University of San Francisco sophomore Henry Styles has combined steady stroke play with one of the strongest match play resumes in amateur golf. The Romford native won the English Amateur at Royal Liverpool in 2025, coming from the sixty-first seed to defeat top seed Max Hopkins in the thirty-six-hole final. He continues to post consistent collegiate results in the low seventies while balancing travel, school, and a full international schedule.
Career Highlights
- English Amateur champion at Royal Liverpool in 2025
- Former caddie at Royal Liverpool with extensive experience at Hoylake
- GB and I selection for the Jacques Leglise squad
- Known for match play resilience and a comeback run from the sixty first seed to the English Amateur title
- Five career collegiate top twenty five finishes for San Francisco
- Consistent scoring in the low seventies across NCAA stroke play
Collegiate Results Snapshot
2025 to 2026 Season (Sophomore Year)
- St Mary’s Invitational tie for twelfth (69, 70, 76)
- Jim DeLapa Intercollegiate tie for twenty fourth (70, 69, 72)
- William H Tucker Invitational tie for twenty seventh (70, 72, 73)
2024 to 2025 Season (Freshman Year)
- Trinity Forest Invitational tie for twenty third (69, 70, 72)
- St Mary’s Invitational tie for fifteenth (72, 75, 70)
Styles has opened his career with reliable tournament play, regularly placing inside the top tier of leaderboards for the Dons.
English Amateur Championship – Royal Liverpool 2025
- Won the one hundredth English Amateur at Royal Liverpool
- Entered match play as the sixty first seed after two qualifying rounds
- Defeated top seed Max Hopkins 5 and 4 in the thirty six hole final
- Played five match play rounds on his way to the championship
- Produced six birdies and only one bogey through the first fourteen holes of the afternoon session in the final
- Closed the match on the fourteenth hole at five under for that stretch
- Delivered a key up and down from behind the eighteenth green for birdie earlier in the week
- Called the win one of the biggest milestones of his life, tying it to childhood memories of watching Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods at Hoylake
Interview Highlights with CGN
Path into golf and family influence
Styles grew up in a golf family. His parents played socially and introduced him to the game at a young age while he also played football. After breaking bones in his foot and dealing with the physical toll of football, he leaned fully into golf, drawn to the quieter environment and individual challenge. His younger brother is now a regular practice partner and caddie, pushing him in family matches and during major events.
Coaching and development
Styles started working with swing coach Chris Goddard around age four and remains with him today. Goddard helped build a small support team around him, recommending specialists for putting, short game, and mindset work. That structure has guided his development from junior golf to international amateur events.
Choosing college golf and San Francisco
Watching professional broadcasts as a junior, Styles noticed how many players had competed in American college golf and decided that path fit his goal of reaching tour level. He partnered with College Sports America to navigate recruiting and eventually visited San Francisco. The energy of the city, constant activity, and the chance to stay busy away from home made USF an easy choice as he looked for a place that would help with homesickness and provide a strong golf environment.
Adjusting to life in the United States
The first month on campus brought challenges, including a new academic system and distance from home. Styles leaned on academic support at USF, seeking help early and often, and credits the staff and teammates for easing the transition. On the course he relied on familiar routines, communicating with coaches about what practice structures work best for him.
Competitive approach and qualifying mindset
Styles enjoys qualifying as much as tournament rounds. He treats every practice and qualifier as a competition, asking for small games and contests with teammates to keep the environment sharp. That daily standard carried into his freshman season, where he turned qualifying opportunities into top twenty five finishes.
Match play mentality
Match play is where Styles feels most comfortable. He likes the one on one dynamic and builds a competitive edge by telling himself that his opponent is trying to embarrass him, which pushes him to set the tone early. He prefers to be first on the tee, first to play, and to apply pressure from the opening hole. During matches he breaks each hole into a separate contest, walking ahead when he can and staying in his own world through routine and pace.
Confidence from the English Amateur
Winning the English Amateur confirmed for Styles that he can compete with elite fields. The title brought more recognition at home and on campus, but the biggest change was confidence. Playing his way through five matches and beating the top seed reinforced the idea that when he commits to a plan he can finish it.
Managing a nearly year round schedule
To avoid burnout, Styles builds short breaks into his year. After a long run of events, such as the fall season, he takes several days away from golf, puts the clubs away, and lives like a regular student. After that reset he returns with a clear plan for what to address before the next stretch of competition.
Equipment
Styles plays Callaway Opus wedges, a Callaway Odyssey putter, Miura irons, and Callaway Elite metal woods. The setup reflects his preference for feel in the short game and reliable ball flight through the bag.
Goals and outlook
Looking ahead, Styles wants to secure both an individual win and a team win for San Francisco, starting with an early-season test at the Burns Intercollegiate in Hawaii. The focus is on getting results quickly in the spring, using the foundation from his English Amateur title and sophomore fall to push the Dons toward a strong semester.
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