The winning England team at last year’s European Nations’ Championship at Sotogrande GC. Back row – Yeovil GC’s Tom Plumb and Bailey Gill, from Lindrick. Front: Tom Sloman, who won the gold individual medal and Northamptonshire County’s Ben Jones (right)

NEXT month’s European Nations’ Championship due to be held at Spain’s Sotogrande Golf Club, have been postponed – along with events in Ireland – because of the coronavirus crisis.

Organisers of the prestigious event at the Sotogrande GC – on the Costa del Sol – have responded to the Covid-19 outbreak in Spain and across Europe.

The announcement was quickly followed by the Golf Union of Ireland’s announcement that the annual boys international against Wales at Caridgan GC, on March 20 and 21, was being called off.

The Irish Ladies Golf Union cancelled the Irish Girls Open Strokeplay at Roganstown, from April 3-5, while the ILGU will also not be sending a team to the French U21 Championship next month.

England’s men and women were due to compete at the European Nations’ on the Costa del Sol along with 15 other countries from April 15-18.

In 2019, the England men’s team struck gold while Tom Sloman, from Somerset’s Taunton and Puckeridge GC, won the individual title.

England’s women earned a bronze medal – their best-ever finish in the event.

Sotogrande Golf Club’s Maria Jose Arias said: “The expansion of COVID-19 leaves us with no other option than to postpone the tournament until there is a favourable scenario without risks.

“Our intention is to be able to host the tournament this year whenever it is possible.

“We deeply regret this situation and wish everyone good health in these difficult times.”

The European Nations’ Championship is not the first top amateur event to be cancelled in 2020 because of the coronavirus epidemic, which was upgraded to a pandemic on March 11.

The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific – due to be held in the second week of February – was called off first, followed by the Bonallack Trophy, the match between Asia and Europe.

The WAAP will now be played in October, at Thailand’s Siam Country Club, in Pattaya.

The Italian Golf Federation has postponed the Italian Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships along with several senior events on the international calendar.

College golf in the USA has also been hit, with the rest of the NCAA season now cancelled.

The post Sotogrande call off European Nations’ Championship as coronavirus spreads in Spain appeared first on Golf North.

Charlotte Heath is the first English golfer to win the Australian Women’s Amateur Championship since Julie Wade back in 1995. Picture by GOLF AUSTRALIA

CHARLOTTE Heath became just the fifth British player to ever win the third oldest women’s amateur championship in the world at the weekend.

The 18-year-old England international swept away the challenge of Indonesia’s Mela Putri to claim a stunning victory in the Australian Women’s Amateur Championship.

The Yorkshire schoolgirl was too strong for her 22-year-old rival and claimed a majestic 7&6 victory in the 36-hole final at the Royal Queensland Golf Club.

Heath became the first winner from British shores in 24 years and just the fifth to win the Australian Women’s title in it’s 127-year history.

The last was Julie Hall from Felixstowe, who won in Oz in 1995, having won her second Women’s Amateur Championship in the same year, after her first victory in 1990.

The Australian is actually the 10th oldest championship in the world including men’s opens at professional and amateur level.

Heath – a member at Huddersfield Golf Club – got off to a fast start and was three-up after five holes.

Heath’s lead was a commanding eight holes by the completion of the first 18 holes.

The 18-year-old then tightened her grip in the afternoon by holing her approach to the third hole from 180 yards for an eagle – taking her lead to 10 holes.

Putri fought back to win four of the next five and threaten a comeback. But Heath held her nerve to hole a par putt on the 12^th and claim the title with six holes to spare.

After the win, Charlotte Heath told Golf Australia: “It was a bit stressful and I was super nervous to start.

“I got off to a quick start and then in the second 18 she started playing really good and it was tense.

“I made two bogeys and she made two birdies and I dropped a few. But I kept my head and kept going.”

The Yorkshire county player has been a frequent visitor to the winners’ circle over the past 12 months, winning the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters at Nizels GC, in June, and the Pleasington Putter.

But the win Down Under is by far the most significant of the former England junior international’s young career.

Victory will catapult her up the world rankings from her current position of 226nd.

Heath said describing the moment she hovered over the matchwinning putt: “I was just like ‘hole it’ – it was for a half anyway so if I missed it – and it went six feet past. It didn’t really matter.”

Heath will now be invited to two LPGA events – the Victoria Open and Women’s Australian Open.

But before that Charlotte has some pleading to do with her teachers back at home.

“I’ve never played in LPGA event – hopefully I can get time off school,” said a smiling Heath.

