Walton Heath Golf Club has announced that registration for the coveted Walton Heath Trophy is now open, as the historic venue prepares to welcome another strong field for one of the standout amateur events of the year, which will be contested between July 21-23.
Played over Herbert Fowler’s world-class Old and New Courses, the Walton Heath Trophy – formerly known as the South of England Open Amateur Championship until 2019 – is an elite amateur stroke play event which is World Amateur Golf Ranking approved.
The tournament sees players compete for the Michael Lunt Salver (men) and Jill Thornhill Rose (women). It is unique with competitors of both playing side by side across 72 holes – a rare format with organisers continuing their commitment to equality in competitive amateur golf and reinforcing the Walton Heath Trophy’s growing reputation as a progressive championship that blends tradition with a modern, inclusive approach.
The first 36 holes of the Walton Heath Trophy will be played over the New and Old Courses, with competitors playing one round on each layout on Tuesday, July 21 and Wednesday, July 22. The lowest 40 scores and ties in the men’s field, and the lowest 20 scores and ties in the women’s field, will advance after 36 holes. These qualifiers will then compete over the final 36 holes on Thursday, July 23, with the morning round played on the New Course and the afternoon round on the Old Course.
Last year, two more great Walton Heath Trophy champions were crowned. Lewy Hayward from Marlborough lifted the Michael Lunt Salver with scores of 66, 69, 68 and 71, giving the young England golfer a four-round total of 14-under-par. The Jill Thornhill Rose went to England’s Charlotte Brook, who posted rounds of 72, 70, 71 and 74 to record a 9-under-par total.
The Walton Heath Trophy – which is consistently described by players as ‘a pro event under the banner of amateur golf’ – sits in a high-value July window offering a strong opportunity to attract US collegiate players returning home for the summer, seeking WAGR points and top-class tournament conditions. Although the Walton Heath Trophy clashes with the under-18 Carris Trophy, it presents an opportunity for those unsuccessful in the Carris ballot to join the field at Walton Heath.
The Michael Lunt Salver features an Eisenhower Trophy gold medal won by the former Walton Heath Captain in 1964 when part of the Great Britain & Ireland team. A member of four Walker Cup teams and a former British Amateur Champion, Lunt was also Captain of The R&A in 2006, and was regarded as one of the finest amateur players of his generation. Past winners of the Michael Lunt Salver include Ross McGowan, Gary Wolstenholme and 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett.
In 2024, following Walton Heath’s hosting of the AIG Women’s Open the year before, the women’s championship was launched to run alongside the men’s. Jill Thornhill is also a former British Amateur Champion and played in three Curtis Cups. In 1985, she won the Smyth Salver at Moor Park in the championship now known as the AIG Women’s Open. Jill is the current Walton Heath President and plays a prominent role throughout the tournament.
Nick Moran, Managing Director at Walton Heath Golf Club, said: “We are very proud to be driving forward with our women’s event following its launch in 2024. Jill Thornhill is one of the most respected names in UK amateur golf and we are so excited for the next chapter as the club looks to continue its support of the women’s game. The Walton Heath Trophy goes from strength to strength and is one of the highlights of the season. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone for what promises to be another engrossing tournament.”
Nick Battinson, a Tournament Director and past Club Captain, said: “The Walton Heath Trophy has always delivered a top-class field with a number of high-profile winners. It will be a privilege to watch many of the game’s top amateur players attempt to follow in the footsteps of the many great champions who have made their mark here. It is particularly fascinating to see how the competitors tackle the New and Old Courses, Herbert Fowler masterpieces that have provided a wonderful test for both amateur and professional players for over a hundred years.”
Walton Heath has long been a stage for professional and amateur tournaments. The Surrey club established one of the country’s leading matchplay championships, hosted the European Open throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and staged the 1981 Ryder Cup, when Dave Marr captained arguably the greatest US side in history to an emphatic victory. In 2018, the DP World Tour returned to Walton Heath with England’s Justin Rose hosting the British Masters, which was won by Eddie Pepperell
Three Women’s Amateur Championships (1968, 1982 and 2000) have been contested at the famous venue, and in 2023 the club hosted its first AIG Women’s Open, when America’s Lilia Vu produced a masterclass on the final day to beat home favourite Charley Hull.
Walton Heath is also notable for its hosting of US Open Final Qualifying, and has been a regular venue for players seeking an opportunity to play in America’s National Championship. In its first year of staging qualifying in 2005, Michael Campbell famously claimed his place in the field at Pinehurst before going on to win the US Open, seeing off the charge of a prime Tiger Woods for his one and only Major Championship success. This year’s Final Qualifying will take place on May 18.
To enter the 2026 Michael Lunt Salver, click here. To enter the Jill Thornhill Rose, click here.
Entry fees are £140 (men) and £110 (women).
For more information, visit www.waltonheath.com
