25th September 2020

Matthias SCHMID (GER) retained the European Amateur Championship at G. & C.C. Zurich in Switzerland.

He became the second player to achieve this feat following in the footsteps of Ashley CHESTERS (ENG) who won in 2013 and 2104 and who is the only other two-time winner.

Nick Bachem, Matthias Schmid and Haider Hussain (Photo: swissgolf.ch)

A final round 72 (+1), which included a double bogey on his 72nd hole, proved to be good enough to secure a three shot victory. As can be seen from Schmid’s scorecard below the Championship was won on the 12th, 13th and 14th holes today where he picked up four shots at just the right time.

Schmid’s Final Scorecard (Photo: EGA / Golfbox)

Nick BACHEM (GER), who started the day tied for the lead, opened with a triple bogey – bogey to lose all momentum. Whilst he held on for 2nd place any chance he had of winning was clearly lost early in his round.

It was a much better story for Haider HUSSAIN (ENG) whose final day 67 (-4) lifted him up into 3rd place with a 278 (-6) total.

Hussain’s Final Scorecard (Photo: EGA / Golfbox)

Ben JONES (ENG), the only other GB&I player to make the cut, finished tied 26th on 288 (+4).

Here is a summary of the leading results: –

Final Results (Photo: EGA / Golfbox)

The average score in Round 4 was 73.68 the second highest of the week (1: 73.01 / 2: 74.12 / 3: 72.30).

Click here to view the full – 2020 European Amateur Championship Results

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24th September 2020

Nick BACHEM (GER), Philipp KATICH (GER) and Cedric GUGLER (SUI) all posted best of the week’s 63 (-8) in Round 3.

Bachem’s Scorecard (Photo: EGA / Golfbox)

Bachem now shares the lead with defending champion Matthias SCHMID (GER). Schmid himself shot an impressive 64 (-7) today. The two German’s will now take a 5-shot lead into the Final Round on -12. Fellow German Katich and David RAVETTO (FRA) lead the chasing pack on -7.

Haider HUSSAIN (ENG) recorded a 71 (Ev) to stay on -2 for the Championship and tied 11th. Ben JONES‘s (ENG) 68 (-3) moved him on to -1 overall and he will start tomorrow in tied 14th place.

Here are the leading players after 54 holes: –

Round 3 Scoreboard (Photo: EGA / Golfbox)

The 54 hole cut fell at 219 (+6) with 52 players progressing to the final round tomorrow.

Michael YOUNG (IRL) 72 75 73 (+7) and Arron EDWARDS-HILL (ENG) 70 75 76 (+8) were amongst those who missed the cut.

The average score in Round 3 was 72.30, the lowest of the week so far (1: 73.01 / 2: 74.12).

The 295 yard par 4 10th hole played the easiest on Day 3 with an average score of 3.76. There was 1 eagle and 39 birdies today. In a change to the previous two rounds the 200 yard par 3 4th hole played the hardest in Round 3 with an average score of 3.35.

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23rd September 2020

Matthias SCHMID (GER) moved into sole possession of the lead with an even par round of 71 in Round 2. His round included four birdies and four bogeys.

Nick BACHEM (GER) and Rasmus KARLSSON (FIN) joined Frederik SCHOTT (GER) in tied 2nd place on -4 after the pair both posted a joint best of the day 68 (-3).

On a tougher day in Zurich Haider HUSSAIN (ENG) posted a 72 to slip to tied 11th, Ben JONES (ENG) a 72 to rise to tied 27th, Arron EDWARDS-HILL (ENG) a 75 to sit tied 30th and Michael YOUNG (IRL) a 75 to finish the day in tied 49th.

Here is the Round 2 Scoreboard (leading players only): –

Round 2 Scoreboard (Photo: EGA / Golfbox)

The average score in Round 2 was 74.12 (+3.12), a full shot higher than yesterday.

The 478 yard par 4 12th hole played the easiest on Day 2 with an average score of 4.71. There were 2 eagles and 33 birdies on this hole. The 450 yard par 4th 18th hole remained the hardest hole in Round 2 with an average score of 4.73, just slightly lower than yesterday (4.77).

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22nd September 2020

Matthias SCHMID (GER), Gregorio DE LEO (ITA), Casper SIMBERG (FIN) and Frederik SCHOTT (GER) all recorded 66’s (-5) in Round 1 to lead the European Amateur Championship in Zurich.

Schmid, Simberg, De Leo and Schott’s Rd 1 Scorecards (Photo: EGA / Golfbox)

Haider HUSSAIN (ENG) made a great start to his opening round with four birdies in his opening five holes. His 67 -4 score sees him nicely placed in tied 5th place.

Hussain’s Rd 1 Scorecards (Photo: EGA / Golfbox)

Arron EDWARDS-HILL (ENG) 70 -1 is tied 11th and Ben JONES (ENG) and Michael YOUNG (IRL) 72 +1 are tied 35th.

