The Scottish Men's Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship is the national amateur stroke play golf championship in Scotland. Entry is open to all amateur golfers. It has been played annually since 1967 and is organised by the Scottish Golf. The format is 72-hole stroke-play contested over three days. After 36 holes the leading 40 competitors and ties play a further 36 holes on the final day.
History The event was started in 1967, based on the format of the Brabazon Trophy which had been played in England since 1947. It was held on 1 and 2 July with 36 holes played each day. Two courses, Muirfield and Gullane No. 1, were used on the first day after which the leading 40 and ties played 36 holes at Muirfield on the final day. Bernard Gallacher win with a score of 291, five strokes ahead of Charlie Green. A similar format was generally used in following years, with two courses used on the opening day. Starting in 1968 the championship was played in June for many years. Ronnie Shade won by six strokes in 1968 at Prestwick. There was another Scottish winner in 1969, Scott Macdonald, although two English golfers, Peter Benka and Rodney Foster were runners-up.
1970 saw the first non-Scottish winner, when the South African Dale Hayes won by four strokes. Ian Hutcheon won in 1971 and would win again in 1974 and 1979. Bert Nicholson won in 1972 while 1973 produced the only tie in the event, when Gordon Clark, from England, and David Robertson finished level. There was no playoff. the experienced Charlie Green won in 1975 while Steve Martin won by a record 11 strokes in 1976. There were further Scottish winners in 1977 and 1978 with Paul McKellar and Alistair Taylor. Mike Miller was a runner-up three times between 1975 and 1978 but never won the championship. Gordon Brand Jnr win in 1980 when the event was reduced to 54 holes by heavy rain on the first day.
The 1980s produced two overseas winners. In 1981, Philip Walton, from Ireland, won by a stroke from defending champion Gordon Brand Jnr, while in 1989 Frenchman François Illouz won by two strokes. Charlie Green won for the second time in 1984, while Colin Montgomerie won by five strokes in 1985. The 1990 event was reduced to 36 holes by harr. 1996 saw the first playoff in the championship. Alastair Forsyth and South African Hennie Otto were tied on 279 and it took nine sudden-death holes before Forsyth won. there were further playoffs in 2000 and 2001 won by Simon Mackenzie and the Australian John Sutherland.
Gary Wolstenholme won the 2003, the first English winner since 1973. Richie Ramsay won in 2004 with a record score of 269, but there was another English winner in 2005, Robert Dinwiddie. Wallace Booth won in 2008, a contest reduced to 54 holes. Tommy Fleetwood won in 2009 with a new record score of 268, eight strokes ahead of the field.
Pre-qualifying, for players without a guaranteed place, was introduced in 2022. A single round was played a few days before the championship.
Winners YearWinner(s)ScoreMarginof victoryRunner(s)-upVenue(s)Ref. 2025 Greg Holmes 272 2 strokes Mads Heller Glasgow Gailes Links 2025 Eliot Baker 264 1 stroke Billy Dowling North Berwick 2024 Dominic Clemons 260 17 strokes Jordan Burnand Kai Komulainen Muirfield 2023 Connor Graham 265 4 strokes Altin van der Merwe Meldrum House 2022 Charlie Thornton 278 1 stroke John Gough Cruden Bay 2021 Callan Barrow 261 3 strokes James Wilson Southerness 2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland 2019 Jake Bolton 272 1 stroke Sam Bairstow The Duke's (St Andrews) 2018 Victor Veyret 268 6 strokes Conor Purcell Gleneagles, Kings Course 2017 Liam Johnston 275 2 strokes Matthew Jordan Western Gailes 2016 Cameron John 269 