Ben Amor – son of Marlborough Golf Club’s resident professional Simon Amor – has clinched a place in the English men’s amateur open (The Brabazon Trophy) with a course record round of 65 at Liphook. He finished birdie, birdie, eagle.
That was some going on a course renowned for its tight fairways, lined with thick heater, gorse and trees, and its fast greens. Ben Amor found the greens very much to his liking: “These are some of the best greens I have putted on – I thought they were fantastic.”
He admitted to a tentative start, keeping the ball in play and reaching the turn in level par. Those tactics paid off, though, when a 25-footer went in for a birdie on the tenth. “That settled me down. I’d had the pace on the greens all day but I hadn’t been aggressive. After that I just let go.”
A birdie at the fourteenth and then that grandstand finish: “I hit great shots into
16 and 17, inside four feet and eight feet, and then on the 18th I holed an 18ft putt for eagle.”
At 19, Ben will be among the youngest competitors for the Brabazon which is open to male amateur golfers of all nationalities. He is already a member of the England ‘A’ team.
Played at the end of June over 72 holes, there is a cut after two days’ play with the leading sixty and ties over 36 holes going forward to compete for the prestigious trophy. Past winners include Sandy Lyle, Gordon Brand Jr. and Ronan Rafferty.
Meanwhile three other Marlborough Club players were winning prestigious competitions. Dom Seaman and Paul Green took the Wiltshire County Foursomes title. And Karen Gosling won the County Ladies Singles title.