The Amateur Championship (sometimes referred to as the British Amateur or British Amateur Championship outside the UK) is a golf tournament which has been held annually in the United Kingdom since 1885 except during the two World Wars, and in 1949 and 2019 when Ireland hosted the championship. It is one of the two leading individual tournaments for amateur golfers, alongside the U.S. Amateur. It normally has the widest international representation of any individual amateur event, with 38 golf federations from all six continents represented in the 2018 championship.

Before World War II it was regarded as one of golf's major championships, but given the modern dominance of the sport by professional golfers, this is no longer the case. Two Amateur Championship winners in the post-World War II era have gone on to win professional major championships: José María Olazábal and Sergio García.

History

The inaugural tournament was organised by the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in 1885. It was played on 20, 21 and 23 April and was "open to all amateur members of recognised golf clubs". The format was match-play. All players were included in the draw for each round, any extra player receiving a bye. If a match was halved after the 18 holes both players progressed to the next round, playing each other again. There were 49 entries from 12 different clubs, although only 44 were included in the draw and four of these players did not turn up. Of the 22 first-round matches, 2 were halved, meaning that there were 12 matches in the second round. There were no more halved matches in the following rounds which meant that 3 players reached the semi-final stage. John Ball beat his father, also called John, in the third round. Each player paid a 1 guinea entry fee. This, together with 25 guineas from the Royal Liverpool club, was used for prizes. The losing finalist received £10 with the remainder being used to buy plate for the winner.

Despite the unusual format of the 1885 event, it was regarded as a success. A meeting was arranged in 1886 where it was decided to start an amateur championship, to be held alternately at St Andrews, Hoylake and Prestwick. A number of clubs subscribed to buy a perpetual trophy for the championship. In addition, gold and silver medals were presented to the winner and runner-up, with bronze medals for the losing semi-finalists. The format became a simple knockout, with extra holes played in case of a tie after 18 holes. Otherwise the format remained the same as for the 1885 event. Because of the late arrangements the inaugural championship was not held until late September. With 42 entries, six rounds were needed which were completed in three days with the semi-finals and final on the last day. John Ball again lost in the semi-finals, 7&6 to Henry Lamb, but Lamb lost the final against Horace Hutchinson by the same score.

The first stage of the Championship involves 288 players, each of whom plays two rounds of 18 holes, one on each of two courses, over the first two days. The 64 lowest scores over the 36 holes, and ties for 64th place compete in the match play stage of the Championship, on the event's principal course, and are seeded by qualifying scores. Each match consists of one round of 18 holes, except for the Final, which is over 36 holes. Since there are generally more than 64 qualifiers from the stroke play stage, the first round of the match play involves a small number of matches to reduce the number of qualifiers to exactly 64. In 2024 exactly 64 players qualified, ties for the final places being decided by a sudden-death playoff. Tied matches are broken by sudden death over extra holes. The event is played in June, normally with a Monday to Saturday schedule.

The winner receives invitations to three of the major championships, namely the following month's Open Championship, and the following year's Masters Tournament and U.S. Open, provided he remain an amateur prior to each major. The Amateur Championship is open to amateur golfers of any nationality in good standing with their national federations. Briton John Ball won the most career titles, with eight. Ball was still competing in the event as late as 1921 at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. In modern times, Briton Michael Bonallack's five titles lead. The most famous American winner of the competition was Bobby Jones, whose 1930 victory was part of his Grand Slam.

Results

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 100%;"

!Year!!Winner!!Score!!Runner-up!!Semi-finalists!!Venue!!Ref.

|-

| align=center|2025 || Ethan Fang || align=center|1 up || Gavin Tiernan || Veikka Viskari, Riccardo Fantinelli ||Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|2024 || Jacob Skov Olesen || align=center|4 & 3 || Dominic Clemons || Jack Bigham, Luke Sample || Ballyliffin ||

|-

| align=center|2023 || Christo Lamprecht || align=center|3 & 2 || Ronan Kleu || Ratchanon Chantananuwat, Frank Kennedy || Hillside ||

|-

| align=center|2022 || Aldrich Potgieter || align=center|3 & 2 || Sam Bairstow || John Gough, Alex Maguire || Royal Lytham & St Annes ||

|-

| align=center|2021 || Laird Shepherd || align=center|38 holes || Monty Scowsill || James Ashfield, Jack Dyer || Nairn ||

