Last year’s Major Champions Invitational winners with Sir Nick Faldo, who has amassed 16 legends from the game to act as captain’s at next week’s 2020 championship in Arizona

SEVENTY-TWO junior golfers from around the world will compete at in next week’s third edition of the Major Champions Invitational, at Arizona’s Lookout Mountain Golf Club.

The players will be split into teams of four – each captained and mentored by one of 18 Major champions.

England’s North East stars Jess Baker (Gosford Park Ladies) and Whitley Bay’s Rosie Belsham have the dream pairing, working with Dorset’s Solheim Cup winner Georgia Hall, while Leo Goosen – son of two time US Open Champion Retief – is in Team Stewart.

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The Goosens lost out in a three-way play-off against Bernhard Langer and Tom Lehman, in the PNC Father and Son competition, at Orlando’s Ritz-Carlton GC, in December.

But this time Goosen junior, who plays for Orlando’s Lake Highland Preparatory School, and plays on the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour, will be partnered with Argentina’s Tiago Barni, Venezuela’s Gabriel Restepo and China’s Ariel Yu.

With some of golf’s best players, past and present, as team captains, including 18-time Major champion Jack Nicklaus and current World No. 1 Brooks Koepka, the event is set to be the biggest in its short history.

Other Major champions involved include current PGA Tour stars such as 2016 US Open Champion Dustin Johnson and 2017 PGA Champion Justin Thomas, 10-time women’s Major champion Annika Sorenstam, 2018 Women’s British Open Champion Georgia Hall and 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson.

The tournament was conceived by World Golf Hall of Famer and six-time Major Champion Sir Nick Faldo as part of his desire to provide more opportunities to young golfers, in addition to his already well-established Faldo Series events.

The Major Champions Invitational has an actioned-packed schedule.

The juniors taking part will experiencing tournament conditions usually afforded to the best players in the world.

Sir Nick Faldo said: “It is great to be back for another year of the Major Champions Invitational.

“Thanks to some very generous Major champions, as well as our sponsors Golf Saudi, we have been able to take the event to a whole new level.

“We also have a few special treats up our sleeves for the players, which should add to the whole experience,” added Sir Nick, who won three Claret Jugs at The Open, and three Green Jackets at the Augusta Masters between 1987 and 1996.

“Ultimately, it’s about inspiring the next generation by building a connection between them and some of their heroes,” said Faldo.

“With the success of last year’s individual Champions on the amateur circuit in 2019, we’re hopeful the event concept is really starting to reap rewards.”

The participants will play four rounds of golf, including three in competition, get front-row seats to Sir Nick’s clinic, as well as the chance to meet with a selection of their golfing heroes.

The on-course action will unfold at Phoenix’s Lookout Mountain Golf Club – located between picturesque Sonoran Desert and Phoenix North Mountains.

The course, built in 1989, is a nine-time recipient of Golf Digest’s Four-Star Award and has been ranked in the Top 10 golf courses in Arizona.

•To see the full field click here.

Conor Gough and Annabell Fuller were crowned 2019 Major Invitational champions

The 2019 Major Champions Invitational individual awards were won by Stoke Park’s Conor Gough and Roehampton’s Annabell Fuller, as part of Team Hall.

Gough went on to become second-ever youngest English Amateur Champion at just 16 – Hampshire’s Harry Ellis who broke Sir Nick Faldo’s record set at 18 in 1975 was just four days younger than Gough.

The B.B.&O. England international has since represented Great Britain and Ireland at the Walker Cup, while Fuller played for Europe at the Junior Solheim Cup.

Other British players in this year’s field, looking to succeed Gough and Fuller, are Scottish quartet Gregor Graham, Carmen Griffiths, Evanna Hynd and Ruben Lindsay, who are in Team Watson.

Surrey’s Rhys Williams, a member at Foxhills Golf & Country Club, is in Team Ballesteros, while Dorset’s Louise Burke, is in Team Faldo.

The 2019 team competition was won by Team Annika, led by Annika Sorenstam.