The English star qualified for the matchplay event by finishing in a tie for 17^th in the strokeplay.

Rounds of 71 and 74 left Charlotte Heath somewhat under the radar going into the knockout stages.

But while Cornwall’s Women’s Amateur Champion Emily Toy – the top seed after winning the strokeplay – unfortunately fell at the first hurdle to eventual finalist Putri, Heath got up a head of steam as the week wore on.

A 4&2 win over Australia’s Fiona Xu earned Heath a place in the last 16 where another local hero – Charley Jacobs – was brushed aside by the same score.

On Saturday, a third Aussie was put to the sword in the quarter-finals when Heath triumphed over the much-fancied Lian Higo booking her place in the last four with a 3&2 winning margin.

South Korea’s Minju Kim was next up, but with Heath’s confidence rapidly rising the English women’s international notched another impressive 3&2 win to reach the final.

Then came the crowning glory with Heath thoroughly deserving of her plaudits.

Heath’s name joins the following Brits on the trophy:
•1995 Julie Hall (Felixstowe Ferry) – played in five Curtis Cups
•1955 Miss Veronica Anstey (later Beharrell) Edgbaston GC
•1935 Miss J B Walker (The Berkshire) Won the Irish Ladies Amateur in 1930
•1905 Miss M Backhouse

•To see how Charlotte Heath got to the final click here for the full matchplay results and for the strokeplay qualifying scores click here.

Jones and Strickland knocked out in semi-finals of Australian Amateur

Northamptonshire County’s Ben Jones was knocked out in the semi-finals of the Australian Amateur Championship, losing to Ireland’s Tom McKibbin, who lost in the final.
Picture LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE County’s Ben Jones joined Sussex’s Charlie Strickland and Northumberland’s Matty Lamb in the matchplay stages of the Australian Amateur Championship.

Lamb, from Hexham, a member of the victorious Home Internatinals team in September, had his run halted to the last eight by Australia’s Louis Dobbelaar, in the third round.

However, Jones, the losing finalist in last summer’s Amateur Championship and Ham Manor’s Strickland battled through to the semi-finals.

But with an all-English final beckoning – which would have created some unparalled history at an overseas championship – they were both knocked out.

Jones’ match with Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin was nip and tuck all the way with the man from Holywood edging it by a single hole.

Australia’s Jediah Morgan – who went on to win the event – had too much in the tank for Strickland, who lost 5&3.

Strickland is one of nine players in the England Men’s squad for 2020. The former England Boys cap, who missed most of 2018 after being diagnosed with epilepsy, claimed the Selborne Salver, at Blackmoor GC, last April.

Rotherham’s Ben Schmidt – who claimed the English Men’s and Boys Amateur Strokeplay double last year – was one of eight England players in the 198-strong field that failed to make it through to the last 64.

The youngest-ever winner of the Brabazon and the youngest to win the Carris in the same season at just 16 – to break Sandy Lyle’s 42-year-old record – missed out by four shots after an opening 80 on the Brisbane Course.

The Australian Amateur is the ninth oldest golf championship in the world and has only been won by two Englishmen in its 127-year history – the MP Michael Scott won it three times in four years from 1905-8.

Middlesex’s Warren Bennett, from Ruislip GC, won the title in 1994, at Royal Sydney GC – the same year he claimed the Lytham Trophy and represented Great Britain & Ireland in the Eisenhower Trophy at the World Amateur Team Championship, at Versailles, in France.

•For full strokeplay scores in the Australian Amateur click here and to see the matchplay results click here.

Corhampton’s Scott Gregory – winner of the 2017 New South Wales Amateur. Picture by ANTHONY POWTER

Can England match Gregory and Petrozzi’s success in New South Wales Amateur?

THE seven-strong England squad (five men and two women) move on from Royal Queensland to play in the New South Wales’ Amateur being held jointly at St Michael’s Golf Club and the Coast Golf Club in Little Bay.

England have a great record in the NSW Amateur, with Hampshire’s Scott Gregory winning in 2017, beating Sussex’s Marco Penge in an all-English 36-hole final.

Staffordshire’s Gian-Marco Petrozzi kept the trophy in English hands a year later while Formby’s Paul Howard (2015), Jack Senior (2011) and Gary Wolstenholme (2007) have all taken the title in the 21st Century.

Michael Scott MP was England’s first – and only – back-to-back winner in 1909 and 1910.

Their Australian adventure ends with the Avondale Amateur at Avondale Golf Club from January 28-31.

