Amateur Golf: A Resumé of the Year
Reproduced by courtesy of the Daily Telegraph
and Bill Meredith

It has been a memorable year for British amateur golf.

For the first time in 79 years, Great Britain and Ireland succesfully defended the Walker Cup - on American soil, too. Peter McEvoy's men did not just beat the Americans at Sea Island, they crushed them 15-9.

The depth of talent across Britain is awe-inspiring. Scotand won the European Team Championship, England the home internationals. An Irishman, Michael Hoey, was crowned Amateur champion, and a 32-year-old Welshman, Nigel Edwards, won the Duncan Putter. Another Irishman, Stephen Browne, was European individual champion, Englishman Richard McEvoy claimed the Lytham Trophy and Irish Open Amateur within a week and Scot Steven O'Hara lifted the St Andrews Links Trophy.

O'Hara was runner-up in the Brabazon, which was won with a birdie-birdie-eagle finish at Royal Birkdale by Englishman Richard Walker. Walker is a former pro and many of the young Lions who did well this year are now trying their hand at the professional game, among them O'Hara, McEvoy, Luke Donald, Nick Dougherty - all members of the Walker Cup side.

Others, such as Edwards and Gary Wolstenholme, who led the way in the Daily Telegraph/JJB Sports Order of Merit, will stay amateur and continue to inspire the thousands of young hopefuls who dream of becoming the next Faldo or Woods after they have learnt their trade. It is exciting to watch young players making their mark each year.

They not only have to battle against fellow British golfers but also face the challenge from the Continent. This year, for instance, overseas players won both the British Boys' Matchplay and English Strokeplay Championships. Raphael De Sousa, 18, from Switzerland, took the Carris Trophy abroad for the first time with a marvellous display of golf at Moor Park. His final 66 gave him a four-round total of 274 - 14 under par. Even here, though, Britain can take some credit for he is coached by Englishman Graham Kaye.

In the British Boys at Ganton, 15-year-old Pablo Martin beat fellow Spaniard Rafael Cabrera in the final after both accounted for English opposition, James Heath and Chris Clarke, in the semi-finals. Scott Godfrey, from St Enodoc, Cornwall, had already won the Berkhamsted Trophy, became the English Amateur champion at Saunton, where he beat Simon Robinson, of Seaton Carew, 4 and 3 in the 36-hole final.

In the Daily Telegraph/ Center Parcs Junior Championship at Sea Island, two 17-year-olds led the way. Michael Nester, from Nottinghamshire, won the boys' title with rounds of 68 and 71 and Sophie Walker, of Lincolnshire, won the girls' event for the second time after rounds of 71 and 72. Two young Russians won the Faldo Series - Grigory Bondarenko and Ouliana Rotmistrovam, both from the Moscow City Club. There are only a handful of clubs in Russia, but obviously they have some outstanding young golfers.

Stephen East, 42, won the British and English Mid-Amateur titles, a splendid achievement by the Yorkshireman, who also helped his side win the English County Championship at Burnham & Berrow, where Richard Finch, the West of England Open champion, won all his six matches.

2001 Roll of Honour

Walker Cup: GB & Ireland.
Home Internationals: England.
Sunningdale Foursomes: C Lipscombe (Cirencester) & S Little (Lilley Brook).
Sherry Cup: G Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs).
Berkhamsted Trophy: S Godfrey (St Enodoc).
Duncan Putter: N Edwards (Whitchurch).
Lytham Trophy: R McEvoy (Thorpe Hall).
Berkshire Trophy: G Evans (Ealing).
Irish Open Amateur Ch'ship: R McEvoy (Thorpe Hall).
Peter McEvoy Trophy: B Harvey (Dudsbury).
West of England Open: R Finch (Hull).
Brabazon Trophy: R Walker (Walton Hall).
St Andrews Links: S O'Hara (Colville Pk).
English Seniors Ch'ship: R Smethhurst (Crewe).
Lagonda Trophy: D Skinns (Lincoln).
English Mid-Amateur Ch'ship: S East (Moortown).
European Amateur Team Ch'ship: Scotland.
Amateur Ch'ship: M Hoey (Shandon Park).
Tillman Trophy: R Fisher (Wentworth) .
Carris Trophy: R De Sousa (Switzerland).
English Amateur Ch'ship: S Godfrey (St Enodoc).
Welsh Amateur Ch'ship: C Williams (Creigiau).
Irish Amateur Ch'ship: G McNeill (Waterford).
Scottish Amateur Ch'ship: B Hume (Haggs Castle).
Daily Telegraph Order of Merit: G Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs).
British Boys' Ch'ship: P Martin (Spain).
Faldo Commemoration Jug: N Pimm (Surbiton).
British Mid-Amateur: S East (Moortown).
European Individual Ch'ship: S Browne (Ireland).
Grafton Morrish: KCS Wimbledon.
English County Ch'ship: Yorkshire.
Champion of Champions: Wolstenholme.
Daily Telegraph/Center Parcs Ch'ship.-Boys: M Nester (Notts). Girls: S Walker (Kenwick Pk).
Faldo Junior Series.- Boys: G Bondarenko (Moscow). Girls: O Rotmistrova (Moscow
Lexus European U21 Championships: - Boys B Hume - Girls E Cabrera
Halford Hewitt: Tonbridge