Doherty Hunstanton
2002 South Africa Charl Schwartzel 282 2 strokes Republic of Ireland Colm Moriarty Royal Cinque Ports
2001 England Richard Walker 280 1 stroke Scotland Steven O'Hara Royal Birkdale
2000 Germany Jochen Lupprian 284 2 strokes Wales Jamie Donaldson Woodhall Spa
1999 England Mark Side 279 1 stroke Scotland Mark Loftus
England Graeme Storm
Moortown
1998 Sweden Peter Hanson 287 1 stroke Republic of Ireland Bryan Omelia Formby
1997 Wales David Park 271 4 strokes Australia Geoff Ogilvy Saunton
1996 England Peter Fenton 297 8 strokes Australia Stephen Allan
England Blake Toone
Royal St George's
1995 England Colin Edwards
England Mark Foster
283 Tied Hillside
1994 England Gary Harris 280 6 strokes England Warren Bennett Little Aston
1993 England David Fisher 277 1 stroke New Zealand Phil Tataurangi Stoneham
1992 Spain Ignacio Garrido 280 9 strokes England Matt McGuire Hollinwell
1991 England Gary Evans
England Mark Pullan
284 Tied Hunstanton
1990 England Gary Evans
France Olivier Edmond
287 Tied Burnham & Berrow
1989 South Africa Craig Rivett
Wales Neil Roderick
293 Tied Royal Liverpool [24]
1988 England Bobby Eggo 289 3 strokes England Tony Nash Saunton [25]
1987 England Jeremy Robinson 287 1 stroke England Bob Bardsley Ganton [26]
1986 South Africa Richard Kaplan 286 4 strokes England Stephen Hamer Sunningdale [27]
1985 England Peter Baker
England Roger Roper
296 Tied Seaton Carew [28]
1984 England Mark Davis 286 3 strokes England Stephen East Royal Cinque Ports [29]
1983 England Charlie Banks 294 1 stroke England Stephen Keppler Hollinwell [30]
1982 England Paul Downes 299 1 stroke England David Gilford
England Stephen Keppler
Woburn [31]
1981 England Paul Way 292 3 strokes England Richard Boxall Hillside [32]
1980 England Peter McEvoy
Northern Ireland Ronan Rafferty
293 Tied Hunstanton [10]
1979 Northern Ireland David Long 291 1 stroke England Ian Bradshaw
England Brian Marchbank
Little Aston [33]
1978 Scotland Gordon Brand Jnr 289 5 strokes England Peter McEvoy Woodhall Spa [34]
1977 Scotland Sandy Lyle 293 7 strokes England John Davies Royal Liverpool [35]
1976 England Peter Hedges 294 1 stroke England Gordon J. Brand Saunton [36]
1975 Scotland Sandy Lyle 298 2 strokes England Geoff Marks Hollinwell [37]
1974 South Africa Neville Sundelson 291 1 stroke England Nigel Burch Moortown [38]
1973 England Roger Revell 294 2 strokes England Geoff Marks
England Stephen Rooke
Hunstanton [39]
1972 England Peter Moody 296 1 stroke England Ian Mosey Royal Liverpool [40]
1971 England Michael Bonallack 294 2 strokes Scotland Scott Macdonald Hillside [41]
1970 England Rodney Foster 287 2 strokes Scotland Scott Macdonald Little Aston [42]
1969 England Michael Bonallack
England Rodney Foster
290 Tied Moortown [43]
1968 England Michael Bonallack 210[c] 5 strokes Republic of Ireland Bill McCrea Walton Heath [44]
1967 Scotland Ronnie Shade 299 4 strokes England Michael Bonallack Saunton [45]
1966 England Peter Townsend 282 7 strokes England Michael Bonallack
South Africa Bobby Cole
Scotland Ronnie Shade
Hunstanton [46]
1965 England Michael Burgess
England Clive Clark
England Dudley Millensted
289 Tied Formby [47]
1964 England Michael Bonallack 290 4 strokes England Michael Burgess
England Brian Stockdale
England Alan Thirlwell
Royal Cinque Ports [48]
1963 Scotland Ronnie Shade 306 Playoff[d] England Peter Green Royal Birkdale [49][50]
1962 England Alan Slater 290 Playoff[e] England Alec Shepperson Woodhall Spa [51]
1961 Scotland Ronnie Shade 284 8 strokes England Michael Lunt Royal Liverpool [52]
1960 England Guy Wolstenholme 286 Playoff[f] England Martin Christmas Ganton [53][54]
1959 England Doug Sewell 300 Playoff[g] England Michael Bonallack Hollinwell [55]
1958 England Arthur Perowne 289 3 strokes England Alec Shepperson Royal Birkdale [56]
1957 England Doug Sewell 287 8 strokes England Tony Slark Moortown [57]
1956 England Stan Fox 292 4 strokes England Philip Scrutton Burnham & Berrow [58]
1955 England Philip Scrutton 283 3 strokes England Mike Pearson
England Guy Wolstenholme
Northumberland [59]
1954 England Philip Scrutton 302 1 stroke England Jackie Jones
England Mike Pearson
Woodhall Spa [60]
1953 England Charlie Stowe 283 9 strokes England Guy Wolstenholme Sunningdale [61]
1952 England Philip Scrutton 290 1 stroke Scotland Alex Kyle Ganton [62]
1951 England Ronnie White 293 4 strokes England Jack Payne Formby [63]
1950 England Ronnie White 294 8 strokes England Philip Scrutton Royal Birkdale [64]
1949 England Patrick Hine 287 8 strokes England Bunny Millward Stoneham [65]
1948 England Charlie Stowe 299 7 strokes England Gerald Micklem Royal Lytham & St Annes [6]
1947 England Duncan Sutherland 306 Playoff[h] England Jimmy Rothwell Royal Birkdale [3]
  1. ^ Ravetto won at the second extra hole. Power dropped out after the first extra hole.
  2. ^ Poppleton beat Nienaber at the second extra hole.
  3. ^ a b c Event reduced to 54 holes because of adverse weather.
  4. ^ In the 18-hole playoff Shade scored 75, Green 77.
  5. ^ In the 18-hole playoff Slater scored 71, Shepperson 74.
  6. ^ In the 18-hole playoff Wolstenholme scored 72, Christmas 77.
  7. ^ In the 18-hole playoff Sewell scored 78, Bonallack 79.
  8. ^ 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
England Michael Bonallack 4 1964, 1968, 1969 (tied), 1971
England Philip Scrutton 3 1952, 1954, 1955
Scotland Ronnie Shade 3 1961, 1963, 1967
England Ronnie White 2 1950, 1951
England Charlie Stowe 2 1948, 1953
England Doug Sewell 2 1957, 1959
England Rodney Foster 2 1969 (tied), 1970
Scotland Sandy Lyle 2 1975, 1977
England Gary Evans 2 1990 (tied), 1991 (tied)
England Neil Raymond 2 2011, 2012