|-

| align=center|2020 || Joe Long || align=center|4 & 3 || Joe Harvey || Jake Bolton, Mark Power || Royal Birkdale ||

|-

| align=center|2019 || James Sugrue || align=center|2 up || Euan Walker || Ben Jones, David Micheluzzi || Portmarnock ||

|-

| align=center|2018 || Jovan Rebula || align=center|3 & 2 || Robin Dawson || Conor Purcell, Mitch Waite || Royal Aberdeen ||

|-

| align=center|2017 || Harry Ellis || align=center|38 holes || Dylan Perry || Luca Cianchetti, Alejandro Tosti || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|2016 || Scott Gregory || align=center|2 & 1 || Robert MacIntyre || Paul McBride, Adrian Meronk || Royal Porthcawl ||

|-

| align=center|2015 || Romain Langasque || align=center|4 & 2 || Grant Forrest || Alexandre Daydou, Jack McDonald || Carnoustie ||

|-

| align=center|2014 || Bradley Neil || align=center|2 & 1 || Zander Lombard || Connor Syme, Sean Towndrow || Royal Portrush ||

|-

| align=center|2013 || Garrick Porteous || align=center|6 & 5 || Toni Hakula || Jim Liu, Max Orrin || Royal Cinque Ports ||

|-

| align=center|2012 || Alan Dunbar || align=center|1 up || Matthias Schwab || Paul Ferrier, Jack McDonald || Royal Troon ||

|-

| align=center|2011 || Bryden Macpherson || align=center|3 & 2 || Michael Stewart || Sébastien Gros, Greg Paterson || Hillside ||

|-

| align=center|1982 || Martin Thompson || align=center|4 & 3 || Andy Stubbs || Peter Hedges, Philip Parkin || Royal Cinque Ports ||

|-

| align=center|1981 || Philippe Ploujoux || align=center|4 & 2 || Joel Hirsch || John Carr, Tony Gresham || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1980 || Duncan Evans || align=center|4 & 3 || David Suddards || Duncan Lindsay-Smith, Arthur Pierse || Royal Porthcawl ||

|-

| align=center|1979 || Jay Sigel || align=center|3 & 2 || Scott Hoch || Tony Gresham, Doug Roxburgh || Hillside ||

|-

| align=center|1978 || Peter McEvoy (2) || align=center|4 & 3 || Paul McKellar || John Davies, David Suddards || Royal Troon ||

|-

| align=center|1977 || Peter McEvoy || align=center|5 & 4 || Hugh Campbell || Michael Bonallack, Paul McKellar || Ganton ||

|-

| align=center|1976 || Dick Siderowf (2) || align=center|37 holes || John Davies || Allan Brodie, Iain Carslaw || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1975 || Vinny Giles || align=center|8 & 7 || Mark James || Geoff Marks, Dick Siderowf || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1974 || Trevor Homer (2) || align=center|2 up || Jim Gabrielsen || Martin Poxon, Hugh Stuart || Muirfield ||

|-

| align=center|1973 || Dick Siderowf || align=center|5 & 3 || Peter Moody || Harry Ashby, Howard Clark || Royal Porthcawl ||

|-

| align=center|1972 || Trevor Homer || align=center|4 & 3 || Alan Thirlwell || Michael Bonallack, Roger Revell || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1971 || Steve Melnyk || align=center|3 & 2 || Jim Simons || Tom Kite, Peter Moody || Carnoustie ||

|-

| align=center|1970 || Michael Bonallack (5) || align=center|8 & 7 || Bill Hyndman || Bruce Critchley, Brian Hoey || Royal County Down ||

|-

| align=center|1969 || Michael Bonallack (4) || align=center|3 & 2 || Bill Hyndman || Bill Davidson, Dale Hayes || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1968 || Michael Bonallack (3) || align=center|7 & 6 || Joe Carr || Reg Glading, Geoff Marks|| Troon ||

|-

| align=center|1967 || Bob Dickson || align=center|2 & 1 || Ron Cerrudo || Gordon Clark, Marty Fleckman || Formby ||

|-

| align=center|1966 || Bobby Cole || align=center|3 & 2 || Ronnie Shade || Gordon Cosh, Henri de Lamaze || Carnoustie ||

