Sam Bairstow held off a spectacular late charge from Zachary Chegwidden to win the English Men’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship (Brabazon Trophy) at Ganton Golf Club in Yorkshire.
Bairstow, an English international from Hallowes Golf Club in Sheffield, England, started the final round seven shots clear of Chegwidden but needed all his resolve to post a 2-under-par 69 after the Orsett player closed with a superb 64.
A slippery 10-foot putt for a par on No 17 maintained what was by that stage a two-shot cushion and pars from both players on the last gave Bairstow a two-shot victory on 11-under-par 273.
“This means a lot,” the new champion said. “I’ve been feeling a win has been coming this year. To do it in my last big event feels really good.
“It’s very special, especially here in Yorkshire,” added the Yorkshireman. “I had a lot of people out there supporting me which was nice.
“If you’d given me 2-under par for the round before I started I’d have thought I’d win by five or six. I don’t look at leaderboards but I saw one at 15 and noticed that he was at 9 under. It probably helped me as I knew I had to hit proper golf shots and not just feed my way round the golf course. I was happy to par the last three holes and get it done.”
Chegwidden’s 9-under-par total saw him finish six shots ahead of English Amateur champion John Gough (Stoke Park), Mason Essam (Dartford) and James Hydes (Gulf Harbour). Essam also made a big move on the final day with a 67 while Hydes fired a 68 and Gough 69.
“It got to a point on 13 when I holed a 9-, 10-footer to get to six I thought I might have a chance and I birdied the next, too,” said Chegwidden.
“It wasn’t to be but I’m 100-percent proud of my efforts this week. If someone had said I’d be tied fourth going into the last round of the Brabazon and then shoot 64 I’d have taken it.
“Well done Sam. He played quality golf all week. He showed his class.”
The George Henriques Salver presented to the leading GB&I player younger than age 20 was shared by England boys’ squad members Josh Hill and Frank Kennedy, who finished in the group in seventh place on 1-under 283.
The last time the Brabazon was played at Ganton, Rory McIlroy walked off with the same trophy.
Earlier in the week, English international Bel Wardle made up for losing in the final of the English Women’s Amateur Championship earlier this month by crushing the field in the English Women’s Stroke Play Championship at Wallasey.
Wardle, from Prestbury, opened with a 78 in windswept conditions but then fired rounds of 67, 67 and 68 to claim a nine-shot victory ahead of Ellie Gower on 16-under-par 280. Wardle’s playing partner, Amelia Williamson, closed with three consecutive rounds of 72 to share third place with Scottish international Lorna McClymont one shot further back on 290.
It was the second time Wardle lifted the trophy, having also won in 2017.
“It’s hard to say what I’m feeling after that,” Wardle said. “I’m just so happy and so excited and I played some really great golf out there today through both rounds.
“I used my defeat at the English Amateur to spur me on because I didn’t want to come second again. That was the main motivation for me and I’m so pleased to have got over the line.”
RESULTS
Colin Callander