The full list of team captains at the 2020 Major Champions Invitational is:–

• Sir Nick Faldo
• Jordan Spieth
• Tom Watson
• Dustin Johnson
• Justin Thomas
• Brooks Koepka
• Seve Ballesteros
• Payne Stewart
• Adam Scott
• Henrik Stenson
• Jack Nicklaus
• Se Ri Pak
• Ariya Jutanugarn
• Nancy Lopez
• Georgia Hall
• Danielle Kang
• Annika Sorenstam
• Michelle Wie
  

  Last year’s winning team with Annika Sorenstam (right) and Sir Nick Faldo (left)

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Justin Thomas loves playing links golf for the variety of shots he is forced to play… but the 2017 USPGA Champion admits he has yet to fully work out what the best strategy is as he prepares for the Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

JUSTIN Thomas is determined to solve the conundrum of links golf when he makes his Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open debut at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian.

The American Major winner has taken full advantage of the glorious surroundings of Scotland’s Golf Coast, enjoying a round with his father and compatriot Kevin Kisner, at North Berwick, before teeing it up a few miles along the coast in the third Rolex Series event on the 2019 Race to Dubai, which starts today (Thursday).

The World No. 9 made his European Tour debut at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship six years ago, but did not make it to Sunday and has missed the cut at The Open Championship in the past two seasons.

But the 26-year-old insists that he loves links golf and is relishing the test posed at The Renaissance Club this week.

Thomas, the 2017 USPGA champion, said: “I really, really do love links golf.

“In terms of if I could play one golf course every day for the rest of my life it would probably be a links golf course over here because you can play the same course and it can play so different every single day and every week.

“That part is enjoyable. You have to hit so many different kind of shots and you have to have a lot of imagination.

“But that being said, I haven’t been very successful on links, for as much as I do enjoy it, and feel that I can play it well.

“I just obviously haven’t figured it out totally. So, this is why we felt like it was the best decision to come to the Scottish and to get at least one more round, tournament, under our belt before next week.

“North Berwick was very enjoyable. We were lucky they let us go out. My dad got to play, too and always entertaining playing with Kis.

“Us three went around, got our trollies, played for about three hours and had a pint after. It was a great way to spend our first day here.”

Four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy is also eyeing a maiden win in Scotland as he tees it up at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open for the second time in three years – after opting to miss last week’s trip to Lahinch for the Irish Open, having been the tournament host since 2015 through his charitable foundation, which has now been wound up.

The Northern Irishman has 13 European Tour wins to his name, but victory at The Renaissance Club – sandwiched between Muirfield and Archerfield – would bring his first Rolex Series title, in the week before he contests The Open Championship in his homeland.

McIlroy, who will be seekng his first Major win since 2014 when he plays at Royal Portrush next week, said: “I’m playing this event with two eyes firmly focused on the Scottish Open.

“First and foremost, I want to play well here. I want to get myself into contention and have a chance to win a golf tournament.

“I think if I do that, that’s the best way to prepare for next week. You know, get yourself into contention. Feel the heat of getting in there on Sunday and trying to play some good golf.

“I would definitely like to win here. I’m here fully focused on this event. I think most tournaments deserve to stand on their own two feet and have some stature, and the Scottish Open is one of these events on the European Tour.

“It’s a big event. A lot of prize money, a lot of points. So, it deserves to stand-alone and not just be this tournament that’s attached on to the week after.”

Meanwhile, Rickie Fowler is looking forward to continuing his love affair with Scotland’s national open after tasting victory just along the coast in Gullane in 2015.

And never having finished outside of the top 10 in his four previous appearances. Fowler is grouped with McIlroy and up-and-coming Scottish star Robert MacIntyre in today’s first round – and he’s relishing the prospect of playing in front of Scottish crowds again.

Despite being a new venue for the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, American Matt Kuchar has played a number of rounds on the East Lothian venue in recent years. He is back for his ninth appearance in this event and is aiming to go one better than his runner up finish behind Fowler in 2015.

Fowler said: “Looking forward to it. I got to see Bob MacIntyre on Monday and we had a little challenge together, the 14-club challenge.

“We had some fun doing that together. Obviously he’s a great player and looking forward to playing alongside him. I’m sure we’re going to have some good crowds.

“I get a lot of local support, which I definitely appreciate. I think they can see how much I love not just the game of golf, but links golf and being over here, choosing to play here the week before The Open.

“This is always a fun week for us.”

Matt Kuchar,who defended his par-three title in Tuesday’s Hero Challenge, said: “Excited to be here. I played Renaissance Club a couple of fun times in previous years, it’s a fun golf course.

“Have just really enjoyed coming to the Scottish Open over the years, whether it be Loch Lomond or Gullane or any of the other courses we’ve played.

“It’s been a great experience and made many great friends here and always a lot of fun to return.”

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