Schmidt, 16, sets age record in winning Brabazon Trophy
Ben Schmidt (Leaderboard Photography)
The Brabazbon Trophy’s age record was broken this weekend as 16-year-old Ben Schmidt became the youngest-ever winner of the event. He finished 72 holes at Alwoodley Golf Club in Leeds, England to win by five shots.
Schmidt was under par in all four days of the championship, logging rounds of 69-64-69-69.
“Being the youngest makes it even more special,” he told England Golf. “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!”
This marks the first time that Schmidt has played the event. He won the English Boys County Champion of Champions in 2018. He came into the event just wanting to make the cut, and did that easily after a second-round 64.
Runner-up Harry Hall had a third-round 63 to put pressure on Schmidt for the final round. Schmidt only led by one entering the day, and was paired with Hall, 21, in the final round.
Hall had two birdies in his opening three holes to overtake Schmidt, but the teenager took the lead again when he holed a 25-footer for birdie on the fifth. Hall bogeyed the hole.
The players were tied again after Schmidt bogeyed the short ninth with an uncharacteristic three-putt. He played the difficult back nine in 2-under par, however, while Hall dropped three shots over the closing holes.
Schmidt had a four-shot cushion as he played the last hole 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.”
Information from England Golf used in this report
ABOUT THE
Brabazon Trophy
The Brabazon Trophy is the English Men's Open
Amateur Stroke Play Championship and is open to
male
amateur golfers of all nationalities.
The Championship is played by 72 holes of stroke
play
over four days and will be contested by 144
competitors, consisting of exempt players and those
who have progressed through qualifying. 18 holes
are
played on each of the first two days. After 36 holes
the
leading 60 competitors and all those tying for 60th
place shall play a further 18 holes on the third day,
followed by a re-draw and a final 18 holes on the
fourth
day.
View Complete Tournament Information