Here are the leading players after Round 1: –

Round 1 Scoreboard (Photo: EGA / Golfbox)

The average score in Round 1 was 73.01 (+2.01).

The 295 yard par 4 10th hole played the easiest with an average score of 3.52. There was 8 eagles and 38 birdies on this hole on Day 1. The 450 yard par 4th 18th hole was the hardest with an average score of 4.77.

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21st September 2020

The 33rd European Amateur Championship starts tomorrow at Golf & Country Club Zurich in Switzerland.

This prestigious Championship is run by the European Golf Association (EGA), assisted each year by the host nation; this year, the Swiss Golf Association.

Golf & Country Club Zurich Aerial (Photo: golfhome.ch)

Entries / Competition Format

In normal times 144 players contest the European Amateur Championship in June each year. Due to COVID-19 the 2020 event has slipped to September and the field has been reduced to 90 players.

All of the players in the field must have handicaps of 0.0 or better with the entry ballot applied based on the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Exemptions were available to the defending champion, a single nomination from each EGA member nation, four nominated players from the host nation, Switzerland, competitors in the most recent Bonallack Trophy, St. Andrew’s Trophy and Jacques Léglise Trophy matches, the 2019 South American Amateur champion and the 2019 European Mid-Amateur champion.

Due to travel and quarantine concerns there are just four GB&I players competing in Switzerland, namely Arron EDWARDS-HILL (ENG), Haider HUSSAIN (ENG), Ben JONES (ENG) and Michael YOUNG (IRL).

The defending champion Matthias SCHMID (GER) is competing as is the 2020 Brabazon Trophy winner David RAVETTO (FRA).

It is a 72-hole stroke play competition with 18-holes played daily over four days.

A cut will take place after 54 holes. The 60 lowest scores and ties normally qualifying but due to the reduced field only the lowest 48 scores and ties will progress this year to the final round on Friday 25th September.

A 3 hole aggregate score play off will decide the winner in the event of a tie. If this doesn’t separate the players then a sudden death play-off will commence over the same holes.

Golf & Country Club Zurich

The 2020 Championship is being staged at the Golf & Country Club Zurich in Switzerland.

Golf & Country Club Zurich (Photo: gccz.ch)

The Club was founded in the 1920s with the course originally designed by the English professional Tom Williamson.

Simpson & Co. made some minor adjustments in 1936 before a major redesign was completed by Donald Harradine in 1978/79. The course re-opened in May 1980.

It sits 685m above sea level and plays to 6,563m and a par of 71 off the back tees.

Weather Forecast

A showery week is forecast for Zurich but with virtually no wind expected scoring should be good.

Tues 22nd Sept – Sunny Intervals. Wind 3 mph (W). Min. 24°C / Max. 16°C.
Weds 23rd Sept – Light Rain Showers. Wind 5 mph (W). Min. 22°C / Max. 14°C.
Thurs 24th Sept – Light Rain Showers. Wind 4 mph (W). Min. 22°C / Max. 14°C.
Fri 25th Sept – Light Rain Showers. Wind 5 mph (W). Max. 15°C / Min 8°C.

Prizes

Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to the Top 3 finishers.

More importantly the champion will receive an exemption into next year’s delayed Open Championship being played at Royal St. George’s G.C. in England.

The Championship Trophy is held by the winning player’s national golf authority.

2019 European Amateur Championship

Matthias SCHMID (GER) won the 2019 European Amateur Championship by 3-shots with a 273 (-15) total.

Matthias Schmid (Photo: European Golf Association)

Euan WALKER (SCO) finished 2nd on -12 and Ben JONES (ENG) and Joe LONG (ENG) tied 3rd on -9. Jones collected the bronze medal based on a last 36 holes count back.

Here are the results for the last three European Amateurs: –

Click here to view the full – 2019 European Amateur Championship Results

Click here to view the – 2018 European Amateur Championship Results

Click here to view the – 2017 European Amateur Championship Results

History

The competition was first contested in 1986 at Eindhoven G.C. Initially it was held biennially before moving to an annual fixture from 1990.

2020 will be the second occasion that Switzerland has hosted the European Amateur. Sweden’s Didier Olsson won in 1997 at Golf Club du Domaine Impérial in Gland.

Former winners who have gone on to enjoy very successful professional careers include Stephen GALLACHER (1994), Sergio GARCIA (1995), Gregory HAVRET (1999), Carl PETTERSSON (2000), Rory MCILROY (2006) and Victor DUBUISSON (2009).

In addition to Gallacher and McIlroy other GB&I past winners include Jim PAYNE (1991), Paddy GRIBBEN (1998), Stephen BROWNE (2001), Brian MCELHINNEY (2003), Matthew RICHARDSON (2004), Rhys PUGH (2012) and Ashley CHESTERS (2013 and 2014) and Alfie PLANT (2017).

Ashley Chesters is the only two-time winner and the only player to have retained the trophy.

Click here to view the – European Amateur Championship Past Winners and Venues

Rory McIlroy – 2006 Champion (Photo: European Golf Association)

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