Buenfeld makes history with back-to-back Hampshire title

Hockley’s Brian Winteridge was the last champion to successfully defend the Sloane-Stanley Challenge Cup in the final at Royal Jersey, back in 1982 – and only 14 players had ever successfully defended the title before Buenfeld, in England’s oldest county championship, dating back to 1894.

But Buenfeld ignored the pressures that had seen off many of the most successful players from Hampshire and the islands, over the past four decades, to resist the dogged fightback by Stoneham clubmate Jack Warren, parring the penultimate hole to seal a 2&1 victory, at Brokenhurst Manor, on Sunday.

Stoneham’s Jack Warren congratulates Joe Buenfeld (right) after he claimed a 2&1 victory in the 100th matchplay final at the 121st Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands Amateur Championship at Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club, on Sunday, June 7, 2026. (Image: Andrew Griffin/AMG Pictures)

The 24-year-old became the 11th player to have won the Sloane-Stanley since 1921, although five players have gone on to win it three times or more over the past century.

Buenfeld also became the 10th player in 67 years to win both the Pechell Salver for the best 36-hole qualifying score and the matchplay title, as the last man standing from the 16 qualifiers over the previous three days’ golf in the New Forest.

Buenfeld showed again why he has become the most consistent player in the Hampshire ranks as he reached his third final in five years – having qualified in the top 16 in six of the last seven years.

Last year the former European Junior Open winner ended Charlie Preston’s dream of becoming just the third champion from Hartley Wintney – the club where Justin Rose began his junior career in the 1980s – with a 3&2 win at Shanklin & Sandown.

By completing the strokeplay/matchplay double, Buenfeld also became the first player to hold both trophies in the same season since Brokenhurst’s Martin Young, who held all four men’s titles after becoming the first player to complete the Hampshire Grand Slam back in 2014.

Buenfeld had already ended Preston’s hopes of revenge in the morning semi-final and was quickly into his stride against Stoneham clubmate Jack Warren, who sits second in the Hampshire Order of Merit.

Warren, bidding to become the 14th player to win both the Hampshire Boys and Men’s title in their career, had already knocked out North Hants’ Hampshire Order of Merit leader Rob Wheeler – winning their semi-final by a single hole.

But Warren found himself three down at the turn after Buenfeld hit three perfect five irons in a row from the eighth to the 10th to take a firm hold on the final.

His opponent, who won the Hampshire Junior Championship in 2017 at Weybrook Park, would not surrender however, even after going four down, rolling in a 30-footer at the 15th.

Then Buenfeld thinned his bunker shot at the par-five 16th and missed the green to make it two up with two to play, only for Warren to tangle with the trees and have to take a drop as his ball came to rest in the ditch.

Stoneham’s Joe Buenfeld misses his birdie putt at the 15th in the 100th matchplay final at the 121st Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands Amateur Championship at Brokenhurst Manor Golf Club, on Sunday, June 7, 2026. (Image: Andrew Griffin/AMG Pictures)

That left him with an 80-footer for par, while Buenfeld rolled his putt close enough for both players to shake hands on a 2&1 win for the former Bramshaw and Hartpury College junior.

Buenfeld, who shot a sparkling second round 65 to win the Pechell, said: "I just told myself to hit the green in two as he couldn’t make birdie after his drive, so I just needed a two-putt to win.

"It must have been 70 feet, but I got it close enough and I gave him the hole.

"I said this week it still felt cool when I arrived here as the defending champion.

"This is even better to win the 101st-ever final and end the hoodoo of players unable to defend their crown for more than 40 years."

Buenfeld, who has spent 10 months working as a caddie at Texas’ ultra-exclusive Briggs Ranch, added: "I am going to celebrate this win with my family, who have moved from West Wellow to Romsey while I have been away."

Warren was left with mixed emotions having lost the Delhi Cup in a four-hole play-off at Hockley, last month to Wheeler.

The 26-year-old, from Bishopstoke, said: "Of course I wanted to win, but the good thing is that I never felt uncomfortable at all out there in either the semi and the final.

"I lost a three-hole lead to Rob in the semi-final, but won the 16th with a conceded eagle and held my nerve on the last."

Warren also had the consolation of being in the Stoneham team, along with Buenfeld and former South East Junior Champion Tom Chalk, who won the Hampshire Team Championship in the 36-hole qualifier.

The trio will represent the county at the English Champion Club at Derbyshire’s Kedleston Park, in September.

Buenfeld also qualified to play in England Golf’s Champion of Champions tournament at their HQ at Woodhall Spa, in Lincolnshire in the same month.

The latter was won by current county captain Toby Burden, from Hayling, in 2019, to put his name alongside past winners Lee Westwood and Tommy Fleetwood.