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
• Wales Golf statement
• Golfing Union of Ireland statement

More information

• NHS website
• Public Health Service

GOLF UNIONS

Bedfordshire County Golf Union

Berks, Bucks & Oxon Golf

Cambridgeshire Area Golf Union

Cheshire Union of Golf Clubs

Cornwall Golf Union

Cumbria Union of Golf Clubs

Dorset County Golf Union

Durham County Golf Union

Essex Golf Union

Gloucestershire Golf Union

Hampshire Golf

Hertfordshire Golf

Kent Golf Union

Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs

Leicestershire & Rutland Golf Union

Lincolnshire Union of Golf Clubs

Norfolk County Golf Union

Northumberland Union of Golf Clubs

Nottinghamshire Union of Golf Clubs

Shropshire & Herefordshire Union of Golf Clubs

Somerset Golf Union

Staffordshire Union of Golf Clubs

Suffolk Golf Union

Surrey Golf

Sussex County Golf Union

Warwickshire Golf Union

Worcestershire Union of Golf Clubs

Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs

Derbyshire County Golf

Devon Golf

Isle of Man Golf

Middlesex Golf

Northamptonshire Golf

Wiltshire Golf

Bedfordshire Ladies’ County Golf Association

Berkshire County Ladies’ Golf Association

Bucks County Ladies’ Golf Association

Cambs and Hunts Ladies’ County Golf Association

Cheshire County Ladies’ Golf Association

Cornwall Ladies’ County Golf Association

Cumbria Ladies County Golf Association

Dorset Ladies’ County Golf Association

Durham County Ladies’ Golf Association

Essex Ladies’ County Association

Gloucestershire Ladies’ County Golf Association

Hampshire Ladies’ County Golf Association

Kent County Ladies’ Golf Association

Lancashire Ladies’ County Golf Association

Leicestershire and Rutland Ladies’ County Golf Association

Lincolnshire Women’s Golf Association

Norfolk Ladies’ County Golf Association

Northumberland Ladies’ County Association

Nottinghamshire County Ladies’ Golf Association

Oxfordshire Ladies’ County Golf Association

Shropshire Ladies’ County Golf Association

Somerset Ladies’ County Golf Association

Staffordshire Ladies’ County Golf Association

Suffolk Ladies’ County Golf Association

Surrey Ladies’ Golf

Sussex County Ladies’ Golf Association

Warwickshire Ladies County Golf Association

Worcestershire & Herefordshire Ladies’ County Golf Association

Yorkshire Ladies’ County Golf Association

The post England Golf Statement Regarding Coronavirus appeared first on Golf North.

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.

SCOTLAND’S Robert MacIntyre capped a superb debut season on the European Tour by finishing tied 14th in the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai to seal two prestigious awards.

The 23-year-old was named the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year award.

The Walker Cup player also picked up the Challenge Tour Graduate of the Year accolade after finishing 11th on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

MacIntyre said: “I’m absolutely delighted. Halfway through the season when it became on the radar that we could win both awards, it’s something that we set out to do.

“We’ve finally achieved it and now I’m absolutely over the moon for it.

“I’ve enjoyed the battle. The last few weeks have been hard because I’ve been looking over my shoulder until last week when I got overtaken.

“But I could only control what I can control and that was putting some good golf shots on display and I finally managed to put in two good rounds this week to seal it off.

“Family’s everything to us. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them giving up so much time.

“My dad works two jobs, my mum previously worked three, four jobs. Now she’s starting to cool it down a wee bit but that’s nice.

“It’s been down to them and they have given me the chance. Now I just thank them so much.”

MacIntyre emerged top of the class from a strong crop of rookies which included two multiple winners – American Kurt Kitayama (14th) and Italian Guido Migliozzi (40th), both of whom came through Qualifying School – and fellow Challenge Tour graduate Spaniard Adri Arnaus, who finished 41st.

