Organized by the European Golf Association, the European Amateur Championship is an annual competition decided by stroke play over four 18-hole rounds on consecutive days, with entries from a maximum of 144 male amateur competitors who are included in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and have a playing handicap of a certain number (0.0 in 2019) or better.

Guaranteed entrants include: the defending champion; four players nominated by the host country; one player nominated by other EGA-affiliated national golf authorities; players who have competed in the latest editions of the Bonallack Trophy, St Andrews Trophy or Jacques Léglise Trophy; the latest winners of the South American Amateur and European Mid-Amateur championships; and the highest ranked entrants with an R&A WAGR position between 1 and 1600.

The remainder of the starting field comprises entrants in order of handicap and the Committee can limit the number of competitors from any country in the final list. If entries exceed the maximum permitted, a reserve list will be created and entrance fees refunded to those balloted out who do not subsequently compete.

There’s a cut during the tournament after 54 holes, with the 60 lowest scores and ties qualifying for the final 18-hole round. The winner doesn’t actually get to keep the trophy for a year – it’s held by his national golf authority which must engrave, insure and return it the following year to the EGA – but he’s presented with a gold medal and entry to The Open that year, while the runner-up and third-placed competitor receive a silver and bronze medal, respectively.

The first edition of the championship took place at Eindhoven in 1986, when Anders Haglund from Sweden recorded a 3-stroke victory over England’s David Gilford, with Bart Nolte from The Netherlands a further shot behind on an aggregate score of 286. Three other Swedish golfers have since won the trophy but the country that has the best record is England, with five champions.

To date, Ashley Chesters from Shrewsbury is the only person to successfully defend his title but a few other notable English golfers who didn’t win yet went on to enjoy successful professional careers include Lee Westwood (2nd at Dalmahoy in 1993), Paul Casey (3rd at Celtic Manor in 1999), Danny Willet (3rd at Bad Saarow in 2007) and Tommy Fleetwood (3rd at Chantilly in 2009).

The list of those who won the European Amateur then went on to make their mark in the paid ranks is just as impressive: Scotland’s Stephen Gallagher (Aura in 1994); Sergio Garcia (El Prat the following year); Grégory Havret (Celtic Manor in 1999); Rory McIlroy (Biela in 2006); and Victor Dubuisson (Chantilly in 2009).

Three Danish and three Swedish clubs have hosted the event, and it has also been played at three different Scottish courses; namely the East at Dalmahoy Country Club, the Championship at The Nairn and the Duke’s St Andrews. El Prat in Spain is the only club to have been visited twice, in 1995 (at its old location) and 2013.

Two courses do not appear below – Odense in Denmark (2001) and Karlstad in Sweden (1996) – as they are not currently listed in any of our Nordic ranking lists.