An international field will head to Yorkshire next week for the Brabazon Trophy, one of the most prestigious championships in the world of men’s amateur golf.
Players from over a dozen countries will bid to become the English Men’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Champion when the tournament is played at Alwoodley Golf Club, Leeds, from Thursday, 30 May to Sunday, 2 June.
They include South African Amateur Champion Wilco Nienaber – ranked 40th in the world – who was pipped to the Brabazon title in a play-off last year.
A Yorkshireman, Nick Poppleton, triumphed and although he has turned professional, there’s a very strong contingent determined to keep the trophy in the county.
The 17 Yorkshire players in the field include the England internationals Bailey Gill (Lindrick), David Hague (Malton & Norton) and Ben Hutchinson (Howley Hall), together with boy international Ben Schmidt (Rotherham).
Among the others are county champion Sam Rook (Lindrick) and county match play champion Max Berrisford (Skipton). Alwoodley itself fields one player: Tom Irwin, who has been blogging about his preparations in National Club Golfer.
Alwoodley will set them all a fine test of golf. It is regarded as one of the country’s finest inland courses and was the first designed by Dr Alister MacKenzie, who went on to create Augusta National, Royal Melbourne and Cypress Point.
The club is hosting the Brabazon Trophy for the first time and will be broadcasting live coverage of the first day’s play on its YouTube channel and via social media.
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