MacIntyre – who lost in the 2016 Amateur Championship final to Hampshire’s Scott Gregory – recorded seven top 10 finishes in 30 appearances on the European Tour in 2019.

They included three runners-up – in the Made in Denmark, Betfred British Masters and Porsche European Open.

The Oban-based ace also impressed in his Major Championship debut, finishing tied sixth in The Open at Royal Portrush.

•For the final Race to Dubai Rankings click here.

Koepka and Rahm: Challenge Tour’s greatest graduates

ROBERT MacIntyre became the 11th Scottish player to win the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year title since the European Tour’s inception in 1972 and the 12th overall.

Winning the prestigious award has laid the platform for some of the European Tour’s greatest careers, including this year’s Race to Dubai Champion Jon Rahm, who won the title two years ago.

Notable Scottish winners include Sam Torrance (1972), Sandy Lyle (1978) and Colin Montgomerie, who took the honour in 1988.

MacIntyre also became the seventh winner of the Challenge Tour Graduate of the Year, topping the list of 15 from the Class of 2018.

The left-hander finished 12th on the 2018 Road to Mallorca having finished runner-up twice last year.

MacIntyre played in the same Walker Cup team as Hampshire’s back-to-back Amateur Champions Scott Gregory and Harry Ellis, and their county boys team-mate Jack Singh-Brar, who kept his European Tour card, while Q-School graduate Gregory, lost his.

Previous winners of the Challenge Tour Graduate of Year are: Justin Walters (2013), Brooks Koepka (2014), Byeong Hun An (2015), Nacho Elvira (2016) Dylan Fritttelli (2017) and last year’s winner, Erik van Rooyen.

Koepka has won four Majors since then while An and Frittelli have both earned spots on the PGA Tour in the States.

•The other Scots to have won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie awards were:– Mark Warren (2006); Scott Henderson (1997); Gary Orr (1993); Colin Montgomerie (1988); Gordon Brand Jnr (1982); Mike Miller (1979); Sandy Lyle (1978); Sam Torrance (1972); Bernard Gallacher (1968) and Robin Liddle (1966).

The post Robert MacIntyre Cottons on to the list of great Scots to have won Rookie of the Year appeared first on Golf North.

The 168-yard par three, fourth hole at Nairn GC which will host the 126th Amateur Championship in 2021. Picture by DONALD FORD IMAGES / The Nairn Golf Club

THE R&A has announced the venues for its amateur championships and international matches in 2021 – which include some of the most prestigious courses in Great Britain and Ireland.

Nairn, in the north of Scotland, will host The Amateur Championship for the second time 27 years after Dorset’s Lee James triumphed over Scotland’s Gordon Sherry 2&1, in the 36-hole final.

The qualifying rounds will also be played at Nairn Dunbar. It will be the 126th staging of The Amateur Championship, which features a field of 288 world-ranked players.

The winner earns a place in The Open and the following year’s US Open. Traditionally, the winner also receives an invitation to the Masters Tournament.

Hampshire produced back-to-back champions in 2016 and 2017 with Scott Gregory beating Robert MacIntyre at Royal Porthcawl, while Harry Ellis triumphed at Royal St George’s 12 months later, and is the last English winner.

Hunstanton in Norfolk, will host The Women’s Amateur Championship for a sixth time – and first since 1972 when Essex’s Mickey Walker successfully defended her title defeating France’s Claudine Clos-Rubin.

It will be the 118^th staging of The Women’s Amateur Championship which features a field of 144 world-ranked players.

The winner earns a place in the AIG Women’s British Open, US Women’s Open, The Evian Championship and Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.

R&A executive director Duncan Weir said, “We are delighted to be taking our 2021 championships to venues of the highest quality that will challenge the world’s leading men and women amateurs.”

“Our aim is to provide the opportunity for those players to compete with their international peers and to show how good they are.

“Selecting outstanding venues is key and we are delighted to have such a strong schedule for 2021.”

