The 2019 St Andrews Links Trophy winner Jake Burnage – the 2020 championship has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Picture by ST ANDREWS LINKS

THE St Andrews Links Trophy – which produces Europe’s strongest strokeplay field – has been cancelled because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The St Andrews Links Trust took the decision after the Government’s lockdown was brought in to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, earlier this week.

The cancellation also affects the St Rule Trophy – a leading strokeplay event in the women’s amateur calendar.

The men’s annual 72-hole championship played over two of the St Andrews Links Trust’s five championship courses – with three rounds normally played on the Old Course annually – was due to be played from June 5-7.

A spokesman for the Trust said: “Following discussions with the organising committees of both the St Andrews Links Trophy and St Rule Trophy, we have taken the decision today (Thursday), to cancel the 2020 staging of both of these annual amateur tournaments.”

The St Andrews Links Trophy’s most famous winner was Justin Rose, who was just 16 back in 2007 – the year he made his Walker Cup debut for the Great Britain and Ireland team against the USA as the youngest player in the competition’s history, having just turned 17.

The Trust’s director of golf John Grant said: “The health and wellbeing of our teams, entrants and their families is our number one priority.

“Following the closure of all our facilities and with many countries and regions recommending self-quarantine and continued restrictions on travel, we felt that it was not practical or appropriate to stage this year’s tournaments.

“With both events attracting entrants from around the world we wanted to make a decision as early as possible.

“We look forward to the return of both the St Andrews Links Trophy and St Rule Trophy to St Andrews Links in 2021.”

The St Andrews Links clubhouse

Just two have won St Andrews twice

CRAIG Watson – who captained Great Britain and Ireland}s Walker Cup team at Royal Liverpool last year – is one of only two players to have won the St Andrews Links Trophy twice in its 32-year history.

But he was beaten to the claim of being the first to win the championship twice by Walker Cup star Barclay Howard, who won at St Andrews in 1994 and 1996.

Watson claimed the famous trophy in 1992 – five years before he would claim the Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s.

The East Renfrewshire GC member returned to St Andrew’s two months after his debut in the 1998 Masters at Augusta to lift the trophy again.

Howard, who was a member of the 1995 Walker Cup team that conquered Tiger Woods & Co. at Royal Porthcrawl, was in his early 40s when he began winning big amateur event.

The Cochrane Castle GC member had been made redundant by Rolls-Royce in 1993 and dedicated, his time to playing full-time against the best amateurs.

Howard was the oldest GB&I player in both Walker Cups he was selected for – and was a team-mate of Justin Rose’s in the 1997 defeat at Quaker Ridge, in New York, after claiming the Silver Medal as the low amateur at The Open, at Royal Troon, a month earlier.

With so many winners in the 21st Century turning pro either after their victory at the Home of Golf, or within 12-24 months, the chances of a second victory – let alone back-to-back are very slim these days.

Many winners have gone on to secure their Walker Cup place by winning the St Andrews Links Trophy in an odd year – although the 2019 champion Jake Burnage, from Saunton, was not picked for the match at Hoylake, in September.

Royal Liverpool’s European Challenge Tour winner Matthew Jordan (2017), Hampshire’s Neil Raymond (2013) and Hertfordshire’s Tom Lewis (2011) are three of the five English winners in the last decade.

All three made their Walker Cup debuts in the year of their victory at St Andrews while Ireland’s Alan Dunbar – the winner in 2009 – is one of a small number who did not make the Walker Cup in the year they won at the Home of Golf.

Richard Finch – who won the 2002 English Amateur Championship at Walton Heath – won the St Andrews Links Trophy in June 2003

Finch turned pro after St Andrews Link win

YORKSHIRE’S Richard Finch turned pro in the summer of 2003 after winning the St Andrews Links Trophy.

The Hull GC member was also due to defend the English Amateur crown he won at Walton Heath, in August 2002, and missed out on a Walker Cup appearance at Ganton in September, after signing for Chubby Chandler’s ISM Group.

Wales’ Llewellyn Matthews – the wire-to-wire winner in 2007 – and Scotland’s Lloyd Saltman, who lifted the trophy in front of the famous R&A clubhouse in 2005, both made the Walker Cup team after their victories.

Meanwhile Essex’s two winners – Matthew Southgate (2010) and Oliver Fisher (2006) – went on to earn their European Tour cards.

Fisher also broke Rose’s record when making his Walker Cup debut in 2005 as a 16-year-old.

As well as Saltman, a member at Craigielaw, Scottish winners include Grant Forrest (2014), who also hails from the same club, Carnoustie’s Kier McNicoll (2008) and Leven’s Jamie McLeary (2004).

The latter followed West Linton’s Simon McKenzie’s triumph in 2002 and Colville Park’s Steve O’Hara in 2001, who went on to play in GB&I’s famous win at Sea Island that August.

The team – led by Peter McEvoy – contained future PGA Tour winners Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell – while Scotland’s Marc Warren, Essex’s Richard McEvoy and three-time Faldo Series winner Nick Dougherty all went on to win on the European Tour.

It was the first GB&I team to successfully defend the Walker Cup by winning on US soil.

