Ben Brown joins an elite group of players who have successfully defended the Northumberland County Championship trophy, and sets his sights on more success in the US having regained his confidence on the golf course
Ben Brown has enjoyed a remarkable rise to prominence over the last two years. Having picked up the game late after focusing on playing football as a youngster, he captured the biggest prize in the men’s game in Northumberland in 2025. A year on, at the age of just 21, he retained the trophy and joined an elite group of players who have achieved back-to-back wins.
“It’s a great feeling to be a two-time county champion,” says Ben, who joined players including Nicky Maddison (2010-2011), Kenny Fairbairn (1990-1991), John Metcalfe (1988-1989), Peter Deeble (1982-1983), Jimmy Hayes (1976-1977), Peter Davidson (1972-1973) and David Moffat (1958-1959) in successfully defending the trophy.
“Last year when I won, I was super-excited. This year was still a great feeling, but it was different having really struggled with my game for the first time. I didn’t know whether I’d be able to play decent golf again when I was at my lowest, but winning the county championship again proves it’s still in there and I can play well under pressure.”
Ben became county champion for the second time following victory in the event’s final at Morpeth Golf Club, adding to his win at Arcot Hall last summer, and continuing his remarkable unbeaten record in matchplay at the county championship.
A member of Backworth Golf Club, as well as Bedlingtonshire, Ben beat Morpeth’s Cameron Twynholm – the 2024 champion – 3&1 after a week of superb golf which included overcoming 2025 finalist Harrison Sewell in the semi-finals.
In the 36-hole final, the players broke for lunch tied after 18 holes. Ben then took charge in the afternoon – moving to 4up after 27 holes. Cameron fought back to be just 1dn with four holes to play before Ben drove into the middle of the 15th green and made his two-putt birdie to get back to 2up. After the 16th was halved, Ben secured a 3&1 victory on the 17th.
“It’s nice to back up the win in 2025 and prove it wasn’t a fluke,” adds Ben. “It was great to be there with Cam in the final, getting through those matches takes a lot of effort and some great golf.
“Finding the belief that you can win is hard, but you have to have it in this game.
“You can’t skip the stages that build confidence. I’ve come from being a reserve in club and then county teams to playing down the order and going right through to being number one. Beating players one-on-one is tough, but you can’t go into matches scared. I think that mindset has been my greatest strength in the county championship over the last two years.
“Having struggled with my game in America, and come through a lot of poor golf over the last few months, I think I’m a much calmer player now too. I’m not perfect, but I move on from bad shots a lot better, and I think that was important at Morpeth throughout the week.”
Having been beaten 8&6 in his first club league match after returning home from college in the US, Ben worked closely with his coach, Mark Penny, to find his best golf having struggled with some swing changes for several months.
“Having played some really poor golf when I first came home, I got to work with Mark and he helped me clear my mind,” adds Ben, who went on to shoot nine under-par for four rounds in the Northumberland County Strokeplay and finish fourth. “I took some confidence from my performance in the strokeplay, and from then on I felt like I had some good golf in me.”
Having set his target for the county championship – to make it into the matchplay stage as one of the top 16 players after 36 holes of strokeplay at Morpeth – Ben found himself with work to do.
“The most pressure I felt all week was in the strokeplay, especially late in the second round, but being in the top-16 was all that mattered,” says Ben, who qualified in a tie for ninth place with a two over-par score.
In the round of 16, Ben faced Cameron Thoburn, who he had never beaten before, and came through what he describes a “scrappy” match with a 1up win.
Next up was James Grant, and while Ben played better golf, another close match saw neither player get more than 1up as Ben holed an 8ft putt on the 18th to win 1up.
“Those two games were so close,” he says. “That’s matchplay though, you need a bit of luck, and in the county championship you also need to time who you play on which night as all it takes is one player shooting the lights out and you’re gone.”
In the semi-finals, Ben met 2025 finalist Harrison Sewell.