Elsewhere, 2021 will see Kent’s Royal Cinque Ports, in Deal, and Sandwich’s Prince’s host the Boys’ Amateur Championship for the first time.

The links courses on the Kent coast will welcome the world’s leading boy golfers who will compete in the championship 100 years after it was first played at Royal Ascot.

The Girls’ Amateur Championship will be played at Fulford, in Yorkshire, and the Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship will be played at Staffordshire’s Enville – both venues hosting the championships for the first time.

The Men’s Home Internationals will be played at Surrey’s Hankley Common, which hosted the English Amateur Championship won by Stoke Park’s 16-year-old Conor Gough, in August.

Elsewhere, the Boys’ Home Internationals will be played at Trentham, in Staffordshire, the Women’s and Girls’ Home Internationals at Ganton, in Yorkshire, and the Women’s and Men’s Senior Home Internationals at Machynys, in Wales.

On the international stage, Great Britain and Ireland teams will compete against the Continent of Europe in the Jacques Leglise Trophy (Boys) in Sweden,

The Vagliano Trophy (women) and The Junior Vagliano Trophy (girls) both take place in Switzerland.

The men’s team will compete against the United States of America in the Walker Cup at Seminole, Florida, with the biennial clash moving from its traditional September date to avoid the southern state’s hurricane season.

The full schedule of tournaments is:–

The post Amateur Championship to go back to Nairn where Lee James beat Gordon Sherry appeared first on Golf North.

Austria’s Bern Wiesberger added the Italian Open to his Made in Denmark and Scottish Open victories in 2019. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

BERND Wiesberger claimed his second Rolex Series title of 2019 and third European Tour victory of the season with a hard-fought victory in the Italian Open.

The Austrian started the day three shots behind overnight leader Matthew Fitzpatrick, but carded a bogey-free final round of 65 to finish one shot clear of the Yorkshireman on 16-under.

Wiesberger, who now has a realistic chance of ending the season as the European No. 1, said: “It’s been a great summer for me. I’ve had a lot of good golf shown and a lot of progress after coming back from the last year.

“I’ve won three times this year and it’s been the same every time, I’ve just really enjoyed my time and I’m positive to be back out there because I know how tough it was when I had to withdraw from these great events.

“I’ve played really well in the right events in Ireland and the Scottish and here this week which helps getting up there in the Race to Dubai. I feel excited about what is ahead of us in these last four events.”

Wiesberger posted three consecutive birdies from the fifth hole followed by a further gain on the ninth.

And he went to the top of the leaderboard when Fitzpatrick, who had birdied the second, hit it out of bounds on the ninth leading to a double bogey.

He looked comfortably in control on the back nine with birdies on the 14th and 16th holes.

But Fitzpatrick staged an impressive fightback with three birdies in his final six holes, however the former Ryder Cup player could not find another on the last as he came up one stroke short.

That meant Wiesberger became the fifth player to win multiple Rolex Series titles after his maiden win in the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, in July.

Wiesberger joins John Rahm, Justin Rose, Alex Noren and Danny Willett as multiple Rolex Series winners.

The 34-year-old now leads the European Tour’s Race to Dubai with just six events remaining, having also won May’s Made in Denmark following seven months on the sidelines in 2018 due to a wrist injury.

Fitzpatrick signed for a round of 69 for a total of 15-under as he finished runner-up for the fourth time this season, having also come second in the Honma Hong Kong Open, the BMW International and the Scandinavian Invitation.

A disappointed Fitzpatrick said: “To lose by one is obviously very disappointing.

“I think I’ve played well when I’ve been up there on a Sunday, just other people really keep grinding and I keep coming up from behind.

“It is what it is. It’s still a great week, I’m here to win and not here to just make up the numbers.”

American Kurt Kitayama finished third on 12-under after a 71, a shot clear of Middlesex’s Andrew Johnston (68), Scot Robert MacIntyre (71) and another Austrian in Matthias Schwab (66), who shared fourth on 11-under.