4 strokes Grant Forrest Stuart Grehan Gullane No.1 2015 Marco Penge 278 1 stroke Graeme Robertson Moray 2014 Gavin Moynihan 275 2 strokes Geoff Drakeford Jack Hume Nick Marsh Panmure 2013 Garrick Porteous 277 4 strokes Dermot McElroy Richie O'Donovan Callum Shinkwin Southerness 2012 Paul Barjon 282 4 strokes Rory Bourke Haydn Porteous Kilmarnock (Barassie) 2011 Andy Sullivan 282 1 stroke Steven Brown Blairgowrie, Lansdowne 2010 Romain Wattel 275 6 strokes Billy Hemstock Glasgow, Gailes Links 2009 Tommy Fleetwood 268 8 strokes Gavin Dear Murcar Links 2008 Wallace Booth 210 4 strokes Édouard Dubois The Duke's (St Andrews) 2007 Kevin McAlpine 271 2 strokes James Byrne Alexandre Kaleka Royal Dornoch 2006 Scott Henry 277 1 stroke Ross McGowan Craigielaw 2005 Robert Dinwiddie 281 3 strokes Jonathan King Royal Aberdeen 2004 Richie Ramsay 269 1 stroke Roope Kakko Lundin Links 2003 Gary Wolstenholme 273 4 strokes Richard Walker Turnberry, Kintyre 2002 Barry Hume 277 2 strokes David Inglis Simon Mackenzie Southerness 2001 John Sutherland 279 Playoff Steven Carmichael Nairn/Nairn Dunbar 2000 Simon Mackenzie 278 Playoff Barry Hume Letham Grange 1999 Graham Rankin 286 3 strokes Mark Loftus St Andrews 1998 Lorne Kelly 275 6 strokes Steven Carmichael Moray/Elgin 1997 Barclay Howard 271 8 strokes Geoff Ogilvy Robert Wiggins Monifieth/Panmure 1996 Alastair Forsyth 279 Playoff Hennie Otto Cardross/Helensburgh 1995 Stephen Gallacher 282 1 stroke Simon Mackenzie Paisley/Renfrew 1994 David Downie 288 1 stroke Nicolas Vanhootegem Letham Grange 1993 Alan Reid 289 1 stroke Dean Robertson St Andrews 1992 Dean Robertson 281 2 strokes Scott Knowles Mortonhall/Bruntsfield Links 1991 Andrew Coltart 295 2 strokes David Carrick Royal Troon 1990 Garry Hay 133 3 strokes Simon Mackenzie Royal Aberdeen/Murcar 1989 François Illouz 281 2 strokes Craig Cassels Craig Everett Jim Milligan Blairgowrie 1988 Stephen Easingwood 277 6 strokes Craig Cassels Hamish Kemp Cathkin Braes/East Kilbride 1987 David Carrick 282 6 strokes Ian Hutcheon Lundin Links/Ladybank 1986 Kenny Walker 289 3 strokes Graeme Shaw Carnoustie 1985 Colin Montgomerie 274 5 strokes John Lindberg Dunbar/North Berwick 1984 Charlie Green 287 1 stroke Lee Vannet Blairgowrie 1983 Gordon Murray 291 3 strokes Steve Campbell Paul Girvan Charlie Green Irvine/Irvine Ravenspark 1982 George Macgregor 287 3 strokes Jean-Charles Gassiat Downfield/Camperdown 1981 Philip Walton 287 1 stroke Gordon Brand Jnr Renfrew/Erskine 1980 Gordon Brand Jnr 207 1 stroke Garry Hay George Macgregor Musselburgh/Royal Musselburgh 1979 Ian Hutcheon 296 1 stroke Barclay Howard George Macgregor Blairgowrie 1978 Alistair Taylor 281 3 strokes Keith Macintosh Mike Miller Cawder 1977 Paul McKellar 299 6 strokes Mike Miller Muirfield/Gullane 1976 Steve Martin 283 11 strokes Peter Wilson Carnoustie/Monifieth 1975 Charlie Green 295 1 stroke George Macgregor Mike Miller Nairn/Nairn Dunbar 1974 Ian Hutcheon 283 1 stroke David Tierney Blairgowrie/Alyth 1973 Gordon Clark David Robertson 284 Tied – Dunbar/North Berwick 1972 Bert Nicholson 290 1 stroke Neil Rowberry Dalmahoy/Ratho Park 1971 Ian Hutcheon 277 5 strokes Alistair Wilson Leven/Lundin Links 1970 Dale Hayes 275 4 strokes Allan Brodie Alistair Thomson Glasgow Gailes/Barassie 1969 Scott Macdonald 288 3 strokes Peter Benka Rodney Foster Carnoustie/Monifieth 1968 Ronnie Shade 282 6 strokes Gordon Cosh Prestwick/Prestwick St. Nicholas 1967 Bernard Gallacher 291 5 strokes Charlie Green Muirfield/Gullane No. 1
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See also Scottish Amateur Helen Holm Scottish Women's Open Championship – the equivalent championship for women
References
External links Scottish Golf List of winners