“I knew I had to get it going to beat him having just made it through the first two games, and that match may have been the best I’ve ever putted,” he says. “Every time I play Harrison, I know he’s going to be hard to beat, but the confidence of winning matches does amazing things and it came through on the greens that night.”
In the final, Ben faced 2024 winner Cameron Twynholm over his home course. Both Ben and Cameron are also members of Bedlingtonshire and they had practised there ahead of each match, and played together in the strokeplay qualifying.
“It was pretty close in the morning, a scrappy game in the drizzle, and neither of us pushed on,” says Ben, who went in at lunchtime all-square.
“I’ve got used to changing something and finding a swing feel, and having hit some balls on the range, I got to the first tee full of confidence. I just missed the green with a hybrid and that got me going perfectly. I hit so many good shots on the front nine [shooting three under-par and going bogey-free to get to 4up] and rode the momentum pretty well.”
Having seen his lead fall back to just 1up, Ben reached the 15th knowing good swings were needed.
“The 15th was always going to be key and having been aggressive all week, I made my best swing of the final [hitting driver to 20ft] and won the hole with a birdie. Another good shot on 16 gave me the momentum back at just the right time and forced Cam to press. When he missed on 17 and conceded my putt, I’d done it.
“There’s nothing like having loads of your friends, and your parents, there with you for a moment like that,” adds Ben. “The support I’ve had these last two years from my family and the members of Backworth has been awesome and I really appreciate them giving up their time to cheer me on.
“Having people watching gives me another level of focus, and it really helps knowing they want to see me play well. Having Simon Potts back on my bag was a huge help all week as well, he’s a great caddy and even better person.
“I’m really proud to have achieved this as a member of Backworth. It’s amazing how much it means to so many people at the club and it’s great to be part of that environment.”
Ben retained the trophy having returned home to Burradon following the first year of his golf scholarship in the US.
He won twice as a freshman at Eastern Wyoming College – at the Central Wyoming College Fall ’25 event at Riverton Country Club and the Monument Spring Road Tournament at Monument Shadows Golf Course – but also struggled a great deal with his game and contemplated giving up more than once.
“If it hadn’t been for the scholarship, I think I would have packed in,” says Ben. “Some swing changes which I couldn’t get gave me a two-way miss and my short game went off as I started playing on different grasses. After months of that, and hitting thousands of balls searching for something, I got to rock bottom.
“I’ve got no doubt I’ll be a better golfer having gone through all of that, but it was a really tough stretch.”
Ben credits his work with coach Mark Penny for getting back to his best golf, along with the unwavering support of his parents.
“It can be easy to give yourself a hard time when you’re not playing well, but I need to give myself more credit sometimes,” he adds.
“I played well in my two wins, and despite bad golf, I loved being in the US. Our coach is great, as are the facilities, and I’ve got a girlfriend now. I can’t wait to go back having found some good golf again.
“My goal for the year ahead is to do well in the district and then perform in nationals. Those events are key to being noticed so I can go on to the next level after achieving my associate degree and join another golf programme to continue my development as a college golfer.”
Having held a handicap of 24 when he was 15, and cycled to Backworth with a single club balanced on the handlebars to practise with his older brother, Sam, Ben’s trajectory in the game has been impressive – and he takes it all in his stride.
“I just wake up and get on with it really,” he says. “Being a good golfer was never my dream growing up, and it’s incredible how fast all this has happened.
“It will be interesting to look back when it slows down, but right now I just want to see what comes next. I have no idea where I want to go in the game and what happens after college.
“All it takes in this game is winning at the right time. I’m going to give myself every opportunity and see where I can get to.”
Before he heads back to the US, Ben will be teeing it up in the English Amateur, his first national event, and the Northern Counties Qualifying Championship (AKA The Big Six) with the Northumberland team.
“I think being a better golfer comes down to experience, and the more events I play in, the more I win, the more struggles I get through with my game, the better golfer I’ll be,” he adds.
“I’m in no rush. I’ve played my way through teams and into bigger events since I was 15 years old and I know the only way to get used to pressure is to play under it.
“I’m ready for the intensity of the college schedule and I’m excited to see what the future holds.”