Francesco Laporta posted a final round 68 to finish as the leading Italian player in a three-way share of seventh place.

•For the final results in the Italian Open click here.

The post Wiesberger joins Rahm, Rose Noren and Willett in Rolex Series multiple winners’ club appeared first on Golf North.

Hallamshire’s Matt Fitzpatrick produced four birdies in five holes on the back nine at Oligata GC, near Rome, to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Italian Open.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

YORKSHIRE’S Matthew Fitzpatrick staged an impressive fightback with four birdies in his final six holes to maintain his one-shot lead going into the final round of the Italian Open.

The former Ryder Cup player bogeyed the second hole after an opening birdie and then slipped to one over par for his third round with a further bogey on the 10th hole at Rome’s Oligata GC.

But the former US Amateur Champion rallied impressively with birdies on the 13^th, 15^th, 16^th and 17^th holes to sign for a round of 68 – and preserve his one shot overnight advantage after posting 13-under.

Fitzpatrick, who grew up playing junior golf at Sheffield’s Hallamshire Golf Club, praised his caddie Billy Foster – one of the most experienced on Toru – for keeping him on track for his first win of 2019.

Fitzpatrick said: “Billy just kept talking me through it, saying just be patient.

“I said to him down the hill on 12, it didn’t feel like I should be one-over. It felt like the way my swing felt.

“I didn’t hit as many good as good shots as I would have liked around the turn, so that cost me a little bit – put me back. But to finish the way I did, was great.

“The par saves on 11 and 12 were huge. They were really, really important, and they felt really good, as well, because it’s something I’ve been working on, my short game.

“Obviously everyone is always working on something,” Fitzpatrick added, “but just to see it pay off today, particularly under the pressure was good.

“To put myself one in front going into tomorrow gives me a little bit of help, but yeah, I’m just looking forward and ready to go already.”

Fitzpatrick has finished runner-up three times so far this season and he is seeking a sixth European Tour title to extend his winning run to five consecutive seasons in the fifth event of the European Tour’s 2019 Rolex Series.

Fitzpatrick’s career has never looked back since winning the Selborne Salver as an England junior international at Blackmoor GC, in East Hampshire, in 2012.

His nearest rival is American Kurt Kitayama, a two-time winner already in 2019, who moved serenely through the field with a bogey-free round of 65 to sit one shot back on 12-under.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre went one shot better with a seven-under 64 as he moved into contention for another shot at a maiden European Tour title, just two years since making his Walker Cup debut in Los Angeles.

The Challenge Tour graduate has impressed in his rookie season on the European Tour, also finishing runner-up on three occasions so far.

MacIntyre played alongside Hampshire’s Scott Gregory, and Jack-Singh-Brar in the Walker Cup in Californian, and all three have ended up on the European Tour – just three years after Gregory beat the Scott in the Amateur Championship final, at Royal Porthcawl.

MacIntyre said: “That round is up there. I seem to be getting in positions and just letting it fall away.

But me and Greg have been talking about just staying in the present. Just do what we do, and today, we done that. Managed to get a good result.

“When I get too aggressive, it actually affects me. So it’s just about playing to my strengths and the course kind of suits the driver.

“So we’re just going at it this week and it seems to be working,” added the Oban golfer.

“My goal now is just trying to get my mind off trying to win. It’s about trying to get as many world ranking points as I can to try to end the season as high as possible.

“Everybody knows why they want to end the season high, but the win is irrelevant of what I’m trying to achieve.

“I’ve just got to go and play my game, and if the win comes, well, I’m sure I’ll celebrate it.”

There is no doubt though that MacIntyre desparately wants to emulate Kitayama, who came through the European Tour Qualifying School nearly a year ago, finishing third at Lumine, in Spain.

Kitayama said: “It was a good day. I missed a few greens but was able to get up-and-down and made some good putts. Playing bogey-free is always good, especially out here.

“I feel like I’ve been in pretty good control of my irons. My driver was better. Just trying to keep it in play, really, and give myself a look at the green and take advantage of those.