•Follow live scores in the New South Wales Open by clicking here.

The post Charlotte Heath the fifth Brit to win Australian Women’s Amateur Championship appeared first on Golf North.

Northamptonshire County’s Callum Farr – runner-up in the English Amateur in August – is one of a seven-strong England team heading to Australia in January.
Picture by LEADERBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY

SEVEN members of the England Golf’s performance squads are travelling to Australia in the New Year, to kick off their 2020 amateur golf season.

Five of the men’s squad and two from the women’s team are heading down under for four top-class tournaments in January.

Northamptonshire County’s Ben Jones and Callum Farr, Yorkshire’s Ben Schmidt, Tom Plumb, from Somerset, and Northumberland’s Matty Lamb will spearhead the men’s challenge.

Cornwall’s Emily Toy – the reigning Women’s Amateur champion – and Yorkshire’s Charlotte Heath will lead the way for the women.

Emily Toy, winner of The 2019 Women’s Amateur Championship. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

A month of competition starts with the Master of the Amateur tournament at the Victoria Golf Club near Melbourne, between January 7-10.

The England players will then travel on for the Australian Amateur, at Royal Queensland, from January 14-19.

The New South Wales Amateur follows immediately at St Michael’s Golf Club and the Coast Golf Club, in Little Bay.

The month ends with the Avondale Amateur at Avondale Golf Club, from January 28-31.

Yorkshire teenager Schmidt is the most decorated of the England Golf’s men’s party, having broken the record as the youngest-ever winner of the Brabazon and Carris Trophy double in the same season, at just 16, in July.

Jones reached the semi-final of The Amateur Championship at Portmarnock, in June, but missed out on a Walker Cup appearance at Royal Liverpool, in September.

Yeovil’s Tom Plumb did play for Great Britain and Ireland at Hoylake, where the USA regained the Walker Cup.

The 20-year-old, who won the South West Counties Amateur Championship back in June, was also crowned Cape Province Open winner in March. He has been an England international at men’s and boys level since 2015.

Hampshire Hog winner Lamb, who made his debut in the English Home Internationals alongside Schmidt, Plumb, Jones and Farr, who lost in the final of the English Amateur to Stoke Park’s Conor Gough, in August.

Corhampton’s Scott Gregory – winner of the 2017 New South Wales Amateur. Picture by ANTHONY POWTER

England’s successes Down Under – from Victorian Michael Scott to Scott Gregory

THE Australian Amateur dates back to 1894 – a year before the US Amateur was founded.

That makes it the fourth oldest national championship in the amateur world behind New Zealand (1893), South Africa (1892) and the R&A Amateur (1885).

Gloucestershire’s former Winchester College student Michael Scott, who emigrated to Australia at the start of the 20th Century, won the Australian Amateur four times between 1905 and 1911.

Scott also took the amateur honours at the inaugural Australian Open title in 1904, and won again in 1907 – beating both the professionals and the amateurs in the field by some seven shots.

The son of the Earl of Eldon also won seven Victoria Amateur state titles before returning to Europe to fight in the First World War.

Scott, whose sister Lady Margaret Scott who won the first three Women’s Amateur Championships, won two French Amateur titles in 1912 and 1922.

He made his Walker Cup debut in 1924, at New York’s Garden City Golf Club.

The Royal St George’s captain became the oldest player to appear in the Walker Cup when he also captained the Great Britain and Ireland team at St Andrews, in 1934, at the age of 55 – having become the oldest winner of The Amateur Championship a year earlier.

The only English winner Down Under in post-war times was Middlesex’s Warren Bennett – the Ealing man was crowned in 1994 – the Scots have a better record with Connor Syme winning in 2016, while Eric Ramsay won at Royal Melbourne, in 2005, and Jack Doherty at Mount Lawley in 2003.

But the English have fared better in the 36-hole strokeplay qualifier – at one point given the title of Australian Amateur Strokeplay Champion but now known as the Australian Amateur Medallist.

Danny Willett took that Strokeplay title in 2008 – preceded by Andrew Dodt and Jason Day (2006), while Wellingborough’s Ryan Evans took the prize in 2014 – followed a year later by Huddersfield’s Nick Marsh, six months after he beat Hampshire’s Scott Gregory in the English Amateur final at Saunton.

Australian Blake Windred claimed the Avondale in 2018 and 2019 and turned pro earlier this year. He was third Australian to win the Avondale back-to-back since its founding in 2006.

The last Englishman to claim the title in New South Wales was Evans in 2014 that marked a memorable month Down Under for Evans and England Golf.