|-

| align=center|1965 || Michael Bonallack (2) || align=center|2 & 1 || Clive Clark || Martin Christmas, Rodney Foster || Royal Porthcawl ||

|-

| align=center|1964 || Gordon Clark || align=center|39 holes || Michael Lunt || Martin Christmas, John Hall || Ganton ||

|-

| align=center|1963 || Michael Lunt || align=center|2 & 1 || John Blackwell || Ron Luceti, Ed Updegraff || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1962 || Richard Davies || align=center|1 up || John Povall || Brian Chapman, Rodney Foster || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1961 || Michael Bonallack || align=center|6 & 4 || James Walker || Martin Christmas, Ralph Morrow || Turnberry ||

|-

| align=center|1960 || Joe Carr (3) || align=center|8 & 7 || Bob Cochran || Gordon Huddy, James Walker || Royal Portrush ||

|-

| align=center|1959 || Deane Beman || align=center|3 & 2 || Bill Hyndman || Bob Magee, Guy Wolstenholme || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1958 || Joe Carr (2) || align=center|3 & 2 || Alan Thirlwell || Michael Bonallack, Tim Holland || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1957 || Reid Jack || align=center|2 & 1 || Harold Ridgley || Alan Bussell, Arthur Walker || Formby ||

|-

| align=center|1956 || John Beharrell || align=center|5 & 4 || Leslie Taylor || George Henderson, Reid Jack || Troon ||

|-

| align=center|1955 || Joe Conrad || align=center|3 & 2 || Alan Slater || Arthur Perowne, Philip Scrutton || Royal Lytham & St Annes ||

|-

| align=center|1954 || Doug Bachli || align=center|2 & 1 || William C. Campbell || Joe Carr, Tony Slark || Muirfield ||

|-

| align=center|1953 || Joe Carr || align=center|2 up || Harvie Ward || Cecil Beamish, Arthur Perowne || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1952 || Harvie Ward || align=center|6 & 5 || Frank Stranahan || Joe Carr, Robin Cater || Prestwick ||

|-

| align=center|1951 || Dick Chapman || align=center|5 & 4 || Charles Coe || Joe Carr, Albert Evans || Royal Porthcawl ||

|-

| align=center|1950 || Frank Stranahan (2) || align=center|8 & 6 || Dick Chapman || Jim McHale Jr., Cyril Tolley || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1949 || Max McCready || align=center|2 & 1 || Willie Turnesa || Bunny Millward, Ken Thom || Portmarnock ||

|-

| align=center|1948 || Frank Stranahan || align=center|5 & 4 || Charlie Stowe || Dennis Martin, Willie Turnesa || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1947 || Willie Turnesa || align=center|3 & 2 || Dick Chapman || John Campbell, Sam McKinlay || Carnoustie ||

|-

| align=center|1946 || Jimmy Bruen || align=center|4 & 3 || Robert Sweeny Jr. || Gerald Micklem, Harry Walker || Royal Birkdale ||

|-

| colspan="7" align=center|1940–1945: Not played due to World War II

|-

| align=center|1939 || Alex Kyle || align=center|2 & 1 || Tony Duncan || William Holt, Charlie Stowe || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1938 || Charlie Yates || align=center|3 & 2 || Cecil Ewing || Ross Somerville, Hector Thomson || Troon ||

|-

| align=center|1937 || Robert Sweeny Jr. || align=center|3 & 2 || Lionel Munn || Alaric de Bendern, Charlie Stowe || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1936 || Hector Thomson || align=center|2 up || Jim Ferrier || Cecil Ewing, Alec Hill || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1935 || Lawson Little (2) || align=center|1 up || William Tweddell || Robert Sweeny Jr., Tony Torrance || Royal Lytham & St Annes ||

|-

| align=center|1934 || Lawson Little || align=center|14 & 13 || James Wallace || George Dunlap, Leslie Garnett || Prestwick ||

|-

| align=center|1933 || Michael Scott || align=center|4 & 3 || Dale Bourn || George Dunlap, Cyril Tolley || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1932 || John de Forest || align=center|3 & 1 || Eric Fiddian || Eric McRuvie, Lionel Munn || Muirfield ||

|-

| align=center|1931 || Eric Martin Smith || align=center|1 up || John de Forest || John MacCormack, William Tulloch || Royal North Devon ||

