WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue rising senior golfer Jenson Forrester has won the 45th annual Tillman Trophy championship held at The Caversham Club in Reading, Berkshire, England.
Forrester fired a 72-hole total of 14-under par 274 (65-71-70-68) to win by three shots over Max Hopkins (England) and by five shots over Frankie Morton, Harry Butler and Rio Saigal (Lipscomb University).
His first-round 65 was a new competitive course record.
Forrester led by three shots after round one, but trailed by two shots entering round three. He then trailed by one shot entering round three before rallying for the victory in Thursday’s final round. Forrester then trailed by one shot through 12 holes before playing the last six holes in 3-under par to surge to the 3-shot victory.
Forrester’s victory earns him a fully exempt card for the 2027 Tier I Clutch Pro Tour schedule as well as a pro start on the Hotel Planner Tour (Challenge Tour) in 2027.
The result continues an outstanding summer on the links for the Boilermakers.
Sam Easterbrook narrowly missed out on a spot in this week’s Open Championship, first losing in a playoff during the initial qualifier, then finishing fourth (out of 12) in last Monday’s last-chance qualifier at Royal Birkdale. He also reached the quarterfinals of The Amateur Championship and placed 20th at the European Amateur.
Easterbrook has climbed into the top 75 on the official WAGR (World Amateur Golf Rankings) rankings, and is exempt into the U.S. Amateur in mid-August (Merion Golf Club).
Supapon Amornchaichan qualified for the 2026 Singha Classic (professional) in Thailand this weekend. He is currently playing in the event, sitting in T-7th as round one nears completion.
Micah Sheffer has had a strong summer here in the states. He finished second, losing in a playoff, at the Indiana Open Championship, and has posted top-10 finishes at the North Atlantic Amateur (5th), the Rice Planters Amateur (3rd) and the Kenridge Invitational (9th). He also advanced out of local qualifying for the U.S. Open.
Will Harvey placed 47th at the prestigious Trans-Mississippi Amateur a couple of weeks ago and will play in U.S. Amateur final qualifying next week. Andre Zhu will also play in U.S. Amateur final qualifying next week.