Woburn’s Steve Lewton, who went on to play on the European Challenge and Asian Tours, was the second ever winner in 2007, followed by Coventry’s Matt Cryer a year later.

In 2017, Gregory, from Corhampton, claimed the New South Wales Amateur title as the reigning Amateur Championship beat Sussex’s Marco Penge in the final, at Terrey Hills G&CC.

The Corhampton player – who headed England Golf’s party that year – also featured in the Master of the Amateur tournament and met Open Champion legend Peter Thompson during a practice round.

The Australian, who lifted the Claret Jug three years’ running in the mid-1950s – and five times in total between 1954 and 1965 – died in June 2018.

Staffordshire’s Gian-Marco Petrozzi claimed the NSW title in 2018. Previous English winners include Formby’s Paul Howard (2015), Hexham’s Jack Senior (2011) and Gary Wolstenholme (2007).

The New South Wales dates back to 1898 – the most famous champion was New Zealand’s Michael Campbell, the winner in 1992, who went on to win the US Open in 2005 at Pinehurst.

•For more information about the amateur events England Golf’s party will play in Australia, in January, visit www.golf.org.au

The post England Golf’s ‘Magnificent Seven’ set for Australia’s oldest championship in 2020 appeared first on Golf North.

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

The post England retain Raymond Trophy as Schmidt makes up for Walker Cup omission appeared first on Golf North.

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.

The post England captain Edwards picks six debutants for Home Internationals at Lahinch appeared first on Golf North.

Thurloway, from Chartham Park, beat Gloucestershire’s Joe Long 6&5 in last year’s final at Formby, and is now seeking to become the first player to win back-to-back championships since Paul Casey in 2000 and 2001.

Long, from Lansdown Golf Club, also returns attempting to go one better than last year – having played well in the 2018 Hampshire Hog, which was won by his close friend Mitch Waite, who is now in the pro ranks.

Saunton GC’s Jake Burnage the 2017 Hampshire Hog winner. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

St Andrews Links Trophy winner Jake Burnage, from North Devon’s Saunton GC, also made his breakthrough win at North Hants just two years ago.

Burnage missed the European Amateur Team Championships in Sweden earlier this month – something that would normally preclude a player’s chance of Walker Cup selection.

Burnage, who starteed the season in the England A squad, will be battling against his nine England rivals, who are keen to press their claims for one of the 10 spots in Walker Cup captain Craig Watson’s team to face the Americans at Royal Liverpool, in September.

The top-ranked player in this year’s field is World No. 30, Tom Sloman, from Somerset’s Taunton & Pickeridge Golf Club, who won the individual title at the European Nations Cup at Spain’s Sotogrande, in the spring.

Sloman is joined by Lindrick and Yorkshire’s Bailey Gill and Yeovil and Somerset’s Tom Plumb, who were also part of the English squad that defended the team title in southern Spain – all three are in the GB&I squad.

With the team expected to be named in less than two weeks after the US Amateur, the English event represents B.B.&O.’s David Langley’s last chance to impress on UK soil at least.

Wallasey’s Walker Cup hopeful Joshua McMahon. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

Also looking to impress the Walker Cup selectors are Wallasey’s Josh McMahon, who was named in the provisional 16-man squad after his victory in the Lytham Trophy, in May, and Northamptonshire County’s Ben Jones, who reached the last four in The Amaetur Championship at Portmarnock, in June.

West Cornwall’s Brabazon runner-up Harry Hall and Hexham’s Matty Lamb – who were part of the English team that finished runner-up to hosts Sweden in the recent European Men’s Team Championship – are also heading to the Hampshire-Surrey border with the two qualifying courses which are just 11 miles apart.

Lamb has already won at North Hants this year having claimed the Hampshire Hog with a superb course record 63 in the second round, in April and earned his GB&I call-up with some strong showings since.

Also teeing it up at the Fleet club where Justin Rose made a name for himself as an amateur by Hallamshire and Yorkshire’s Alex Fitzpatrick, whose brother Matt has been a Ryder Cup team-mate of Rose’s.

Wiltshire’s England A squad member Jake Bolton, from Ogbourne Downs, went close at North Hants to landing both the Hampshire Hog and the Hampshire Salver, having to settle for runner-up.

Hexham’s Matty Lamb winner of the Hampshire Hog, at North Hants GC, in April. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

Fellow squad member Billy McKenzie will lead the Hampshire charge aiming to follow in the footsteps of Meon Valley’s Harry Ellis, who became the youngest-ever winner of the English Amateur in 2012, aged just 16, breaking Sir Nick Faldo’s record which had stood since 1975.

