England Golf Statement Regarding Coronavirus

England Golf  – in light of the developing situation with the COVID-19 outbreak – has today issued the following guidance to all our affiliated golf clubs and golfers.

We fully recognise the need to adhere to the expert advice available and as such we would point all our clubs in the direction of the guidelines set out in detail by Public Health England via their website.

Details on how best to cope with the virus can also be found via the World Health Organisation website which will provide rolling updates and the best ways to mitigate against the spread of the infection.

NHS England also provide updated and expert advice via their website.

All golf clubs should note, act upon and continually monitor the advice and guidance issued by these expert authorities in relation to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

It is important that we all work together, following the advice of qualified professionals, in controlling the spread of COVID-19.

This remains a very fluid situation and England Golf will continue to take their lead from the government and public health authorities when it comes to safeguarding our clubs and members and offering practical and necessary steps to ensure the health and wellbeing of golfers and golf club staff.

England Golf chief executive Jeremy Tomlinson said: “The expert practical advice that is available from the health authorities and national government should remain the first point of reference for all our golf clubs and golfers.

“This is clearly a fluid and developing situation and we will continue to monitor events as they progress and pass on the relevant information to our stakeholders.

“By working in alignment with those who are specialists in this field, we will be able to take the necessary precautions and provide the correct measures to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak.”

Where do you want to go next?

• Scottish Golf statement
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• Golfing Union of Ireland statement

More information

• NHS website
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World’s best hickory players come together to compete in the first Scottish Hickory Tour since 1930

First event played ‘in memory of’ the great James Braid

The world’s best hickory players are coming together next month to compete in the first Scottish Hickory Tour since 1930. In a series of ten tournaments, starting with the James Braid’s 150^th Anniversary Hickory Open, the world’s top 20 professionals and top 40 amateurs will qualify to participate in the Final over Leven’s Links in October.

To celebrate the launch of the tour, the World’s Top Hickory Golfers will congregate on a special day in golfing history, the 6^th February 2020, at Braid Hills Golf Course for the ‘IceBreaker’ James Braid’s 150^th Anniversary Hickory Open event. It is being played on this day in celebration of the 150^th Anniversary of the birth of the famous golfer James Braid, five time Open Champion and Designer of over 400 Golf Courses in Scotland including: Brora, Bruntsfield, Dalmahoy, Gleneagles, Goodwood Downs,  Lundin Links, Boat of Garten, Grantown on Spey, The Glen, Royal Musselburgh, Monktonhall, Walton Heath and many others.

The first match is being played over 9 holes at Braid Hills in memory of James Braid yet despite its name, this course was not designed by James Braid, rather, it is laid out over Braid Hill. The players then move on to the Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club in the afternoon for another 9 holes. The course was originally designed by Ben Sayers in 1907 and altered by James Braid in 1936. The course is challenging and fun, and will be a good test for players, including past World Hickory Open Winners Fraser Mann (Scotland) and Andrew Marshall (England).

To celebrate the commencement of the Tour, a first edition whisky, limited to 150 numbered bottles are being bottled by Hickory Forever and will be available to buy on February the 6th, 2020. To reserve one of the first 150 bottles, please get in touch via the Hickory Forever website.

Following on from the James Braid 150th Anniversary Hickory Open, next on the Tour calendar will be the Jack’s Open Pro Am played over Musselburgh Golf Club and Royal Musselburgh on the 8^th and 9^th April.

To find out more about where each event will take place click on The Scottish Hickory Tour 2020

6th February 2020 – James Braid 150th Anniversary Hickory Open

8 & 9th April 2020 – Jack’s Open Pro Am

24 & 25 June 2020 – First Icelandic Hickory Open 2020

7 July 2020  – John Still Memorial Trophy

18 & 19 August 2020  – Highland Hickory Open

6 – 8 October 2020 – The Scottish Hickory Final

Instagram: ScottishHickoryTour

The post Hickory Dickory Dock As First Event Played ‘In Memory Of’ The Great James Braid appeared first on Golf North.

The 2018 Great Britain and Ireland team that were soundly beaten at New York’s Quaker Ridge in 2018, including Surrey’s Annabell Fuller and Essex’s Lily May Humphreys.
Picture by THE R&A / GETTY IMAGES

TEN players have been named in The R&A”s initial Great Britain and Ireland squad for the 2020 Curtis Cup, which will be played at Wales’ Conwy Golf Club in June.