The winners of the St Andrews Links Trophy have their photo taken standing on the famous Swilcan Bridge, which runs across the 18th fairway on the Old Course.

Huizing’s low-total record in St Andrews Links Trophy

HOLLAND’S Daan Huizing holds the championship record for the lowest 72-hole total in the St Andrews Links Trophy.

The Dutchman won with a 23-under par total of 264 – playing one round on the New and three on the Old.

That was four shots better than Jake Burnage’s winning total in 2019 when the Devon ace played the Jubilee and the Old.

The first-ever winner was Russell Claydon, from Cambridge’s Gog Magog GC, back in 1989.

Australian Stuart Bovier, who succeeded Claydon, Holland’s Daan Huizing (2012) and Italy’s Federico Zucchetti (2015) are the only three overseas winners in the last 32 years.

In total, 11 Englishmen and 11 Scotsmen have won the title with Ireland providing two of the winners in the last four years – Conor O’Rourke in 2016, and John Murphy in 2018.

The date in the men’s amateur calendar clashes with a number of English counties annual championships, which has meant some of England’s top players over the past two decades have missed out on winning their own county championship.

That list includes Hampshire’s Sam Hutsby, Scott Gregory and Harry Ellis who all reached the final of The Amateur Championship, while Corhampton’s Neil Raymond achieved a rare double by winning the Brabazon (twice in 2011 and 2012 ) as well as the St Andrews Links in 2013.

The 11th hole on the Jubilee Course, which is used regularly in the St Andrews Links Trophy

Jubilee and New used as second course for Links Trophy

THE second course used for the St Andrews Links Trophy normally rotates between the Jubilee and the New.

Out a field of 144 – determined by the Official World Golf Rankings and a number of nominations from national golf unions – the top 40 players after playing a round on each course, play 36 holes on the Old Course.

In the past there have been times when used of the Old has been restricted, normally when St Andrews is playing host to the Open Championship in the same year.

And normally every five years, the players get to play the Old Course when the stands for The Open, plus the relevant signage, is already in place.

The championships in 1999 and 2000 were reduced to 36 holes because of the weather, while the 2015 event was cut to 54 holes for the same reason.

The ninth hole on the New Course, also used regularly for the St Andrews Links Trophy

Week-long St Andrews festival ‘remains on’

THE St Andrews Links Trust also organises a week-long festival of amateur events each August for players of all ages and abilities which are still scheduled to take place at present.

The trust spokesman said: “The annual fortnight of competition hosted by St Andrews Links Trust for amateurs of all ages and abilities in August, including the St Andrews Boys’ Open, remains in the diary at present.”

But they are subject to “continued monitoring and review,” he added.

“If there is any change in their status entrants will be contacted immediately,” said the spokesman.

The Links Trust also organises the St Andrews Junior Ladies’ Open, and the Eden and Strathtyrum Trophies every summer.

The organising committees of the two cancelled events – the St Andrews Links and St Rule Trophy – are committed to refunding all entry payments within 10-14 days.

“Entrants do not need to contact the tournament team in order to request a refund, these will be processed automatically via the original payment method,” said the trust spokesman.

•Entries for the 2020 Boys’ and Junior Ladies’ Open close in June. For details click here.

Allyn Dick, from Kingsfield Golf Club, who won the Eden Trophy in 2019. It was first played for back in 1919. Picture by ST ANDREWS LINKS TRUST

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England claimed the Raymond Trophy after beating Scotland 9-6 at Lahinch GC, in Ireland.
Picture by PAT CASHMAN / CASHMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

ENGLAND have won the Home Internationals after beating Scotland 9-6 at Lahinch, on Friday, to retain the Raymond Trophy.

Hexham’s Matty Lamb won five out of six matches, losing just one over the three days as England followed up their 12-3 romp over Wales on Wednesday, with a 10-5 win over their Irish hosts, on Thursday, to maintain their 100 per cent record.

England were pegged back to a 21/2-21/2 draw in the foursomes by the Scots, who made a strong start in match three with Eric McIntosh and Darren Howie going up five up with four to play against West Cornwall’s Harry Hall and Rotheram’s teeanage record-breaker Ben Schmidt.

Somerset’s Walker Cup pairing of Tom Sloman and Tom Plumb beat Euan McIntosh and Kieran Cantley 2&1 in the top match to tie things up quickly and extend their foursomes record to three wins out of three.

After Northamptonshire County’s Ben Jones and Saunton’s Jake Burnage lost by one hole to Royal Wimbledon’s Ryan Lumsden and Matt Clark, Lamb playing with Yorkshire’s Ben Hutchinson, beat James Wilson and Connor McKinney 4&3.

The bottom match between Lindrick’s Bailey Gill and Wallasey’s Joshua McMahon ended in a half to take the teams into lunch all-square.

England made a fast start to the singles on the course which hosted the Irish Open won by Jon Rahm.

Sloman took care of Lumsden courtesy of a 3&2 win while Jones won the 18^th to beat Cantley by two.

