Location England Organised by English Golf Union Month played June | Established 1947 Format Stroke play | |
Course(s) London Golf Club (2016) | ||
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 organized by the English Golf Union.
Contents
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.
The equivalent match play championship is the English Amateur.
History
The tournament was first hosted in 1947 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club as the English Men’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship. The inaugural winner was Duncan Sutherland following an 18-hole playoff.
In 1948 the current trophy was donated by Derek Moore-Brabazon, 2nd Baron Brabazon of Tara. Subsequently the official name of the tournament was changed to the Brabazon Trophy but reverted to its original official title in 1957. However to date, the competition is still better known as and more commonly referred to as The Brabazon Trophy.
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.
During the 1960s, playoffs were abandoned and subsequently the trophy has been shared where the lead is tied after 72 holes.
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.
Winners
* – Event reduced to 54 holes because of adverse weather.
Multiple winners
The following golfers have won (or tied) the Brabazon Trophy on more than one occasion
Venues by course
The championship has been hosted at several golf courses on multiple occasions