The GB&I will be attempting to regain the historic trophy after the United States recorded a commanding 17-3 victory at Quaker Ridge in New York last year.

The 41st Curtis Cup match will be played from Friday, June 12 til Sunday June 14 at the North Wales course on the Morfa Peninsula, overlooking the Conwy estuary.

Elaine Ratcliffe, who will captain GB&I in the Curtis Cup for the first time, said: “We have a strong pool of players to choose from throughout GB&I and I’m delighted with the 10 players we have selected for the initial squad.

“Each player’s performance and results will be monitored closely over the coming months and we will be looking for each of them to maintain a high standard as they try to secure their places in the team.

“There are many other talented players who can be added to this squad over the next few months,” said the former Ladies European Tour player, who won the English Ladies Amateur Championship in 1998, and hails from Sandbach, in Cheshire.

“We will be following performances closely before the Curtis Cup team is announced in May,” added Ratcliffe, who is one of the co-owners of Essendon Golf Club, in Hertfordshire.

Royal County Down’s Olivia Mehaffey, the highest-ranked member of the squad at No. 19 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is aiming to make her third Curtis Cup appearance.

Having made her debut in 2016, where she secured three-and-a-half points for the victorious GB&I team, Mehaffey was also a stand-out player in last year’s tough defeat at the 2018 Curtis Cup.

The Northern Ireland international helped achieve two-and-a-half of the team’s three-point total. Currently attending Arizona State University – the university where Phil Mickelson and Paul Casey played – Mehaffey has recorded three collegiate wins this year.

Also in contention for the 2020 team are three of Mehaffey’s team mates from 2018 – Shannon McWilliam, Annabell Fuller and Lily May Humphreys.

The latter has enjoyed an excellent 2019, winning the Annika Invitational Europe, Irish Women’s Open and Welsh Ladies’ Open Strokeplay championships.

Cornwall’s Emily Toy, the 2019 Women’s Amateur Champion and an R&A Foundation scholar, is the third of four English players named in the initial squad and is hoping to make her Curtis Cup debut in 2020.

The squad features a further five potential debutants including Hannah Darling, the Scottish Girls’ Open champion, Annabel Wilson, the Irish Women’s Close champion, Hazel MacGarvie, and Julie McCarthy.

Cheshire’s Isobel Wardle – recently crowned the English Women’s County Champion of Champions at Woodhall Spa – is the final England player in the provisional squad.

The Prestbury GC member helped England win the Women’s Home Internationals at Downfield, in Scotland, last month, alongside Humphreys and Toy.

The final eight players for the GB&I team will be announced on May 11, 2020, and will include the two golfers who are placed highest in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in the week prior.

A further six players will be selected by The R&A Women’s selection committee. Up to four non-travelling reserves will also be announced.

The links course overlooking the Caenarvonshire coast is one of the best in Wales and has hosted the 2009 European Amateur Team Chamiopnship, as well as the Ryder Cup Wales Senior Open on the European Seniors Tour in 2007.

It was also used for Final Qualifying for the 2006 Open at Royal Liverpool but hosted a European Tour event as far back as 1970 when the Martini championship was held there.

The 1990 Men’s Home Internationals were staged at Conwy which also hosted the 1983 Ladies British Open Amateur Championship.

Played off its tips at 6,901 yards, it has three monster par fours over 450 yards off the men’s championship tees but even off the yellows, at 6,476 it’s long holes into the wind are seriously stern tests.

The GB&I squad (age and club/country in brackets):

Hannah Darling (16, Broomieknowe, Scotland)
Shannon McWilliam (20, Aboyne, Scotland)
Annabell Fuller (17, Roehampton, England)
Olivia Mehaffey (21, Royal County Down Ladies, Ireland)
Lily May Humphreys (17, Stoke by Nayland, England)
Emily Toy (21, Carlyon Bay, England)
Hazel MacGarvie (19, Royal Troon, Scotland)
Isobel Wardle (19, Prestbury, England)
Julie McCarthy (20, Forrest Little, Ireland)
Annabel Wilson (18, Lurgan, Ireland)

The post Four England players in initial Curtis Cup squad looking for place at Conwy appeared first on Golf North.

European captain Catriona Matthew says her backroom staff – including Dame Laura Davies and LET winner Mel Reid, will have a key role in the match with America at Gleaneagles. Picture by ANDREW REDDINGTON / WME IMG

THE Ping Junior Solheim Cup is poised for a nail-biting final singles session after the USA edged ahead 7½-4½ on Tuesday, thanks to a dominant afternoon fourball session.

