Success Stories | Rotherham Golf Club

Danny Willett

Rotherham Golf Club is the only club in England to boast a US Masters tournament winner as a member

Danny Willett, who won the coveted Major in 2016 joined us as a teenager in 2005 to learn from the good number of aspiring young players with scratch handicaps or better.

Among his peer group here were Matt Evans, Sam Haywood, Neil Walker and James Mason all of whom subsequently turned professional.

Danny soon fitted in and within two years he had his name on the club’s honours board as Club Champion, before going on to win the Yorkshire Amateur Championship, and the English Amateur Championship, which culminated in his selection for the GB&I Walker Cup squad. By the following season, he was the world’s number one amateur.

His bag from the Walker Cup stands proudly in our historic clubhouse, and the Masters champion remains a regular visitor when he is not on Tour.

We were delighted that he chose our club as the host for his homecoming press conference in 2016 when he happily posed wearing his Green Jacket.

Ben Schmidt

Ben Schmidt became just the fourth golfer in history to win both the Brabazon Trophy and the Carris Trophy in the same calendar year when he won the English Boys’ Under 18 Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Moor Park Golf Club.

The 16-year-old from Rotherham Golf Club became the youngest ever winner of the English Men’s Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship (Brabazon Trophy) at Alwoodley in June and he completed a rare double when he claimed his second national title of the season in the boys’ equivalent in Hertfordshire.

His wins in both the Brabazon Trophy and the Carris Trophy mean he joins Patrick Hine (1949), Sandy Lyle (1975) and Peter Baker (1985) as the only players to have achieved that feat.

Schmidt started the last day as the favourite after opening with rounds of 72, 67 and 72. In the end, he had to battle all the way after dropping three shots to par over the first five holes before recovering to post a level par 72 and finish tied with Spain’s Rodrigo Martin on five-under-par 283.

Martin holed an 18-foot birdie putt on the 72nd green to tie with Schmidt but on the first extra hole, he carved his tee shot into the trees on the right of the fairway and ultimately failed to get up and down from the edge of the green for his par. Schmidt hit a wedge to 20-feet and two-putted for a winning par.

“It’s been a tough day,” Schmidt admitted. “I’ve not played my best golf, or anything like it, but I dug in and eventually found something on the back nine to help me get across the line.”

“I didn’t really feel comfortable all day,” he added, “but I got the job done and I’m very pleased with that. It’s great to get another win under my belt.”

“My goal this year was simply to play as much good golf as I could. I put a lot of work in over the winter. I was hoping that would pay off but not for one second did I think it would be anything like this.”

“It’s been a bit mad but I’m really enjoying it.”

English Men’s Champion Club

2025

English Men’s Club Champions 2025. Congratulations to the team of Lucas Martin, Lewis Hollingworth, and Charlie Daughtrey.

Rotherham’s trio of Charlie Daughtrey (+2), Lewis Hollingworth (+4), and Lucas Martin (+4) combined for a +10 total over 36 holes at The Oaks Golf Club, securing the 2025 English Men’s Champion Club title by two shots.

The team went on to represent England at the European Final at Cabot, Bordeaux, finishing 13th.

2005

Rotherham was crowned English Champion Club in 2005 with the team of Neil Walker, James Mason, and Sam Haywood.

They went on to represent both the club and England at Klassis Golf & Country Club, Turkey, finishing 7th with the team of Matt Evans, Sam Haywood, and Neil Walker.

James Freeman

James Freeman, Rotherham‑based Fellow PGA Professional and head coach at Rotherham Golf Club, has been selected for the Great Britain & Ireland team for the 2026 PGA Cup at The K Club. The call‑up recognises an exceptional run of form across 2025 and 2026, including multiple strong results on the PGA circuit and a standout moment in 2025 when he shot a remarkable 59 at the Midland Open.

The PGA Cup, taking place 2–4 October 2026, is the premier team event for PGA professionals, played in a Ryder Cup‑style format against the United States. GB&I, led by captain David Scott, will look to reclaim the trophy after defeat in 2024.

Freeman’s selection is made even more meaningful by his earlier career setback, a serious back injury that required surgery and kept him out of competition for several years. His return to elite performance has established him as one of the leading club professionals in the UK and a key figure in Yorkshire golf. His inclusion is a proud moment for Rotherham Golf Club and the wider region, and he is expected to play an important role as GB&I prepare to take on the USA on home soil.