Buckinghamshire’s John Gough won the English Men’s Amateur Championship after beating Tom Addy 1up in a tense 36-hole final held at Moortown Golf Club in Yorkshire.
Gough’s narrow victory means his name is etched on the silver trophy won by his younger brother Conor at Hankley Common in 2019.
After clinching the victory with a two-putt par on the final hole, Gough said: “I think Conor was happy for me to get it, but he was a bit sour that he hasn’t got this over me now! It’s unbelievable to have it in our house for two years and it’s not the same person that’s won it.”
The 22-year-old from Stoke Park added: “We’re very competitive – I suppose you could call that spurring each other on! It’s a great feeling to win and to have the trophy come back to the family is amazing.”
Gough was quick to pay tribute to his fellow finalist, before revealing the secret to his success. “It was stressful – what a great player I was up against. Having looked at Tom’s games over the last few days – I knew he’d be a hard man to beat. I had a game plan which was basically to split the final into three-hole matches and that’s not something I’ve done before. I played them as little individual games, and that definitely helped my focus.”
The final got underway at 8.30am in a heavy drizzle, but the cloud soon brightened and it was Gough who was quickest out the blocks. A birdie at the opening hole took him into the lead which he never surrendered. Back-to-back birdies at the fourth and fifth holes saw Gough – who had 2019 runner up Callum Farr on the bag – extend his lead.
Addy won his first hole of the day at the seventh with a par, but immediately handed it back to Gough with a bogey at the eighth. A par at the ninth was enough to win the hole for Addy as Gough headed into the back nine with a two-hole advantage. That lead was stretched to three after a 15-foot birdie putt on the 14th and extended again to four when he got up and down from the back of the 15th for a par. Addy claimed one hole back with a par at the 16th, but Gough, understandably, headed in for lunch with an extra spring in his step.
With the threat of rain now gone, the afternoon round started in bright and calm conditions. Gough, though, was on fire. He birdied the first hole and then a par at the next was good enough to take him five holes clear. Addy pulled one back at the third, but immediately handed it back with a three-putt at the fourth.
At the turn, Gough was 4 up and the odds were heavily stacked in his favour as Addy’s frustration at the number of putts burning the edge of the hole grew and grew. Addy, though, did win the 12th with a par when a wayward Gough drive left him impeded by trees for his second shot. The teenager then drained a long putt on the 13th for birdie and Gough knew he had a fight on his hands.
When Addy struck the flag from 150 yards with his approach to the 15th and rolled home another birdie it was game on. Gough was now just leading by one hole, but didn’t let the tension affect his thinking.
By the time the duo reached the 17th, Addy was running short of lives. Twice Gough had putts to win the match. He rolled the first one from the fringe five feet past the hole and then – after Addy had failed to make par – missed a slippery one back down the slope.
It all came down to the 36th hole. But a booming drive and a wedge to 15 feet allowed Gough the luxury of two putts for the title which were not squandered.
Addy’s efforts in pegging back Gough were worthy of praise and it was no wonder mum Rachel, from Middlesbrough and watching in person, and dad Harvey, a Londoner watching online from Australia, were proud of their son’s efforts.
Addy said: “I’m disappointed not to win, but I’m proud of how I played and kept going right to the end. Too many good putts just slid by, but full credit to John who was a deserved winner. I will take a lot away from this week – I’ve learned so much over the course of the championship that can make me a better player.”