The match was tied at 3-3 after the morning foursomes after three convincing wins for the Europeans.

But Team USA took control after lunch, winning four-and-a-half points from six in the fourball format.

Europe has not won the competition – which started in 2002 for young amateur female golfers – since 2007.

But the hosts gave a strong showing in the opening session. Scotland’s own Hannah Darling and her Surrey-based partner Annabell Fuller, from Roehampton, put the home side’s first point on the board with a 4&3 victory against Sadie Englemann and Lucy Li.

Essex’s Lily May Humphreys – the Welsh and Irish Amateur Strokeplay Champion – and Somerset’s Mimi Rhodes, a semi-finalist in the Girls Amateur Championship last month, won by the same margin against Amanda Sambach and Alexa Pano.

And it was also a 4&3 rout for Italian Benedetta Moresco and Lucie Malchirand, from France, against Zoe Campos and Rose Zhang.

The Americans kept in touch though with one-hole wins for Michaele Morard and Rachel Heck over Pia Babnik and Alessia Nobilio, and Briana Chacon and Brianna Navarrosa against Lilas Pinthier and Paula Schulz-Hanssen.

Meanwhile Phoebe Brinker and Christine Wang saw off Danish pair Amalie Leth-Nissen and Anne Normann 4&3.

In the afternoon it was a different story, however. Darling and Curtis Cup player Fuller lost by one hole to Englemann and Heck, a fomer No. 1 in the women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings.

Babnik and Nobilio were downed 3&1 to Morard and Zhang, Sambach and Chacon defeated Humphreys (Stoke by Nayland) and Rhodes (Burnham & Berrow) 2&1, and Li and Wang saw off Moresco and Malchirand by the same score.

Pinthier and Schulz-Hanssen snatched a half point against Pano and Brinker, and there was a change in fortune for the Danes, Leth-NIssen and Norman, who beat Campos and Navarrosa 4&3.

European captain Mickey Walker said: “We played a lot of good golf. The Americans just played better. We made bogeys at a couple of critical points and gave the hole away.

“When we looked on to get something from a match, we’d take three to get down and lose the hole.

“They were very fine margins but we were the ones making the errors at critical times. The girls know that. Matches can be so tight and then go in an instant.

“The Americans were tighter around the greens and putted better. The girls are very honest with themselves.

“Pia and Alessia are disappointed because they played really well but they just came up against Americans who played outstanding golf.

“I think they were six-under and the Americans were eight-under, so it was fantastic golf.

“They know and I know that we can still win this, but we’re going to have to play exceptional golf tomorrow.”

For live scoring during Wednesday’s final sessions click here

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Robert MacIntyre raced into a four-shot lead at the halfway mark in the Porsche European Open after a superb 65 at Green Eagle Golf Courses, in Hamburg. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

ROBERT MacIntyre stormed into the Porsche European Open lead, firing a flawless seven-under par 65 to take a four-stroke advantage into the weekend after the second round in Hamburg.

The 23-year-old, who started the day two strokes behind 18-hole leader Paul Casey, carded the low round of the week so far at Green Eagle Golf Courses.

The Scotsman recorded three birdies on the front nine, which he matched as he came in, capping his round with his seventh gain of the day on the 18^th hole.

MacIntyre, who played for Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup at Los Angeles Country Club two years ago, said: “I just stuck to my game plan – it’s probably the best I’ve driven the ball this year.

“It’s not just going straight, it’s going miles. I don’t know what I’m doing but it’s working, and I’ll try and continue to do it,” added the Scot, who hails from Oban.

“I’ve changed quite a few things over the season to improve. Dave, my coach, is on the bag this week, he’s doing a great job off the course when I’m at home and doing the right things. It’s great to see the reward.

“It’s going to be tough, especially when it’s the first time that I’ve got such a lead – whether on the Challenge Tour or here on the European Tour – I’ll have to learn from this experience.

“I’m doing the right things on the course and the right things off the course, I’m nice and relaxed,” added MacIntyre, who was beaten in the final of the 2016 Amateur Championship by Hampshire’s Scott Gregory, who made a rare cut this week after a season of struggle for the Corhampton player, who was also a Walker Cup team-mate of the tournament leader in LA, in 2017.

