Brabazon Trophy

Brabazon Trophy

Tournament information
Location	England
Established	1947
Course(s)	Notts Golf Club (2024)
Organised by	England Golf
Format	Stroke play
Tournament record score
Aggregate	270 Christiaan Maas (2022)
Current champion
Gregor Graham

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 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

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

Year	Winner(s)	Score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Venue	Ref.
2024	Gregor Graham	185[a]	1 stroke	Daniel Hayes Wilhelm Ryding	Holinwell	[11]
2023	Liam Nolan	277	Playoff	Zach Little	Sunningdale
2022	Christiaan Maas	270	5 strokes	Arron Edwards-Hill	Saunton	[12]
2021	Sam Bairstow	273	2 strokes	Zachary Chegwidden	Ganton	[13]
2020	David Ravetto	274	Playoff[b]	Christoffer Bring Mark Power	Sherwood Forest	[14][15]
2019	Ben Schmidt	271	5 strokes	Harry Hall	Alwoodley	[16]
2018	Nick Poppleton	272	Playoff[c]	Wilco Nienaber	Frilford Heath	[17][18]
2017	Kyle McClatchie	282	1 stroke	Jake Burnage Jack Singh Brar Jamie Stewart	Woodhall Spa	[19]
2016	Jamie Bower	276	1 stroke	Cameron Davis	London	[20]
2015	Cormac Sharvin	281	1 stroke	Gavin Moynihan	Hollinwell	[21]
2014	Ben Stow	278	1 stroke	Ashley Chesters Ryan Evans	Seaton Carew	[22]
2013	Jordan Smith	286	4 strokes	Brian Casey	Formby
2012	Neil Raymond	287	2 strokes	Kevin Phelan	Walton Heath
2011	Neil Raymond	287	1 stroke	Alan Dunbar Andy Sullivan	Burnham & Berrow
2010	Darren Wright	285	4 strokes	Simon Richardson	Royal Liverpool	[23]
2009	Niall Kearney	208[d]	5 strokes	Liam Burns	Moortown	[24]
2008	Steven Uzzell	197[d]	4 strokes	Benjamin Hébert	Trevose
2007	Romain Bechu Jamie Moul	281	Tied	–	Forest of Arden
2006	Robert Dinwiddie	282	3 strokes	Ross McGowan	Ganton
2005	Lloyd Saltman	278	6 strokes	James Crampton Oliver Fisher	The Oxfordshire
2004	Matthew Richardson	279	1 stroke	Sam Osborne	West Lancashire
2003	Jon Lupton	287	2 strokes	Jack Doherty	Hunstanton
2002	Charl Schwartzel	282	2 strokes	Colm Moriarty	Royal Cinque Ports
2001	Richard Walker	280	1 stroke	Steven O'Hara	Royal Birkdale
2000	Jochen Lupprian	284	2 strokes	Jamie Donaldson	Woodhall Spa
1999	Mark Side	279	1 stroke	Mark Loftus Graeme Storm	Moortown
1998	Peter Hanson	287	1 stroke	Bryan Omelia	Formby
1997	David Park	271	4 strokes	Geoff Ogilvy	Saunton
1996	Peter Fenton	297	8 strokes	Stephen Allan Blake Toone	Royal St George's
1995	Colin Edwards Mark Foster	283	Tied	–	Hillside
1994	Gary Harris	280	6 strokes	Warren Bennett	Little Aston
1993	David Fisher	277	1 stroke	Phil Tataurangi	Stoneham
1992	Ignacio Garrido	280	9 strokes	Matt McGuire	Hollinwell
1991	Gary Evans Mark Pullan	284	Tied	–	Hunstanton
1990	Gary Evans Olivier Edmond	287	Tied	–	Burnham & Berrow
1989	Craig Rivett Neil Roderick	293	Tied	–	Royal Liverpool	[25]
