Sixteen-year-old Ben Schmidt became the youngest ever winner of the Brabazon Trophy after finishing five shots clear of the field at Alwoodley Golf Club in Yorkshire.
Schmidt, who is a member at Rotherham Golf Club, eclipsed the achievements of Sandy Lyle and Charl Schwartzel, who were aged 17 and 18 respectively when they won the English Men’s Open Amateur Stroke Play.
“Being the youngest makes it even more special,” said Schmidt, whose 13-under-par total comprised rounds of 69, 64, 69 and 69. “I’m just so pleased I got over the line. It takes a very long time to play the back nine when you’re in the lead!”
Schmidt is the second successive player from Yorkshire to win the Brabazon, following Nick Poppleton’s success last year – and the third winner to hail from the white rose county in the last four years.
This was Schmidt’s first appearance in the Brabazon and he took advantage of an exemption gained when he won the 2018 English Boys’ County Champion of Champions tournament. His first goal was to make the cut. and he did that in style, taking the lead after the second round when he shot a seven-under par 64. He held on to the lead after round three, but it was cut to one shot when Cornwall’s Harry Hall set a new course record 63.
Hall, 21 made a blistering start, with two birdies in the first three holes to overtake Schmidt. But the teenager regained the lead when he holed a 25-footer for birdie on the fifth, while his rival bogeyed the hole. The players were back on level terms after Schmidt bogeyed the short ninth with a three-putt. But that was his last mistake. He played the difficult back nine in two-under, while Hall dropped three shots over the closing holes. The youngster had a four-shot cushion as he played the last, and his winning margin was extended when Hall’s par putt horseshoed out of the hole.
“I played the back nine really well,” said Schmidt. “Those last five or six holes are really tough, and I didn’t do any damage. I hit the centre of the greens and gave myself chances with the putts.”
Cheered on by a large crowd, Schmidt, who signed off with a par on the 18th, added: “It’s nice to keep it the trophy in Yorkshire, and it was awesome to see so many supporters out there, as well as friends and family.”
A member of the England boys’ squad, Schmidt also won the George Henriques Salver awarded to the leading GB&I player aged under 20. Hall was championship runner-up on eight under, while Scotland’s Euan Walker took third on seven under after a closing 66.