Venues by course[edit]

The championship has been hosted at several golf courses on multiple occasions

Venue Times hosted Years hosted
Royal Birkdale Golf Club 5 1947, 1950, 1958, 1963, 2001
Moortown Golf Club 5 1957, 1969, 1974, 1999, 2009
Royal Liverpool Golf Club 5 1961, 1972, 1977, 1989, 2010
Hunstanton Golf Club 5 1966, 1973, 1980, 1991, 2003
Notts Golf Club (Hollinwell) 5 1959, 1975, 1983, 1992, 2015
Woodhall Spa Golf Club 5 1954, 1962, 1978, 2000, 2017
Ganton Golf Club 5 1952, 1960, 1987, 2006, 2021
Saunton Golf Club 5 1967, 1976, 1988, 1997, 2022
Formby Golf Club 4 1951, 1965, 1998, 2013
Sunningdale Golf Club 3 1953, 1986, 2023
Burnham & Berrow Golf Club 3 1956, 1990, 2011
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club 3 1964, 1984, 2002
Little Aston Golf Club 3 1970, 1979, 1994
Hillside Golf Club 3 1971, 1981, 1995
Seaton Carew Golf Club 2 1985, 2014
Stoneham Golf Club 2 1949, 1993
Walton Heath Golf Club 2 1968, 2012
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club 1 1948
Northumberland Golf Club 1 1955
Woburn Golf and Country Club 1 1982
Royal St George's Golf Club 1 1996
West Lancashire Golf Club 1 2004
The Oxfordshire Golf Club 1 2005
Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club 1 2007
Trevose Golf & Country Club 1 2008
London Golf Club 1 2016
Frilford Heath Golf Club 1 2018
Alwoodley Golf Club 1 2019
Sherwood Forest Golf Club 1 2020

