Ellen Yates and Romanby’s Ben Brown were crowned women’s and men’s English amateur champions after a hard fought final day at Ferndown Golf Club.
The men’s and women’s semi-finals threw up four tight battles which went to 17 or 18, before the afternoon’s two finals both required two playoff holes to determine a winner.
In the men’s final, Tyler Weaver hit the green with his tee shot on the 20th hole, while Ben had hit the trees right. However, Ben made a miraculous recovery by chipping in from 20 yards to win as Tyler’s birdie putt finished just shy.
Meanwhile, Ellen’s tee shot on the 20th was straight allowing her to get near the hole in two, but opponent Rebecca Earl found the bunker before missing a bogey putt to concede the hole as Ellen was named champion.
There was also a solid result for Carus Green’s Caitlin Whitehead, who was beaten in the semi-finals by Ellen; while Bishop Auckland’s Jess Hall and Hunley Hall’s Michael Hay reached the quarter-final stages.
The 2024 English Amateur Championship takes place at Seaton Carew and Hartlepool golf clubs July 30-August 4.