“Everything at home has been brilliant, so I’m in the right mindset for going out this weekend.”

A runner-up on two occasions in his rookie season – at the Betfred British Masters and Made in Denmark in back-to-back weeks in May – this is the first time MacIntyre has held an overnight lead on the European Tour.

Leading the chasing park is Germany’s Bernd Ritthammer, who delighted the home crowds with a six-under par round of 66 to get to seven-under after 36 holes.

Ritthammer said: “I’ve had a slow season so far, it’s been tough. I’ve been working hard and not really getting any results.

“Friday for me normally has something to do with fighting the cut – I was very pleased with how I played yesterday, only one-under, but conditions were pretty brutal in the morning. That was as good as today.

“I got off to a good start and felt like I was flushing the ball, felt like it was going where I wanted to go,” added the player looking for his maiden European Tour victory.

“The putter really warmed up and I made some incredible par saves and really good birdie putts. I didn’t expect it to be that easy today, I just played really well.”

Ritthammer is two strokes ahead of the trio of Casey, Italian Guido Migliozzi and Austrian Matthias Schwab.

Bernd Wiesberger and Alexander Björk share sixth place on four-under, while German Dominic Foos is one of six players a stroke further back in eighth.

•For live scores in the third round click here.

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AS Royal Liverpool prepares to host the 47th Walker Cup  between Great Britain and Ireland and the USA – as part of its celebration of 150 years of golf at Hoylake – ANDREW GRIFFIN spoke to the last Hampshire player to win a major domestic honour at the Merseyside course, where Tiger Woods and Rory McIlory claimed the Open Championship in 2006 and 2014 respectively.

Rowlands Castle’s Darren Wright who thinks the Americans may try and attack the Hoylake links in this weekend’s Walker Cup clash with Great Britain and Ireland.
Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

DARREN Wright will always rate Hoylake as one one of his favourite courses.

It is after all where the former England international won the Brabazon Trophy in 2010 – beating Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and a very young John Rahm in the process.

The Rowlands Castle player became just the ninth player to complete the double by winning the Carris at the English Boys’ Amateur Championship, to go with the English Men’s Amateur Strokeplay title he won at Royal Liverpool.

A year later, Wright was in the provisional Walker Cup squad but missed out having not been selected for England’s European Amateur Team Championships side two months before GB&I beat the USA at Royal Aberdeen with a team containing Andy Sullivan and Callum Shinkwin.

While Wright won at Burhill on the EuroPro Tour in 2015 on his way to earning a European Challenge Tour card after graduating via the PGA feeder tour, he never quite bridged the gap from the amateur game, and finally gave up professional golf at the start of 2017.

And although strokeplay is not the order of the day when the USA arrive on Merseyside this month, Wright is sure the course that he conquered so brilliantly nine years ago will present a unique challenge in the matchplay format with four foursomes and eight singles on the first day, and fours foursomes and 10 singles on Sunday.

Darren said: “It’s a challenge course with plenty of cross-winds as well as holes where it will help but also increase how long it plays.

Rowlands Castle’s Darren Wright won the Brabazon Trophy at the English Amateur Strokeplay four years after he won the Carris at the English Boys’ Amateur Championship.

“In 2010, it was very warm and the course was playing hard and fast, conditions like it was when Tiger won the Open in 2006 and used his two-iron so well – but left himself with a lot longer approaches into the greens.

“The Walker Cup teams might not experience similar conditions but Hoylake is a great track that will be perfect for the event all the top amateurs in the UK dream of playing in.

“Even since I won the Brab, technology has made great strides to help players hit it longer and more consistently.

“But there were holes in 2010 where the bunkers were perfectly placed to make you stand there on the tee and think about whether you wanted to take them on, or lay up short and leave yourself with a longer second shot.

“The drives on the first and the 16th by the practice ground are really dangerous if you are not hitting it straight with out of bounds in your face.

“So the start and closing stretch is very tough. But there is also a stretch around the turn where – especially if you get some help from the wind – you can attack the greens and get an eagle putt, which at worst will mean a birdie on the par five eighth.

“I played with Tyrrell Hatton for a couple of the rounds and was one in front of him after the third round.

“When I woke up on the last day I felt super confident. I just knew it was going to be my day.

“I raced to four or five-under by the turn and someone got word to me that I was eight shots clear at one point.

“But then the back nine got the better of me and I gave those shots back. Luckily, I knew my playing partners were behind me, and I got to 18 with a four-shot lead.

