Adam Kelly’s minigolf masterclass secures British Open glory in Hastings

The 2025 BMGA Open provided a comprehensive showcase of minigolf talent, bringing together top players from across the UK and Europe for two days of competitive play over eight rounds at Hastings Adventure Golf. The tournament highlighted both seasoned professionals and emerging talent, offering memorable moments for participants and spectators alike.

Main Championship
England’s Adam Kelly claimed the main championship title with an impressive average of 27.3, finishing 218 strokes, 70 under par. Kelly demonstrated remarkable consistency, including a lowest-round score of 25, matching Sweden’s Erik Hjalmarsson, who also achieved 25 twice during the tournament. Hjalmarsson finished second overall at 228 (-60), with Wales’ Seve Kukielka completing the podium at 234 (-54).

A notable moment occurred in the battle for fifth place, where James Rutherford faced Patrick Riener in a playoff and secured the spot with an ace on the first hole. Other standout performances in the main championship included Ted McIver, who demonstrated consistent excellence across all rounds.

With his victory, Adam secured himself a spot at the World Adventure Golf Tour final being held next May at Aces Minigolf in Gloucester and also his 3rd British Open title. A senstional display of consistency and putting excellence.

Category 2
Category 2 featured strong competition among some of the tournament’s emerging players. Chris Smith of Gloucester Aces Minigolf Club took first place in the category, followed by Paul Tutt (Hastings Minigolf Club) in second, and Mark Wood (Strokes Minigolf Club) in third. Although Ted McIver posted the lowest scores overall in Category 2, he was ineligible for the prize due to classification rules. Luke Ryan and Derek Bentall also produced noteworthy performances over the rounds.

Category 3
In Category 3, Gary Combs (Dragons Minigolf Club) emerged as the winner with a total of 254 (-34), showing steady and consistent play throughout the eight rounds. Tim Novis (Hastings Minigolf Club) finished second at 261 (-27), while Joe Pearse (Foxes Minigolf Club) secured third place with 262 (-26). The category highlighted the depth of talent in the mid-tier division.

International Championship
The international field delivered elite-level performances. Erik Hjalmarsson topped the leaderboard with 228 (-60), followed by Patrick Riener (Austria) at 243 (-45) and Marton Geda (Hungary) at 244 (-44). Several other international competitors, including Christian Adler and Norbert Rehfeld, provided strong competition, making the international rounds among the most compelling of the tournament. The BMGA would like to thank our international guests from Sweden, Germany, Austria, and Finland for attending and contributing to the high standard of play.

Novice Championship
The Novice Championship was decided after the first four rounds on Day 1. Daniel Cornwall claimed first place with 131 (-13), followed by Brad Ames (Thanet Silverbacks Minigolf Club) at 134 (-10) and Tim Padley at 146 (+2). The category offered a valuable platform for newcomers to gain competitive experience and showcased promising future talent.

Club Champions
In addition to individual honours, Gloucester Aces Minigolf Club were crowned British Open Club Champions for the first time, narrowly defeating the previous holders, Strokes Minigolf Club, by six shots over the four rounds on Day 1.

Acknowledgements
The BMGA extends thanks to Martyn Williams for administering the tournament, to Hastings Adventure Golf for hosting, and to all the players for their participation and sportsmanship.

The 2025 BMGA Open reinforced the high standard of minigolf talent in the UK and Europe, delivering excellent play and memorable moments across all categories.

You can find the full results here