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. 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. 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.
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. It was played at Royal Lytham and was won by Charlie Stowe, 7 strokes ahead of Gerald Micklem.
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.
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. 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. 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.
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. 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. 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 YearWinner(s)ScoreMarginof victoryRunner(s)-upVenueRef. 2026 Tom Osborne 268 2 strokes Eliot Baker Moortown 2025 Biagio Andrea Gagliardi 276 2 strokes Freddie Turnell Hankley Common 2024 Gregor Graham 185 1 stroke Daniel Hayes Wilhelm Ryding Holinwell 2023 Liam Nolan 277 Playoff Zach Little Sunningdale 2022 Christiaan Maas 270 5 strokes Arron Edwards-Hill Saunton 2021 Sam Bairstow 273 2 strokes Zachary Chegwidden Ganton 2020 David Ravetto 274 Playoff Christoffer Bring Mark Power Sherwood Forest 2019 Ben Schmidt 271 5 strokes Harry Hall Alwoodley 2018 Nick Poppleton 272 Playoff Wilco Nienaber Frilford Heath 2017 Kyle McClatchie 282 1 stroke Jake Burnage Jack Singh Brar Jamie Stewart Woodhall Spa 2016 Jamie Bower 276 1 stroke Cameron Davis London 2015 Cormac Sharvin 281 1 stroke Gavin Moynihan Hollinwell 2014 Ben Stow 278 1 stroke Ashley Chesters Ryan Evans Seaton Carew 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 2009 Niall Kearney 208 5 strokes Liam Burns Moortown 2008 Steven Uzzell 197 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 1988 Bobby Eggo 289 3 strokes Tony Nash Saunton 1987 Jeremy Robinson 287 1 stroke Bob Bardsley Ganton 1986 Richard Kaplan 286 4 strokes Stephen Hamer Sunningdale 1985 Peter Baker Roger Roper 296 Tied – Seaton Carew 1984 Mark Davis 286 3 strokes Stephen East Royal Cinque Ports 1983 Charlie Banks 294 1 stroke Stephen Keppler Hollinwell 1982 Paul Downes 299 1 stroke David Gilford Stephen Keppler Woburn 1981 Paul Way 292 3 strokes Richard Boxall Hillside 1980 Peter McEvoy Ronan Rafferty 293 Tied – Hunstanton 1979 David Long 291 1 stroke Ian Bradshaw Brian Marchbank Little Aston 1978 Gordon Brand Jnr 289 5 strokes Peter McEvoy Woodhall Spa 1977 Sandy Lyle 293 7 strokes John Davies Royal Liverpool 1976 Peter Hedges 294 1 stroke Gordon J. Brand Saunton 1975 Sandy Lyle 298 2 strokes Geoff Marks Hollinwell 1974 Neville Sundelson 291 1 stroke Nigel Burch Moortown 1973 Roger Revell 294 2 strokes Geoff Marks Stephen Rooke Hunstanton 1972 Peter Moody 296 1 stroke Ian Mosey Royal Liverpool 1971 Michael Bonallack 294 2 strokes Scott Macdonald Hillside 1970 Rodney Foster 287 2 strokes Scott Macdonald Little Aston 1969 Michael Bonallack Rodney Foster 290 Tied – Moortown 1968 Michael Bonallack 210 5 strokes Bill McCrea Walton Heath 1967 Ronnie Shade 299 4 strokes Michael Bonallack Saunton 1966 Peter Townsend 282 7 strokes Michael Bonallack Bobby Cole Ronnie Shade Hunstanton 1965 Michael Burgess Clive Clark Dudley Millensted 289 Tied – Formby 1964 Michael Bonallack 290 4 strokes Michael Burgess Brian Stockdale Alan Thirlwell Royal Cinque Ports 1963 Ronnie Shade 306 Playoff Peter Green Royal Birkdale 1962 Alan Slater 290 Playoff Alec Shepperson Woodhall Spa 1961 Ronnie Shade 284 8 strokes Michael Lunt Royal Liverpool 1960 Guy Wolstenholme 286 Playoff Martin Christmas Ganton 1959 Doug Sewell 300 Playoff Michael Bonallack Hollinwell 1958 Arthur Perowne 289 3 strokes Alec Shepperson Royal Birkdale 1957 Doug Sewell 287 8 strokes Tony Slark Moortown 1956 Stan Fox 292 4 strokes Philip Scrutton Burnham & Berrow 1955 Philip Scrutton 283 3 strokes Mike Pearson Guy Wolstenholme Northumberland 1954 Philip Scrutton 302 1 stroke Jackie Jones Mike Pearson Woodhall Spa 1953 Charlie Stowe 283 9 strokes Guy Wolstenholme Sunningdale 1952 Philip Scrutton 290 1 stroke Alex Kyle Ganton 1951 Ronnie White 293 4 strokes Jack Payne Formby 1950 Ronnie White 294 8 strokes Philip Scrutton Royal Birkdale 1949 Patrick Hine 287 8 strokes Bunny Millward Stoneham 1948 Charlie Stowe 299 7 strokes Gerald Micklem Royal Lytham & St Annes 1947 Duncan Sutherland 306 Playoff Jimmy Rothwell Royal Birkdale
Multiple winners The following golfers have won (or tied) the Brabazon Trophy on more than one occasion
Golfer Total Years Michael Bonallack41964, 1968, 1969 (tied), 1971 Philip Scrutton31952, 1954, 1955 Ronnie Shade31961, 1963, 1967 Ronnie White21950, 1951 Charlie Stowe21948, 1953 Doug Sewell21957, 1959 Rodney Foster21969 (tied), 1970 Sandy Lyle21975, 1977 Gary Evans21990 (tied), 1991 (tied) Neil Raymond22011, 2012
Venues by course The championship has been hosted at several golf courses on multiple occasions VenueTimes hostedYears hostedNotts Golf Club (Hollinwell)61959, 1975, 1983, 1992, 2015, 2024Royal Birkdale Golf Club51947, 1950, 1958, 1963, 2001Moortown Golf Club51957, 1969, 1974, 1999, 2009Royal Liverpool Golf Club51961, 1972, 1977, 1989, 2010Hunstanton Golf Club51966, 1973, 1980, 1991, 2003Woodhall Spa Golf Club51954, 1962, 1978, 2000, 2017Ganton Golf Club51952, 1960, 1987, 2006, 2021Saunton Golf Club51967, 1976, 1988, 1997, 2022Formby Golf Club41951, 1965, 1998, 2013Sunningdale Golf Club31953, 1986, 2023Burnham & Berrow Golf Club31956, 1990, 2011Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club31964, 1984, 2002Little Aston Golf Club31970, 1979, 1994Hillside Golf Club31971, 1981, 1995Seaton Carew Golf Club21985, 2014Stoneham Golf Club21949, 1993Walton Heath Golf Club21968, 2012Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club11948Northumberland Golf Club11955Woburn Golf and Country Club11982Royal St George's Golf Club11996West Lancashire Golf Club12004The Oxfordshire Golf Club12005Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club12007Trevose Golf & Country Club12008London Golf Club12016Frilford Heath Golf Club12018Alwoodley Golf Club12019Sherwood Forest Golf Club12020
See also English Amateur
References
External links England Golf List of winners