“Even though I was very nervous, I just concentrated on hitting the fairway and had a 35-foot for birdie, so I just rolled it up to the hole to a couple of feet.

“It’s a round – or a week – I am never going to forget. Tommy Fleetwood was the favourite and got off to a good start.

“Everyone said he was going to win but he had a nightmare second round while I shot four-under, and then added a couple of level-pars.

“But there is plenty of danger and it will be interesting to see how the Americans approach Hoylake.

“If they try what the USA did in the Ryder Cup at Le Paris National and just try and out-drive us, the course can catch them out as it did in France.

“I think it will come down to which team plays smartest. The par three holes are tough even if not that long.

“The 13th by the sea with a big bank has bunkers all around the green is only 161 yards.

“With any wind, which can affect your club selection or catch you out just as you hit the shot, if you get sucked into going for the pins and find yourself in the traps, you can fritter away a few holes.

“Middle of the green is going to be a good tactic, especially if you hit first and can put your opponents under pressure.”

While Darren, who now has his own property maintenance company, has come to terms with how his professional career panned out, it is clear that missing out on a Walker Cup is probably his biggest disappointment.

He loved representing England over two summers, having also been a junior international alongside Hampshire team-mate Sam Hutsby.

But his most recent discovery has boosted his Brabazon feelgood factor even more, nearly a decade on.

Darren said: “I only just realised that John Rahm was playing that year… he must have been a very young teenager.

“He finished 61st, Tommy Fleetwood was 21st and I beat Tyrrell who was sixth – all three played in the last Ryder Cup. Spain’s Adrian Otaegui was fifth and he has won twice on Tour too.”

That hopefully will be one to tell the children and grandchildren about one day…

•For live scoring from the first day’s play of the Walker Cup at Hoylake, click here.

The post Darren’s Wright way to go about tackling Hoylake and USA in the 43rd Walker Cup appeared first on Golf North.

Goron Mori, the St Andrews Links Trust’s recently retired director of greenkeeping, will become president of BIGGA in 2021

FORMER St Andrews Links Trust director of greenkeeping Gordon Moir has accepted the nomination to become vice-president of the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association in 2020.

Gordon, who retired from his position at St Andrews Links in December, will take up the deputy’s role with a view to becoming BIGGA president in 2021, as successor to Colin Webber, who is set to be the president in 2020.

The move comes after a career that saw him involved with the hosting of more than 37 championships, including five Opens at the Home of Golf.

The 60-year-old was just the eighth person to hold the title of director of greenkeeping at St Andrews since the first, Old Tom Morris, retired in 1904.

A farmer’s son from Fraserburgh in the north of Scotland, Moir began his career at the town’s golf club in 1976, and attended Elmwood College for his training.

He very quickly moved through the ranks to the role of head greenkeeper.

After 10 years in charge at Fraserburgh, he moved on to become head greenkeeper of St Andrews’ Eden Course in 1991, before later becoming the overall director of greenkeeping.

He has previously served on the BIGGA National Board and is a former chairman of the association’s Scottish Region.

Gordon Moir (right) holds the Claret Jug with five-time Open winner Tom Watson at St Andrews during his time as director of greenkeeping at St Andrews Links Trust

In 1995, while chairman, he met Arnold Palmer and presented him with a crystal vase in recognition of all the legendary golfer had done for greenkeeping.

Throughout his time at St Andrews, Gordon recognised the club had a duty as torchbearers for the greenkeeping industry.

As such, he was a great supporter of the Golf Environment Organization and the Golf Environment Awards, and would often speak at the annual BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition.

As vice-president, Gordon will support Colin Webber throughout his year as president of the association.

Colin, who is also 60, founded Portmore Golf Park in Devon in 1993 and is also heavily committed to ecology and sustainability, winning a Golf Environment Award in 2010.

Gordon said: “I was absolutely delighted to be asked to be president of BIGGA. To be honest, it was something that I really hoped would happen and I’m glad that my retirement has enabled me to accept this opportunity.

“I’ve tried to stay involved with the greenkeeping industry since retiring.

“So I’m really proud to be offered the chance to represent the association in this way – and meet people from all over the country who I haven’t seen for a year, or who I wouldn’t have met otherwise.

“There is so much available to members of BIGGA, such as getting involved with the various support teams or the numerous networking opportunities, and it can open up so many doors in your career.