1988	Bobby Eggo	289	3 strokes	Tony Nash	Saunton	[26]
1987	Jeremy Robinson	287	1 stroke	Bob Bardsley	Ganton	[27]
1986	Richard Kaplan	286	4 strokes	Stephen Hamer	Sunningdale	[28]
1985	Peter Baker Roger Roper	296	Tied	–	Seaton Carew	[29]
1984	Mark Davis	286	3 strokes	Stephen East	Royal Cinque Ports	[30]
1983	Charlie Banks	294	1 stroke	Stephen Keppler	Hollinwell	[31]
1982	Paul Downes	299	1 stroke	David Gilford Stephen Keppler	Woburn	[32]
1981	Paul Way	292	3 strokes	Richard Boxall	Hillside	[33]
1980	Peter McEvoy Ronan Rafferty	293	Tied	–	Hunstanton	[10]
1979	David Long	291	1 stroke	Ian Bradshaw Brian Marchbank	Little Aston	[34]
1978	Gordon Brand Jnr	289	5 strokes	Peter McEvoy	Woodhall Spa	[35]
1977	Sandy Lyle	293	7 strokes	John Davies	Royal Liverpool	[36]
1976	Peter Hedges	294	1 stroke	Gordon J. Brand	Saunton	[37]
1975	Sandy Lyle	298	2 strokes	Geoff Marks	Hollinwell	[38]
1974	Neville Sundelson	291	1 stroke	Nigel Burch	Moortown	[39]
1973	Roger Revell	294	2 strokes	Geoff Marks Stephen Rooke	Hunstanton	[40]
1972	Peter Moody	296	1 stroke	Ian Mosey	Royal Liverpool	[41]
1971	Michael Bonallack	294	2 strokes	Scott Macdonald	Hillside	[42]
1970	Rodney Foster	287	2 strokes	Scott Macdonald	Little Aston	[43]
1969	Michael Bonallack Rodney Foster	290	Tied	–	Moortown	[44]
1968	Michael Bonallack	210[d]	5 strokes	Bill McCrea	Walton Heath	[45]
1967	Ronnie Shade	299	4 strokes	Michael Bonallack	Saunton	[46]
1966	Peter Townsend	282	7 strokes	Michael Bonallack Bobby Cole Ronnie Shade	Hunstanton	[47]
1965	Michael Burgess Clive Clark Dudley Millensted	289	Tied	–	Formby	[48]
1964	Michael Bonallack	290	4 strokes	Michael Burgess Brian Stockdale Alan Thirlwell	Royal Cinque Ports	[49]
1963	Ronnie Shade	306	Playoff[e]	Peter Green	Royal Birkdale	[50][51]
1962	Alan Slater	290	Playoff[f]	Alec Shepperson	Woodhall Spa	[52]
1961	Ronnie Shade	284	8 strokes	Michael Lunt	Royal Liverpool	[53]
1960	Guy Wolstenholme	286	Playoff[g]	Martin Christmas	Ganton	[54][55]
1959	Doug Sewell	300	Playoff[h]	Michael Bonallack	Hollinwell	[56]
1958	Arthur Perowne	289	3 strokes	Alec Shepperson	Royal Birkdale	[57]
1957	Doug Sewell	287	8 strokes	Tony Slark	Moortown	[58]
1956	Stan Fox	292	4 strokes	Philip Scrutton	Burnham & Berrow	[59]
1955	Philip Scrutton	283	3 strokes	Mike Pearson Guy Wolstenholme	Northumberland	[60]
1954	Philip Scrutton	302	1 stroke	Jackie Jones Mike Pearson	Woodhall Spa	[61]
1953	Charlie Stowe	283	9 strokes	Guy Wolstenholme	Sunningdale	[62]
1952	Philip Scrutton	290	1 stroke	Alex Kyle	Ganton	[63]
1951	Ronnie White	293	4 strokes	Jack Payne	Formby	[64]
1950	Ronnie White	294	8 strokes	Philip Scrutton	Royal Birkdale	[65]
1949	Patrick Hine	287	8 strokes	Bunny Millward	Stoneham	[66]
1948	Charlie Stowe	299	7 strokes	Gerald Micklem	Royal Lytham & St Annes	[6]
1947	Duncan Sutherland	306	Playoff[i]	Jimmy Rothwell	Royal Birkdale	[3]