|-

| align=center|1930 || Bobby Jones || align=center|7 & 6 || Roger Wethered || Lister Hartley, George Voigt || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1929 || Cyril Tolley (2) || align=center|4 & 3 || John Nelson Smith || John Dawson, Rex Hartley || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1928 || Philip Perkins || align=center|6 & 4 || Roger Wethered || John Dawson, Edward Tipping || Prestwick ||

|-

| align=center|1927 || William Tweddell || align=center|7 & 6 || Eustace Landale || R H Jobson, Roger Wethered || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1926 || Jess Sweetser || align=center|6 & 5 || Fred Simpson || William Brownlow, Andrew Jamieson Jr. || Muirfield ||

|-

| align=center|1925 || Robert Harris || align=center|13 & 12 || Kenneth Fradgley || Ronald Hardman, Noel Layton || Royal North Devon ||

|-

| align=center|1924 || Ernest Holderness (2) || align=center|3 & 2 || Eustace Storey || William Murray, Roger Wethered || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1923 || Roger Wethered || align=center|7 & 6 || Robert Harris || Douglas Grant, Francis Ouimet || Royal Cinque Ports ||

|-

| align=center|1922 || Ernest Holderness || align=center|1 up || John Caven || Willie Hunter, Robert Scott Jr. || Prestwick ||

|-

| align=center|1921 || Willie Hunter || align=center|12 & 11 || Allan Graham || Bernard Darwin, Henry Tubbs || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1920 || Cyril Tolley || align=center|37 holes || Robert A. Gardner || Gustav Mellin, Michael Scott || Muirfield ||

|-

| colspan="7" align=center |1915–1919: Not played due to World War I

|-

| align=center|1914 || James Jenkins || align=center|3 & 2 || Charles Hezlet || Robert Humphries, Everard Martin Smith || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1913 || Harold Hilton (4) || align=center|6 & 5 || Robert Harris || Colin Aylmer, Edward Kyle || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1912 || John Ball (8) || align=center|38 holes || Abe Mitchell || Angus Hambro, Charles Macfarlane || Royal North Devon ||

|-

| align=center|1911 || Harold Hilton (3) || align=center|4 & 3 || Edward Lassen || Gordon Lockhart, Leicester Stevens || Prestwick ||

|-

| align=center|1910 || John Ball (7) || align=center|10 & 9 || Colin Aylmer || Harold Hilton, Abe Mitchell || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1909 || Robert Maxwell (2) || align=center|1 up || Cecil Hutchison || Robert Andrew, Bernard Darwin || Muirfield ||

|-

| align=center|1908 || Edward Lassen || align=center|7 & 6 || Herbert Taylor || Charles Dick, John Graham Jr. || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1907 || John Ball (6) || align=center|6 & 4 || Charles Palmer || Guy Campbell, Robert Harris || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1906 || James Robb || align=center|4 & 3 || Clifford Lingen || Harry Colt, Edward Smirke || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1905 || Gordon Barry || align=center|3 & 2 || Osmund Scott || Archibald Aitken, John Graham Jr. || Prestwick ||

|-

| align=center|1904 || Walter Travis || align=center|4 & 3 || Edward Blackwell || Horace Hutchinson, Johnny Laidlay || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1903 || Robert Maxwell || align=center|7 & 5 || Horace Hutchinson || Herman de Zoete, Angus MacDonald || Muirfield ||

|-

| align=center|1902 || Charles Hutchings || align=center|1 up || Sidney Fry || Robert Maxwell, James Robb || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1901 || Harold Hilton (2) || align=center|1 up || John L. Low || John Graham Jr., Horace Hutchinson || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1900 || Harold Hilton || align=center|8 & 7 || James Robb || Johnnie Bramston, John Graham Jr. || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1899 || John Ball (5) || align=center|37 holes || Freddie Tait || Gilbert Whigham, John Williamson || Prestwick ||

|-

| align=center|1898 || Freddie Tait (2) || align=center|7 & 5 || Samuel Mure Fergusson || John L. Low, James Robb || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1897 || Jack Allan || align=center|4 & 2 || James Robb || Leslie Balfour-Melville, John L. Low || Muirfield ||

