Staff WriterIt took 41 nerve-jangling holes, but Charlie Rusbridge etched his name into the history books as the first English golfer to clinch the French Boys’ Amateur Golf Championship since 1988.
The young Englishman triumphed after an epic battle against Czech powerhouse Matous Zach at the pristine Golf du Prieuré.
Rusbridge, a 17-year-old prodigy from Colne Valley, didn’t just win the championship—he wrestled the coveted Carlhian Trophy from nearly four decades of international domination.
The last Englishman to claim this prestigious prize was James Cook back when mullets and cassette tapes were all the rage. Rusbridge now joins an elite alumni featuring legends like Sergio Garcia and Nicolas Colsaerts.
Throughout the week, Charlie navigated the championship with grit and composure, finishing third in the stroke play rounds. In match play, he toppled formidable opponents from Belgium, France, and the USA to earn his spot in the gruelling 36-hole final.
The seesawing final match tested nerves and endurance alike. After 25 holes, Rusbridge built a comfortable 4-up cushion, highlighted by what he later described as “one of the best shots of my life”—a phenomenal 205-yard strike on the 15th hole, resulting in an effortless eagle tap-in. Yet, Zach refused to relent, clawing back the deficit and forcing the duel into extra holes.
The deciding moment arrived dramatically on the 41st hole. From exactly 111 yards, Rusbridge delivered an approach shot that flirted shamelessly with perfection, stopping within inches of the cup for a tap-in birdie. Zach faltered with a crushing three-putt, finally conceding victory.
“It means a lot to win this,” an understandably elated Charlie admitted. “I had a bit of a shaky start to the season and it hasn’t been what I wanted, but I worked hard, so to see it pay off is pretty cool.”
Reflecting on the extraordinary length of the final, Rusbridge chuckled, “A 41-hole match for a final isn’t exactly normal, but one of the standout moments was definitely that eagle on the 15th, and even that still wasn’t enough to close it out straight away!”
As exhaustion set in during the closing stages, he recounted his mental strategy: “I knew I was tired and I wasn’t hitting it great, so I was just trying to hit sensible shots and kept telling myself to stay patient. I just kept thinking if it was meant to be my time, it would be—and thankfully, it was.”
Asked about celebration plans, Rusbridge’s humorous reply was classic understatement: “It’ll be driving to the Channel Tunnel and going home!”
But rest won’t last long for the newly crowned champion. He’ll soon represent England in his first full Men’s international cap against Spain, followed by the revered Lytham Trophy.
“It’s been a pretty cool week, but I’m looking forward to next week,” he said with characteristic modesty.
Elsewhere at the French Boys’ Amateur Golf Championship, fellow English talent Harry Cox exited gracefully in the round of 16 against finalist Zach, while Kris Kim’s strong run ended in the quarter-finals.