“This is a big event. Winning at any level, even smaller events, you still have to draw back on those memories and those situations, because the feeling is still going to be similar.

“Winning’s winning. So just go out and do the same tomorrow,” added the winner of the Mauritius and Oman Opens in 2019.

MacIntyre will start the final round two shots adrift on 11-under.

Hertfordshire’s Matt Wallace and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger share fourth place on 10-under par after both players carded rounds of 67.

Wiesberger and Kitayama are both going for their third win of the season – with Wiesberger in position to make it two Rolex Series victories in just three months.

And if the Austrian should come out on top, the first prize of €1million will raise his game yet another level in his bid to make up for lost time through last year’s injury, and his pursuit of a place in Europe’s 2020 Ryder Cup team.

Follow live scoring in Rome here.

Round three s

The post Fitzpatrick finds answers in Foster’s advice as he keeps narrow lead in Italian Open appeared first on Golf North.

Muir of Ord is a heathland/moorland 18 hole course situated fifteen miles north of Inverness and is only twenty miles from
Inverness Airport.

It is set in some stunning Scottish scenery with clear views of Ben Wyvis to the north and to the south may been
seen the Beauly Firth and hills above Loch Ness.

The course has shown significant change and improvement since its inception in 1875. In the 1920’s the renowned golf course designer James Braid was engaged and much of what he altered and recommended remains intact to this day.

For more information on the course please visit our website www.muirofordgolfclub.co.uk

PACKAGES 2020

THE ORD PACKAGE
From £25.00pp
18 holes of golf.
Soup & sandwiches

THE GLEN WYVIS PACKAGE
From £30.00pp
Breakfast rolls & tea or coffee
18 holes of golf.
One course meal

THE JAMES BRAID PACKAGE
From £35.00pp
Breakfast rolls & tea or coffee
18 holes of golf.
Two course meal

We have a wide variety of options to cater for your society or group outing.
For more information and prices please contact Club Manager, John Forbes.

Muir of Ord Golf Club
Great North Road
Muir of Ord, Scotland
IV6 7SX

T: 01463870825
E: manager@muirofordgolfclub.co.uk
www.muirofordgolfclub.co.uk
Twitter @MuirofOrdGolf
Facebook /Muir-of-Ord-Golf-Club

The post Muir Of Ord Golf Club appeared first on Golf North.

Brora Golf Club

Brora Golf Club is recognised as being one of James Braid’s finest pieces of work. The green staff work tirelessly to preserve the original design whilst presenting a course that is regularly acclaimed for its quality.

The perfect balance between challenge and fun and in a breathtaking setting. Our recently upgraded clubhouse provides a spectacular view of the golf course and surrounding links land and our trained staff are on hand to make your visit to Brora golf club smooth and enjoyable.

Refreshments are available from the bar; food is available from the restaurant and our Pro shop will take care of all your golfing needs.

PACKAGES 2020

THE GREENKEEPER’S
£85.00pp
18 holes golf, coffee and
bacon rolls, soup
and sandwich lunch

THE CAPTAIN’S
£95.00pp
18 holes golf coffee
and bacon rolls,
two course meal
(Available until midday)

THE PROFESSIONAL’S
£99.00pp
18 holes golf, soup and
sandwich lunch,
two course meal
(Available after midday)

THE PRESIDENT’S
£125pp
36 holes golf, coffee and
bacon rolls, soup
and sandwich lunch,
three course meal

Minimum eight players. Other options are available and we are happy to tailor packages to meet your requirements. Please call us to discuss your exact requirements.

Brora Golf Club
Golf Road
Brora
Sutherland KW9 6QS

T: +44 (0) 1408 621417
E: secretary@broragolfclub.co.uk
www.broragolfclub.co.uk
Twitter @BroraGolfClub
Facebook /BroraGolfClub
Instagram @broragolfclub

The post Brora Golf Club 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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