Major Championships
A perusal of the list of tournaments held at Moortown indicates the range of events, which have been staged over the years. The Championships fall into two main categories, the Amateur Competitions both National and International and the Professional Tournaments, which include the original Yorkshire Evening News Tournament, the Ryder Cup and P.G.A. Tour Events.
Amongst the many notable Amateur winners was Michael Bonallack who won the English Amateur Championship in 1962 and again shared the honours in the 1968 Brabazon Trophy with Rodney Foster. A young Danny Willett was also triumphant in the Yorkshire Amateur Championship in 2007.
Major Amateur Championships & Events
Competition | Year | Winner |
Yorkshire Amateur Championship | 1926 | N.W. Dunn |
Yorkshire Amateur Championship | 1930 | J. Robinson |
R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship | 1934 | R.S. Burles |
English Amateur Championship | 1938 | J.J. Pennink |
English County Championship | 1938 | Staffordshire |
Yorkshire Amateur Championship | 1939 | S.E. Banks |
English Ladies’ Championship | 1955 | Mrs. R. S. Stevens |
Brabazon Trophy | 1957 | D. Sewell |
R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship | 1958 | R. Bradden |
English Amateur Championship | 1962 | M.F. Bonallack |
R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship | 1966 | A.A. Phillips |
Brabazon Trophy | 1968 | R. Foster / M.F. Bonallack |
R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship | 1972 | G. Harvey |
Brabazon Trophy | 1974 | N. Sundelson |
Seniors’ Open Championship | 1974 | M.I. Ivor-Jones |
Ladies’ Home Internationals | 1978 | England |
English Amateur Championship | 1980 | P. Deeble |
Ladies’ British Amateur Open Strokeplay | 1983 | Miss A. Nicholas |
Seniors’ Open Championship | 1989 | C. Green |
English Mid-Amateur Championship | 1989 | A. Mew |
English Amateur Championship | 1994 | M. Foster |
English Mid-Amateur Championship | 1989 | A. Mew |
Brabazon Trophy | 1999 | M. Side |
Boys Home Internationals | 2001 | England |
ELGA County Finals | 2001 | Yorkshire |
English v Irish Senior Ladies | 2002 | England |
Tillman Trophy | 2003 | J.T. Smith |
Yorkshire Amateur Championship | 2007 | D.J. Willett |
Brabazon Trophy | 2009 | N. Kearney |
100th Leeds Cup | 2015 | G. Houston |
Ladies’ British Amateur Open Strokeplay | 2015 | Miss A. Ashok |
Yorkshire Amateur Championship | 2016 | B. Hutchinson |
Men’s Home Internationals | 2017 | Ireland |
English Womens’ Amateur Championship | 2021 | K.Rugeley |
English Mens’ Amateur Championship | 2021 | J.Gough |
Mens’ International Match – England vs France | 2024 | France |
R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship | 2024 | V.Olsson Mork |
Yorkshire Evening News
From 1925 to 1962 Moortown regularly hosted the Yorkshire Evening News Professional Tournament. One of Moortown’s members, who worked for the Yorkshire Evening News, Kolin Roberston was instrumental in both attracting and organising these tournaments. Kolin was a single-figure handicap golfer with a world-wide reputation as a golf writer. He was largely responsible for bringing the Ryder Cup Match to Moortown in 1929.
In 1932 the event was spread over five days (Tuesday to Saturday) and attracted 3,940 spectators with a total gate of £197. The Club made a gross profit from the event of £88 8s 6d. Winners of the tournament included:
Year | Winner |
1926 | C.A. Whitcombe |
1928 | C.A. Whitcombe |
1929 | J. Turnesa (U.S.A) |
1925 | L. Holland |
1932 | B. Hodson |
1934 | A.H. Padgham |
1937 | A.J. Lacey |
1945 | A. Compston |
1946 | A.D. Locke (S.A) |
1947 | H. Cotton / N. Von Nida |
1948 | C.H. Ward |
1949 | S.L. King |
Professional Events
Following the successful Evening News tournaments, Moortown hosted the Silent Night Trophy in 1965, which produced a tied result with Dave Thomas and Jimmy Martin.
PGA Cup
In 1976 Rank Xerox sponsored the PGA Cup Match between Great Britain and Ireland versus United States of America, which was won by the U.S. team.
Haig Whisky – European Tour Event
In 1980 Haig Whisky sponsored the Tournament Players Championship which was won by Bernard Gallagher from Severiano Ballesteros who hit an over zealous approach shot to the 18th Green when his ball cleared green, spectators, bushes and trees and finished on the Putting Green.
Open Championship Regional Qualifying Venue
In conjunction with the R&A, Moortown has hosted the Open Championship Qualifying Round on multiple occasions, most recently in 2016.
PGA Professionals Championship
In 2008 the club played host to the Glenmuir PGA Professionals Championship won by Paul Simpson of the West Berkshire Golf Club.
Car Care – European Tour Events
From 1984 to 1986 the Car Care Group brought their sponsored PGA Tour Event to Moortown and Moortown had the opportunity of seeing all the leading European players in action. The Car Care Trophy was won in 1984 by Sir Nick Faldo, in 1985 by David J Russell and in 1986 by Mark Mouland.