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Limitation of golf clubs". The Glasgow Herald. 17 March 1938. p. 2.
  2. ^ "New E.G.U. Trophy". Liverpool Echo. 6 April 1939. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com/.
  3. ^ a b "Close finish at Birkdale". The Manchester Guardian. 22 September 1947. p. 2 – via Newspapers,com.
  4. ^ Crawley (16 September 1948). "Test for amateur golfers First=Leonard". The Daily Telegraph. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com/.
  5. ^ a b c "Brabazon History". English Golf Union. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  6. ^ a b "C. Stowe wins Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 20 September 1948. p. 4.
  7. ^ "Brabazon Trophy now open event". The Glasgow Herald. 2 November 1950. p. 6.
  8. ^ "Championship rules changed". The Glasgow Herald. 25 November 1963. p. 5.
  9. ^ "Schmidt's winning streak continues at the Carris Trophy". English Golf Union. 27 July 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Peter McEvoy". The Glasgow Herald. 19 May 1980. p. 20.
  11. ^ "Brabazon Trophy: South Africa's Maas is the master". England Golf. 22 May 2022.
  12. ^ "2021 Brabazon Trophy". golfgenius. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  13. ^ "Brabazon Trophy: Frenchman Ravetto motors to famous victory". England Golf. 20 August 2020.
  14. ^ "2020 Brabazon Trophy". golfgenius. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  15. ^ "2019 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  16. ^ "Play off drama as Poppleton wins Brabazon Trophy". England Golf. 3 June 2018.
  17. ^ "2018 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  18. ^ "2017 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  19. ^ "2016 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  20. ^ "2015 Brabazon Trophy supported by Your Golf Travel". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  21. ^ "Late birdies see Stow pip his England pals". England Golf. 28 June 2014.
  22. ^ "Darren is made of the Wright Stuff to win Brabazon Trophy". Scottish Golf View. 27 June 2010.
  23. ^ "Brilliant Kearney lifts Brabazon Trophy to cap perfect day". The Irish Independent. 18 May 2009. p. 20.
  24. ^ "The Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 22 May 1989. p. 20.
  25. ^ "Walker Cup player Bobby Eggo". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1988. p. 10.
  26. ^ "Only 10 days after making his Walker Cup debut". The Glasgow Herald. 18 May 1987. p. 11.
  27. ^ "Kaplan's mental triumph". The Guardian. 19 May 1986. p. 26 – via Newspapers,com.
  28. ^ "Peter Baker". The Glasgow Herald. 20 May 1985. p. 17.
  29. ^ "Mark Davis". The Glasgow Herald. 21 May 1984. p. 14.
  30. ^ "Charlie Banks". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1983. p. 17.
  31. ^ "Paul Downess". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1982. p. 15.
  32. ^ "A final round of 74". The Glasgow Herald. 18 May 1981. p. 15.
  33. ^ "David Long". The Guardian. 21 May 1979. p. 29 – via Newspapers,com.
  34. ^ Davies, David (22 May 1978). "Gordon shows a tenacious brand of golf". The Birmingham Post. p. 12 – via Newspapers,com.
  35. ^ "Brabazon trophy for Lyle". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1977. p. 15.
  36. ^ "Peter Hedges". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1976. p. 17.
  37. ^ Jacobs, Raymond (19 May 1975). "Lyle youngest Brabazon winner". The Glasgow Herald. p. 23.
  38. ^ Jacobs, Raymond (20 May 1974). "S. African wins after trailing by 10 strokes". The Glasgow Herald. p. 5.
  39. ^ "Revell upsets the odds". The Glasgow Herald. 21 May 1973. p. 5.
  40. ^ "Moody wins by a stroke". The Glasgow Herald. 22 May 1972. p. 5.
  41. ^ "Brabazon trophy for Bonallack". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1971. p. 5.
  42. ^ Jacobs, Raymond (18 May 1970). "Foster takes trophy by two strokes from MacDonald". The Glasgow Herald. p. 4.
  43. ^ Jacobs, Raymond (19 May 1969). "Foster ties with Bonallack for English title". The Glasgow Herald. p. 5.
  44. ^ "Brabazon won by Bonallack". The Glasgow Herald. 20 May 1968. p. 7.
  45. ^ "Shade again wins English open amateur title". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1967. p. 5.
  46. ^ "Another triumph for Townsend". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1966. p. 4.
  47. ^ "Exciting finish to Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1965. p. 11.
  48. ^ "Bonallack wins Brabazon". The Glasgow Herald. 25 May 1964. p. 8.
  49. ^ "Shade and Green to play off". The Glasgow Herald. 6 May 1963. p. 5.
  50. ^ "Shade wins Brabazon trophy play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 16 September 1963. p. 9.
  51. ^ "Slater easily wins play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 2 July 1962. p. 4.
  52. ^ "Brabazon win for Shade". The Glasgow Herald. 3 July 1961. p. 9.
  53. ^ "English title tie at Ganton". The Glasgow Herald. 20 June 1960. p. 4.
  54. ^ "Play-off victory". The Glasgow Herald. 3 August 1960. p. 9.
  55. ^ "Sewell beats Bonallack in Brabazon Play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 22 June 1959. p. 4.
  56. ^ "Brabazon trophy for A. H. Perowne". The Glasgow Herald. 23 June 1958. p. 10.
  57. ^ "Brabazon trophy for Sewell". The Glasgow Herald. 17 June 1957. p. 9.
  58. ^ "Brabazon trophy tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 10 September 1956. p. 4.
  59. ^ "Scrutton retains trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 12 September 1955. p. 11.
  60. ^ "Brabazon trophy retained". The Glasgow Herald. 13 September 1954. p. 11.
  61. ^ "Stowe's record aggregate". The Glasgow Herald. 14 September 1953. p. 9.
  62. ^ "Brabazon trophy for Scrutton". The Glasgow Herald. 15 September 1952. p. 8.
  63. ^ "White retains Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 17 September 1951. p. 9.
  64. ^ "England complete Harlech team". The Glasgow Herald. 18 September 1950. p. 9.
  65. ^ "Youth wins Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 10 October 1949. p. 3.

External links[edit]