The Open Championship

The Needler Trophy
(Open Championship)

Although the first Open Championship took place in 1967 the trophy was first presented in 1969. It was purchased from the kind sponsorship of the Hull based Needler group of companies and partly from Union funds. It bears the name G. T. Rignall the man responsible for its conception.

1967 B. J. Waites (Brough)

1968 B. J. Waites (Brough)

1969 M. J. Kelley (Ganton)

1970 M. J. Kelley (Ganton)

1971 M. J. Kelley (Ganton)

1972 I. Duncan (Brough)

1973 G. W. Townhill (Hull)

1974 G. W. Townhill (Hull Driving Range)

1975 G. W. Townhill (Hull Golf Centre)

1976 J. Hammond (Filey)

1977 K. J. Miller (Fulford)

1978 B. Hessay (Fulford)

1979 M. Grantham (Hull)

1980 B. Thompson (Hornsea)

1981 M. J. Kelley* (Scarborough NC)

1982 B. Thompson (Hornsea)

1983 A. G. Edmond* (Hull)

1984 B. Thompson (Hornsea)

1985 G. W. Townhill (Brough)

1986 G. W. Townhill (Brough)

1987 G. W. Townhill (Brough)

1988 G. W. Townhill (Brough)

1989 G. W. Townhill (Brough)

1990 J. D. Dockar* (Ganton)

1991 G. Brown (Ganton)

1992 A. Wright* (Hornsea)

1993 D. Leng (Brough)

1994 A. Wright* (Hornsea)

1995 D. Leng (Brough)

1996 D. Leng (Brough)

1997 G. Brown (Ganton)

1998 S. Bermitz* (Brough)

1999 F. Kelley* (Ganton)

2000 F. Kelley* (Ganton)

2001 S. Bermitz* (Brough)

2002 N. Burnley* (Beverley & ER)

2003 B. Ellison* (Hull)

2004 J. Wells (Beverley & ER)

2005 J. Wells (Beverley & ER)

2006 A. Hammond (Cherry Burton)

2007 A. Belt (Bridlington Links)

2008 J. Drinkall (Allerthorpe Park)

2009 J. Wells (Cherry Burton)

2010 G. Brown (Ganton)

2011 J. Drinkall (Allerthorpe Park)

2012 M. Daley (Hainsworth Park)

2013 L. Blanchard* (Hessle)

2014 M. Helyard (Beverley &ER)

2015 P. Lockwood* (Hessle)

2016 N. Burnley* (Beverley & ER)

2017 M. Raybould* (Bridlington)

2018 R. Pace (Beverley & ER)

2019 N. Raybould* (Hornsea)

2020 not played

2021 O. Adamson (Ganton)

2022 P. Lockwood* (Driffield)

2023 S. Uzzell* (Hornsea)

2024 F. Kelley (Filey)

* Denotes amateur

The George Ash Salver
(Leading Amateur in Open Championship)

This was presented by the Union in recognition of the achievements of George Ash (Beverley Golf Club). President 1960, County Champion 1960 and Union Champion 1951, 53, 54, 57, 58, 59 and 61. This was first awarded in 1967.

1967 P. Dawson (Ganton)

1968 M. J. Kelley (Ganton)

1969 M. J. Kelley (Ganton)

1970 M. J. Kelley (Ganton)

1971 M. J. Kelley (Ganton)

1972 P. G. Pilling (Ganton)

1973 R. J. Brown (Hull), R. Kelley (Scarborough N.C.)

1974 M. J. Kelley (Scarborough N.C.)

1975 M. J. Kelley (Scarborough N.C.)

1976 G. R. Lamb (Sutton Park)

1977 K. J. Miller (Fulford)

1978 J. L. Major (Hornsea)

1979 J. L. Plaxton (Fulford)

1980 R. Kelley (Scarborough N.C.), B. Scon (Hornsea)

1981 M. J. Kelley (Scarborough N.C.)

1982 R. Kelley (Scarborough N.C.), J. Issott (Fulford), P. W. J. Greenhough (Brough)

1983 A. G. Edmond (Hull)

1984 K. J. Miller (Fulford)

1985 J. Coggin (Springhead Park)

1986 A. Wright (Sutton Park)

1987 A. D. Hill (Hull)

1988 P. Binnington (Ganton)

1989 J. D. Dockar (Ganton)

1990 J. D. Dockar (Ganton)

1991 P. Binnington (Ganton), N. Burnley (Beverley), B. Scott (Hornsea)

1992 A. Wright (Hornsea)

1993 M. J. Kelley (Scarborough N.C.), A. Wright (Hornsea), M. Lamb (Hessle)

1994 A. Wright (Hornsea), J. Wells (Beverley & E.R.)

1995 N. Burnley (Beverley & E.R.)

1996 A. Wright (Hornsea)

1997 F. Kelley (Scarborough S.C.), C. Smith (Scarborough S.C.)

1998 S. Bermitz (Brough)

1999 F. Kelley (Ganton)

2000 F. Kelley (Ganton)

2001 M. B. Lill (Hull), S. Bermitz (Brough)

2002 N. Burnley (Beverley)

2003 B. Ellison (Hull)

2004 A. Wright (Hessle)

2005 A. Wright (Hessle)

2006 A. Wright (Hessle)

2007 A. Wright (Hessle)

2008 A. Wright (Hessle)

2009 A. Wright (Hessle), Andy Woodhead (Brough)

2010 M. Lamb (Sutton Park), S. Dillon (Driffield GC)

2011 P. Lockwood (Hessle), J. Samuel (Hull)

2012 P. Lockwood (Hessle)

2013 L. Blanchard (Hessle), A. Lockwood (Hessle)

2014 J. Samuel (Hull)

2015 B. Borman (Cottingham)

2016 N. Burnley (Beverley & ER)

2017 M. Raybould (Bridlington)

2018 A. Lockwood (Hessle)

2019 N. Raybould (Hornsea)

2020 not played

2021 S. Uzzell (Hornsea)

2022 P. Lockwood (Driffield)

2023 S. Uzzell (Hornsea)

For the General Rules that apply to all events please click here.

1. Entry to the Championship is open to male members of Clubs affiliated to the Union with a Handicap Index not exceeding 12.0 at the date of the competition and to male professionals and trainee professionals registered with The Professional Golfers Association retained by and working at such Clubs. All amateur entrants must conform to General Rule 2.

2. In the event of there being more that 72 entrants, the players with the highest Handicap Index shall be balloted out.

3. The Championship shall be decided by strokeplay over 36 holes off scratch.

4. Prize money will be awarded to professionals and trainee professionals and prizes will be awarded to amateurs for gross and net scores but no player shall receive more than one prize. In determining net scores, a player shall receive a Handicap Allowance of 95% of his Course Handicap.

5(i). The player, professional or amateur, returning the lowest aggregate gross score shall hold the Needler Trophy for one year.

5(ii). The amateur returning the lowest aggregate gross score shall hold the George Ash Salver for one year.

6. In the event of a tie, the winner of the Championship shall be decided under General Rule 6(i), the George Ash Salver shall be shared for an equal period of time, in alphabetical order by surname and all other prize money and prizes shall be decided under General Rule 6(ii).

The Open Championship

Past Winners of the Open Championship

Past Winners of the George Ash Salver

Rules of The Open Championship