|-

| align=center|1896 || Freddie Tait || align=center|8 & 7 || Harold Hilton || John Graham Jr., Horace Hutchinson || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1895 || Leslie Balfour-Melville || align=center|19 holes || John Ball || Laurie Auchterlonie, Freddie Tait || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1894 || John Ball (4) || align=center|1 up || Samuel Mure Fergusson || Johnny Laidlay, Freddie Tait || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1893 || P.C. Anderson || align=center|1 up || Johnny Laidlay || Samuel Mure Fergusson, Freddie Tait || Prestwick ||

|-

| align=center|1892 || John Ball (3) || align=center|3 & 1 || Harold Hilton || Leslie Balfour, Johnny Laidlay || Royal St George's ||

|-

| align=center|1891 || Johnny Laidlay (2) || align=center|20 holes || Harold Hilton || William Ballingall, Thomas Gilroy || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1890 || John Ball (2) || align=center|4 & 3 || Johnny Laidlay || Leslie Balfour, David Leitch || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1889 || Johnny Laidlay || align=center|2 & 1 || Leslie Balfour || John Ball, William S. Wilson || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1888 || John Ball || align=center|5 & 4 || Johnny Laidlay || Leslie Balfour, Alexander Stuart || Prestwick ||

|-

| align=center|1887 || Horace Hutchinson (2) || align=center|1 up || John Ball || John Ball Sr., John Guthrie Tait || Royal Liverpool ||

|-

| align=center|1886 || Horace Hutchinson || align=center|7 & 6 || Henry Lamb || John Ball, Charles Chambers || St Andrews Links ||

|-

| align=center|1885 || Allan Macfie || align=center|7 & 6 || Horace Hutchinson || John Ball || Royal Liverpool ||

|}

Multiple winners

Sixteen players have won more than one Amateur Championship, as of 2025:

  • 8 wins: John Ball
  • 5 wins: Michael Bonallack
  • 4 wins: Harold Hilton
  • 3 wins: Joe Carr
  • 2 wins: Horace Hutchinson, Johnny Laidlay, Freddie Tait, Robert Maxwell, Ernest Holderness, Cyril Tolley, Lawson Little, Frank Stranahan, Trevor Homer, Dick Siderowf, Peter McEvoy, Gary Wolstenholme

Three players have won both the Amateur and the Open Championship:

  • John Ball – 1888, 1890, 1892, 1894, 1899, 1907, 1910, 1912 Amateurs; 1890 Open
  • Harold Hilton – 1900, 1901, 1911, 1913 Amateurs; 1892, 1897 Opens
  • Bobby Jones – 1930 Amateur; 1926, 1927, 1930 Opens

Stroke-play qualifying

Stroke-play qualifying was introduced in 1983. 36 holes are played, using two courses, with the leading 64 and ties advancing to the match-play stage. From 1983 to 1985 exactly 64 players qualified, ties for the final places being decided on countback. In 2020 qualifying was reduced to one round. In 2024 exactly 64 players qualified, ties for the final places being decided by a sudden-death playoff. The leading qualifiers are given below:

  • 1983 Philip Parkin (140)
  • 1984 Philip Parkin (141)
  • 2021 Matthew Clark (134)
  • 2022 Jonathan Broomhead+, Barclay Brown (135)
  • 2023 Ben Van Wyk (132)
  • 2024 Connor Graham (136)
  • 2025 Connor Graham (133)

+ Number one seed. If two or more players are tied, the seeding is decided on countback using the combined scores on the last 9 holes of both qualifying rounds.

Host courses

The Amateur has been played at the following courses, listed in order of number of tournaments hosted (as of 2025):

  • 18 Royal Liverpool Golf Club
  • 16 St Andrews Links
  • 15 Royal St George's Golf Club
  • 11 Prestwick Golf Club
  • 11 Muirfield
  • 7 Royal Porthcawl Golf Club
  • 6 Royal Troon Golf Club
  • 5 Carnoustie Golf Links, Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
  • 4 Formby Golf Club, Turnberry Golf Club, Royal Birkdale Golf Club,
  • 3 Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, Ganton Golf Club, Hillside Golf Club, Royal Portrush Golf Club, Royal North Devon Golf Club
  • 2 Royal County Down Golf Club, Portmarnock Golf Club, Nairn Golf Club
  • 1 Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, Royal Dornoch Golf Club, Ballyliffin Golf Club

Future sites

  • 2026 – Royal Liverpool and West Lancashire Golf Club
  • 2027 - Royal Portrush

References