1. Event reduced to 48 holes because of adverse weather.
2. Ravetto won at the second extra hole. Power dropped out after the first extra hole.
3. Poppleton beat Nienaber at the second extra hole.
4. Event reduced to 54 holes because of adverse weather.
5. In the 18-hole playoff Shade scored 75, Green 77.
6. In the 18-hole playoff Slater scored 71, Shepperson 74.
7. In the 18-hole playoff Wolstenholme scored 72, Christmas 77.
8. In the 18-hole playoff Sewell scored 78, Bonallack 79.
9. In the 18-hole playoff Sutherland scored 85, Rothwell 86.

Multiple winners

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

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

Venue	Times hosted	Years hosted
Notts Golf Club (Hollinwell)	6	1959, 1975, 1983, 1992, 2015, 2024
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
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

• English Amateur

References

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. "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. "Brabazon History". English Golf Union. Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
6. "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. "Peter McEvoy". The Glasgow Herald. 19 May 1980. p. 20.
11. "GREGOR GRAHAM NARROWLY WINS THE SHORTENED BRABAZON TROPHY". amateurgolf.com. 26 May 2024. Archived from the original on 1 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
12. "Brabazon Trophy: South Africa's Maas is the master". England Golf. 22 May 2022.
13. "2021 Brabazon Trophy". golfgenius. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
14. "Brabazon Trophy: Frenchman Ravetto motors to famous victory". England Golf. 20 August 2020.
15. "2020 Brabazon Trophy". golfgenius. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
16. "2019 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
17. "Play off drama as Poppleton wins Brabazon Trophy". England Golf. 3 June 2018.
18. "2018 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
19. "2017 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
20. "2016 Brabazon Trophy". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
21. "2015 Brabazon Trophy supported by Your Golf Travel". Golfbox. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
22. "Late birdies see Stow pip his England pals". England Golf. 28 June 2014.
23. "Darren is made of the Wright Stuff to win Brabazon Trophy". Scottish Golf View. 27 June 2010.
24. "Brilliant Kearney lifts Brabazon Trophy to cap perfect day". The Irish Independent. 18 May 2009. p. 20.
25. "The Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 22 May 1989. p. 20.
26. "Walker Cup player Bobby Eggo". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1988. p. 10.
27. "Only 10 days after making his Walker Cup debut". The Glasgow Herald. 18 May 1987. p. 11.
28. "Kaplan's mental triumph". The Guardian. 19 May 1986. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
29. "Peter Baker". The Glasgow Herald. 20 May 1985. p. 17.
30. "Mark Davis". The Glasgow Herald. 21 May 1984. p. 14.
31. "Charlie Banks". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1983. p. 17.
32. "Paul Downess". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1982. p. 15.
33. "A final round of 74". The Glasgow Herald. 18 May 1981. p. 15.
34. "David Long". The Guardian. 21 May 1979. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
35. Davies, David (22 May 1978). "Gordon shows a tenacious brand of golf". The Birmingham Post. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
36. "Brabazon trophy for Lyle". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1977. p. 15.
37. "Peter Hedges". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1976. p. 17.
38. Jacobs, Raymond (19 May 1975). "Lyle youngest Brabazon winner". The Glasgow Herald. p. 23.
39. Jacobs, Raymond (20 May 1974). "S. African wins after trailing by 10 strokes". The Glasgow Herald. p. 5.
40. "Revell upsets the odds". The Glasgow Herald. 21 May 1973. p. 5.
41. "Moody wins by a stroke". The Glasgow Herald. 22 May 1972. p. 5.
42. "Brabazon trophy for Bonallack". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1971. p. 5.
43. Jacobs, Raymond (18 May 1970). "Foster takes trophy by two strokes from MacDonald". The Glasgow Herald. p. 4.
44. Jacobs, Raymond (19 May 1969). "Foster ties with Bonallack for English title". The Glasgow Herald. p. 5.
45. "Brabazon won by Bonallack". The Glasgow Herald. 20 May 1968. p. 7.
46. "Shade again wins English open amateur title". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1967. p. 5.
47. "Another triumph for Townsend". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1966. p. 4.
48. "Exciting finish to Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 17 May 1965. p. 11.
49. "Bonallack wins Brabazon". The Glasgow Herald. 25 May 1964. p. 8.
50. "Shade and Green to play off". The Glasgow Herald. 6 May 1963. p. 5.
51. "Shade wins Brabazon trophy play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 16 September 1963. p. 9.
52. "Slater easily wins play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 2 July 1962. p. 4.
53. "Brabazon win for Shade". The Glasgow Herald. 3 July 1961. p. 9.
54. "English title tie at Ganton". The Glasgow Herald. 20 June 1960. p. 4.
55. "Play-off victory". The Glasgow Herald. 3 August 1960. p. 9.
56. "Sewell beats Bonallack in Brabazon Play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 22 June 1959. p. 4.
57. "Brabazon trophy for A. H. Perowne". The Glasgow Herald. 23 June 1958. p. 10.
58. "Brabazon trophy for Sewell". The Glasgow Herald. 17 June 1957. p. 9.
59. "Brabazon trophy tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 10 September 1956. p. 4.
60. "Scrutton retains trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 12 September 1955. p. 11.
61. "Brabazon trophy retained". The Glasgow Herald. 13 September 1954. p. 11.
62. "Stowe's record aggregate". The Glasgow Herald. 14 September 1953. p. 9.
63. "Brabazon trophy for Scrutton". The Glasgow Herald. 15 September 1952. p. 8.
64. "White retains Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 17 September 1951. p. 9.
65. "England complete Harlech team". The Glasgow Herald. 18 September 1950. p. 9.
66. "Youth wins Brabazon trophy". The Glasgow Herald. 10 October 1949. p. 3.

External links

• England Golf
• List of winners