Yorkshire 16-year-old Ben Schmidt became the youngest-ever winner of the Brabazon Trophy yesterday, finishing on 13-under par and winning by five shots at Alwoodley Golf Club, Leeds. The runner up was West Cornwall’s Harry Hall who in Round 3 had shot a course record 63. Hall arrived at Alwoodley on Tuesday from America and teed it up on Thursday in Round 1.

Schmidt was under par in all four rounds of the championship, scoring 69 64 69 69 and held on to the lead after round three, but it was cut to one shot when Cornwall’s Harry Hall set the new course record which comprised two eagles and 5 birdies. The two players were paired together for the final round with Schmidt setting out 11-under par and Hall 10-under.

Hall, 21, made a blistering start, with two birdies in the first three holes to overtake Schmidt. But the teenager took the lead again 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 an uncharacteristic three-putt. But that was his last mistake. He played the difficult back nine in two-under par, while Hall dropped three shots over the closing holes. Schmidt 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.

Hall was championship runner-up on eight-under par, while Scotland’s Euan Walker was third on seven-under after a closing 66.

Full Brabazon Scores Here

Hall now moves on in his bid for a Walker Cup spot and next plays in the St Andrews Links Trophy where 144 golfers from 21 different countries will tee off on Friday 7th June.The Links Trophy is a 72 hole scratch stroke play competition with the field primarily determined by reference to the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). Following a top 40 and ties cut on Saturday the leading players will play a final 36 holes on the Old Course on Sunday. 22 of the 26 members of the Walker Cup squad will be competing at St. Andrews this week and Hall is one of them. On Friday he will play with defending champion John Murphy (Ireland) who will strive to become just the third player to win the Championship twice.

St Andrews Links Trophy Here

Thereafter Cornwall will be hoping Hall is able to join them at Parkstone GC, Dorset for the SWCGA Championship week which features matchplay between the 6 competing counties and an individual 36 hole strokeplay qualifier for the English County Finals. The strokeplay qualifier takes place on Tuesday 11th June.

SWCGA Strokeplay Start Times Here