“The association has done so much for me and I look forward to being the one talking to members and spreading that message.”

Colin said: “When I was asked to become president, my first thought was ‘why aren’t they asking Gordon?’

“He’s the perfect candidate because of what he’s done throughout his career and the level that he’s worked at.

“His nomination just schows the scale of BIGGA as Portmore couldn’t be further from St Andrews, both geographically – and in terms of its place in the golfing industry.

“It shows the breadth and scale of the association and how it brings together people from all over the greenkeeping industry together.

“I’m delighted that Gordon will be bringing all that experience to the role, which can only be a huge benefit to the association.”

Gordon will be appointed vice-president during the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition, which takes place in Harrogate, North Yorkshire in January.

He will then become president at the same event the following year.

BIGGA chairman Scott Reeves said: “Each of BIGGA’s presidents have brought a new dimension to the role.

“I’m sure Gordon will add to this increasingly-respected position in his own unique way. I look forward to working with him when he becomes vice-president and onwards in his year as president.”

Gordon Moir (right), next year’s BIGGA vice-president, talking to Jack Nicklaus at St Andrews

The post Old Tom Morris’ successor to become president of British and International Golf Greenkeeping Association appeared first on Golf North.

Stanford University’s Brandon Wu has now qualified for the US Open at Pebble Beach and The Open at Royal Portrush in the space of a month after claiming first place in Final Qualifying at Fairmont St Andrews after a first round 64

TWENTY-two-year-old American amateur Brandon Wu maintained his fairytale spell by producing a polished performance to claim top spot at Fairmont St Andrews to earn a spot at The 148th Open Championship.

The Stanford University student followed a brilliant 64 in the morning with a 67 to finish three shots clear of the field on nine-under playing a composite of the Kittocks and Torrance Courses at the course overlooking St Andrews during Final Qualifying.

Wu, who qualified to play in the US Open at Pebble Beach last month, said: “It has been a crazy run and today was fantastic, playing on a beautiful course with beautiful views.

“It is like a dream come true to qualify for The Open having watched all the greats play in it.

“This was the only competition I played over here on this trip, though I came over a week ago and got acclimated, as we say in the US. I kept it out of the long stuff and holed everything in the second round.”

The success came hot on the heels of the Californian helping Stanford win the NCAA Championship in his senior year before being presented with his graduation diploma as he came off the 18th green at Pebble Beach – after playing with Dustin Johnson in the final round of last month’s US Open.

Wu carded seven birdies in his opening effort, which earned him a three-shot lead at the halfway stage before the World No. 6 ranked amateur added four more in the afternoon.

Essex teenager Curtis Knipes tops Prince’s qualifiers with Callum Shinkwin

The two other spots on the Fife coast were claimed by young Scots Connor Syme and Sam Locke as they both passed the test for a second time in recent years.

Syme, who shared top spot with Suri at Gailes Links in 2017 to make his major debut at Royal Birkdale, finished second on this occasion after two 67s.

Meanwhile Locke, last year’s Silver Medal winner at Carnoustie, came out on top in the battle for the third and final spot with rounds of 69 and 67, ensuring a cushion of two shots back to three players tied in fourth.

Syme said: “The experience of qualifying at Gailes really helped me. I didn’t feel nervous at all today, which was great. I stuck to my game plan and doing what I was doing.

“I got to the semi-finals in The Amateur Championship at Portrush in 2014. It was my first year as a senior golfer. I struggled a bit at the start of that year but that was a kind of breakthrough.”

A winner on the Challenge Tour in Turkey this season, Syme started his second circuit with a burst of three straight birdies while Locke – a protege of Claret Jug winner Paul Lawrie, who turned professional straight after last year’s event in Angus – lit up his afternoon round with an eagle three at the 11th – his second hole – before getting up-and-down over a wall to save par at the last.

English Amateur Champion Thurloway takes Open spot at Hollinwell

Locke said: “Having come through Final Qualifying last year, it was good to go out and do that again today and I am over the moon.

“I had been playing some nice stuff coming into it but just not quite putting it together into a full tournament. I knew I wasn’t far away from doing something good and, thankfully, I picked the right day to do it.”

Just missing out was Woburn’s Stevie Lewton, who has been playing in Asia since losing his European Tour status in 2011 – five years after he finished runner-up behind Rory McIlroy in the Euroepan Amateur Championship.

