Brabazon Trophy


The English Men's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship for the Brabazon Trophy is the national amateur stroke play golf championship in England. 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.
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, Michael Bonallack, Rodney Foster, Gary Evans and Neil Raymond.
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 by international competitors on eight occasions.
The record for the most wins by a single individual is four 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 the Brabazon Trophy on more than one occasion
GolferTotalYears
Michael Bonallack41964, 1968, 1969, 1971
Philip Scrutton31952, 1954, 1955
Ronnie Shade31961, 1963, 1967
Ronnie White21950, 1951
Charlie Stowe21948, 1953
Doug Sewell21957, 1959
Rodney Foster21969, 1970
Sandy Lyle21975, 1977
Gary Evans21990, 1991
Neil Raymond22011, 2012

Venues by course

The championship has been hosted at several golf courses on multiple occasions
VenueTimes hostedYears hosted
Royal Birkdale Golf Club51947, 1950, 1958, 1963, 2001
Moortown Golf Club51957, 1969, 1974, 1999, 2009
Royal Liverpool Golf Club51961, 1972, 1977, 1989, 2010
Hunstanton Golf Club51966, 1973, 1980, 1991, 2003
Notts Golf Club 51959, 1975, 1983, 1992, 2015
Woodhall Spa Golf Club51954, 1962, 1978, 2000, 2017
Formby Golf Club41951, 1965, 1998, 2013
Ganton Golf Club41952, 1960, 1987, 2006
Saunton Golf Club41967, 1976, 1988, 1997
Burnham & Berrow Golf Club31956, 1990, 2011
Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club31964, 1984, 2002
Little Aston Golf Club31970, 1979, 1994
Hillside Golf Club31971, 1981, 1995
Seaton Carew Golf Club21985, 2014
Stoneham Golf Club21949, 1993
Sunningdale Golf Club21953, 1986
Walton Heath Golf Club21968, 2012
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club11948
Northumberland Golf Club11955
Woburn Golf and Country Club11982
Royal St George's Golf Club11996
West Lancashire Golf Club12004
The Oxfordshire Golf Club12005
Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club12007
Trevose Golf & Country Club12008
London Golf Club12016
Frilford Heath Golf Club12018
Alwoodley Golf Club12019