While Plumb was held to a half by Wilson, Burnage, who was considered very unlucky to miss out on a Walker Cup place despite winning the St Andrews Links, in June, lost 2&1 to McKinney.

Hexham’s Matty Lamb was England’s top scorer losing just one of six matches as they retained the Raymond Trophy at the Home Internationals at Lahinch, with a 9-6 win over Scotland on the final day. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

Northamptonshire’s Callum Farr halved with Irvine Lewis and Hampshire Hog winner Lamb beat Howie by one on the last to make it 61/2-41/2 to England.

Clark ended his week on a high as Scotland’s leading points scorer with a 2&1 win over Hutchinson to keep Scottish hopes alive.

But Schmidt – the youngest player to win both the Carris Trophy and the Brabazon in the same season – was left to claim the winning point for England and the title thanks to a two-hole win over Eric McIntosh.

Lytham Trophy winner McMahon – another to miss out on Walker Cup selection – got a half from Euan after Lindrick’s Bailey Gill took care of Stuart Easton in the bottom match, winning 3&2.

England’s bid to retain the Home Internationals crown they won at Conwy 12 months ago, began with Wales holding them to 21/2-21/2 in the foursomes.

Jones – who, along with Ben Schmidt, was one of two reserves for the Great Britain and Ireland side that lost the Walker Cup to the USA at Royal Liverpool, on Sunday,– helped Burnage to a 4&3 win over Jake Hapgood and Jacob Davies.

But from 2-0 up Welsh pair Connor Jones and George Bryant won on the last against Hutchinson and Lamb while Matt Roberts and Kieron Harman picked off Gill and McMahon by 3&2 leaving Schmidt and Farr to share the spoils with Wales’ Gaelen Trew and Tom Froom.

But the singles were a very different proposition as the scoreboard was turned red with England winning nine out of the 10 matches, with just Farr held to a half at the death by Trew to make it 12-3.

Plumb beat Davies 7&6 in match two while Burnage collected his second point of the day with a 5&4 win over Hapgood.

Hutchinson picked up the winning point with a 5&3 win over Roberts as Gill raced to his win over Jones by the same scoreline a hole behind them.

Ireland claimed the Raymond Trophy four years in a row before England’s victory in 2018 but their hopes of regaining the crown in front of their own fans was effectively ended when they lost the foursomes 4-1.

Plumb and Sloman took care of Walker Cup team-mate Conor Purcell, playing with Keith Egan, winning 4&3 while Gill and McMahon beat another of Ireland’s four Walker Cup players – Tom KcKibbin – by two holes, playing with Colm Campbell.

Ireland’s only success came courtesy of Walker Cup player Caolan Rafferty’s 2&1 win playing with Tiarnan McLarnon against Jones and Burnage.

Ireland had to come out fighting and Purcell ended Sloman’s 100 per cent record with a 3&2 win before Rafferty got the better of Plumb by 2&1.

But wins from Farr – his first for England – Burnage, Jones and Lamb – the latter against McKibbon on the last – wrapped up the 10-5 win.

Schmidt kept his unbeaten run going with a 2&1 win over McLarnon before Gill halved the bottom match with Campbell who played in all four of Ireland’s recent Home International triumphs.

For full scores from Lahinch, click here

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ENGLAND Golf have announced a strong team for the defence of their title at the Men’s Home Internationals, to be played at Lahinch, in Ireland, from September 11-13.

The 11-man team includes West Cornwall’s Harry Hall, and Somerset pair Tom Sloman and Tom Plumb, who will travel to Ireland straight from playing in the Walker Cup match at Royal Liverpool the weekend before, but not schoolboy Conor Gough, the 16-year-old English Amateur Champion, from Buckinghamshire’s Stoke Park GC.

Captain Nigel Edwards has also picked Rotherham’s record-breaker Ben Schmidt and Ben Jones, from Northamptonshire County, who were listed as first and second reserves for the biennial fixture against the USA when the Walker Cup team was named on Monday.

The 2019 team also includes Jake Burnage and Bailey Gill, who were part of the 2018 English Men’s Home International team that beat this year’s hosts Ireland in the deciding match 12 months ago at Conwy GC, in Wales.

Plumb and Sloman were also part of that winning squad. Hall and Schmidt are both newcomers to the Home International team and earn their first full England caps.

Hall graduated from University of Las Vegas, in May, where he won twice in five weeks in 2018 and played under Cornwall’s Walker Cup player Philip Rowe, who was in the same team as Justin Rose, in 1997.

They are joined by Hampshire Hog winner Matty Lamb, Yorkshire’s Ben Hutchinson and Wallasey’s Joshua McMahon, who also make their debut in the contest.

The final debutant is Northamptonshire County’s second representative in the team – Callum Farr, who lost in the final of the English Amateur to Stoke Park’s Conor Gough at Hankley Common, earlier this month.

Farr, who earned his place in this year’s England A squad by winning the Selborne Salver last year and by reaching the last four of the 2018 English Amateur, was also runner-up in the Spanish Amateur, in March.

Two reserve players have also been selected – Castle Royle’s David Langley and Malton and Norton’s Yorkshire player David Hague, who both were in the team a year ago.

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