After shooting rounds of 70 and 68, Lewton, the former B.B.&O. amateur who is now based in Bedfordshire after a spell living in Australia, was tied on two-under with Scottish EuroPro Tour player Lawerence Allan, from Alva, and Limerick’s Tim Rice.

Euan Walker, the beaten finalist in The Amateur Championship at Portmarnock two weeks ago, missed out again on earning a spot at Royal Portrush after rounds of 69 and 70 left the Kilmarnock (Barassie) man on one-under.

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As part of the Scottish Government’s new Women and Girls Fund, Scottish Golf is one of fifteen organisations to benefit from £300,000 investment. Aimed at getting more women and girls in Scotland taking part in sport, the fund will target women and girls who have previously had little or no access to physical activity for a wide variety of reasons.

Scottish Golf have received £15,360 from the fund and will use this to set up new Women and Girls Golf Hubs to compliment the national governing body’s existing Get into Golf offering, with four Regional Hubs offering entry level coaching in a fun and inclusive environment across the country.

Carol Harvey, Women and Young People Development Manager at Scottish Golf, welcomed the announcement, saying: “Scottish Golf is delighted to have received new investment to support the organisation in its aims of encouraging more women and girls to get involved with the game.

“In an exciting year for women’s golf in Scotland, with The 2019 Solheim Cup being staged at Gleneagles in September, the support from the Scottish Government’s Women and Girls Fund will allow us to deliver four new Women and Girls’ Golf Hubs across the country, aimed at introducing over 400 new women and girls into the game.

“The Hubs will run for 39-weeks during term-time with PGA Professionals delivering entrylevel coaching in a friendly environment for beginners.”

Sports Minister, Joe FitzPatrick MSP, congratulated the projects that have been successful in their applications.

He said: “There are so many benefits to making sport and physical activity a part of daily life. From improving physical and mental health, to developing skills and strengthening communities, the impact can be life-changing and that’s why we want as many people as possible to enjoy those benefits.

“It is encouraging to see that participation in sport and physical activity by women and girls in Scotland is increasing, but some still face barriers to taking part.

“The projects who will be supported through the £300,000 Women and Girls fund have shown great insight and innovation in understanding those barriers and taking steps to address them. I look forward to seeing the impact that they have.”

Further details on Scottish Golf’s new Women and Girls’ Golf Hubs, including venues, dates and registration, will be communicated in due course.
To keep up to date on all the latest Scottish Golf news, please click here.

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A record crowd of more than 270,000 watched Europe inflict the biggest defeat on the USA in Ryder Cup history – with millions watching on TV and following events at Paris’s Le Golf National via social media. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

THE 2018 Ryder Cup was named Event of the Year at the prestigious BT Sport Industry Awards in London at the end of April.

A record crowd of more than 270,000 fans watched Europe defeat the United States at Le Golf National, Paris, in September – with millions more tuning in around the world on TV.

The biggest event in the golfing calendar also recorded record social media engagement, with more than 22 billion impressions across the week.

It was the most successful Ryder Cup to be staged in Europe, as the biennial contest visited continental Europe for only the second time after Spain hosted it at Valderrama in 1997.

The BT Sport Industry Awards, which took place at Battersea Evolution, recognise the best work from across the sports sector.

The Ryder Cup won the award ahead of Hockey Women’s World Cup, ESL One, Fever Tree Championships, the Grand National and Wimbledon.

European Ryder Cup director Guy Kinnings told Golf North: “We are extremely proud to receive the Event of the Year Award, which is a tribute to all the hard work and dedication of so many people who were involved in making the 2018 Ryder Cup such a resounding success.

“Paris was an iconic host city and the response of fans at Le Golf National and around the world on social media once again underlined the huge appeal of this truly global event.”

It was the second consecutive year the European Tour has been recognised at the BT Sport Industry Awards.

HARRINGTON NAMED RYDER CUP CAPTAIN FOR WHISTLING STRAITS

Last year the European Tour took home the Social Media Campaign of the Year prize for its Access All Areas series, which included such videos as Aaron’s Big Day, the Fastest Hole of Golf, the Awkward Reporter and Bad Coaching.

At this year’s ceremony, the European Tour was also shortlisted for Sports Organisation of the Year Award and the Media Content Award for its coverage of the 2018 Ryder Cup.

Official European Tour partner Hilton was nominated for the Event or Competition Sponsorship Award for their collaboration with the European Tour at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

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