Corhampton’s Scott Gregory was the beaten finalist at Saunton in 2014 – two yeas before he became Hampshire’s first-ever Amateur Champion and lost in the 2016 Spanish Amateur to France’s Romain Langasque, who had won the R&A’s prestigious crown the previous summer at Carnoustie.

McKenzie, having had dreams of making this year’s Walker Cup squad after his Spanish Amateur final win over Fitzpatrick in 2018, will be keen to make up for lost time and emulate former Hampshire Boys team-mate’s Gregory and Ellis by reaching the latter stages of the matchplay.

The left-hander, who was ranked in the top five in the USA’s NAIA rankings between 2014 and 2017 while at William Woods University, beat Castle Royle’s Langley 7&6 in front of the Great Britain and Ireland selectors at Portmarnock, last month.

Other England A squad members teeing it up are Northamptonshire County’s Callum Farr, who won the 2018 Selborne Salver at Blackmoor’s equally demanding heathland track, and Cheshire’s James Newton, from Prestbury, winner of the Irish Amateur Strokeplay, in May.

Howley Hall’s Ben Hutchinson, a member of the England A squad. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES.

Yorkshire’s Ben Hutchinson, from Howley Hall, Hertfordshire’s Harry Goddard (Hanbury Manor) and Lincolnshire’s Sam Done, from Kenwick Park, are the other England A squad members who will want a good week.

They can push their cases for a place in England’s Home Internationals team that willl head to Lahinch, the recent venue for the Irish Open on the European Tour, as defending champions, in September.

The field of 288 players also includes England Boy’s squad members Barclay Brown, also a member at Yorkshire’s Hallamshire GC, Surrey’s Enrique Dimayuga (Walton Heath), Stoke Park’s 2018 British Boys champion Conor Gough, Dubai=based Josh Hill, Hertfordshire’s Max Hopkins, Suffolk’s Habebul Islam, Trevose’s George Leigh, and Berkshamsted’s Ben Pierleoni.

The players were due to play 18 holes at both courses in qualifying with the top 64 and ties going through to the matchplay, although with a very poor weather forceast, including the threat of thunderstorms, organisers England Golf will be prepared for the possibility of qualifying being decided over 18 holes – as it was at Alwoodley, in Leeds, four years ago.

The seeded draw should commence on Thursday morning at Hankley Common, with a possible preliminary round. The last 32 and 16 matches are scheduled for Friday with the quarter and semi-finals due to be played on Saturday with the 36-hole final on Sunday.

For live scoring click here.

The post Walker Cup hopefuls aim to impress as Tom Thurloway defends English crown appeared first on Golf North.

The England team who were beaten 41/2-21/2 in the final of the European Amateur Team Championship by hosts Sweden at Llunghusen Golf Club.

ENGLAND narrowly missed out on the chance to win the European Men’s Team Championship for a record 12th time when they lost to hosts Sweden in the final of this year’s championship at Llunghusen GC.

Tom Sloman, Alex Fitzpatrick and Ben Jones all claimed top-10 finishes as England finished second behind Ireland in the 36-hole strokeplay qualifier earlier in the week.

And they went on to defeat both Wales and Scotland by 4-3 before losing 4½- 2½ to the hosts in a keenly contested final in which all but one of the matches went at least as far as the 17th green.

The English team were the first to put a point on the board when Somerset pair Tom Sloman and Tom Plumb recorded their third foursomes win of the tournament with a 2&1 win over Ludvig Aberg and Christoffer Palsson.

But David Nyfjall and Vincent Norrman ensured the scoreline was level at lunch with a 4&3 victory over Alex Fitzpatrick and Matty Lamb.

In the afternoon Harry Hall made it three-out-of-three in the singles with a 2&1 victory over Norrman, and Plumb also halved with Nyfjall – but that was not quite enough to see the team over the line.

The result means England have won three sliver medals in a row having also achieved that feat in Austria in 2017 – and then again in Germany 12 months later.

The men’s team comprised Sloman (Taunton & Puckeridge) Fitzpatrick (Hallamshire), Jones (Northamptonshire County), Plumb (Yeovil), Hall (West Cornwall) and Lamb (Hexham).

For full scores click here.

Women’s team end up in fifth place

•ENGLAND ended the European Ladies’ Team Championship on a high note when they beat Scotland 3-2 to claim fifth place at Is Molas in Sardinia.

The team made up of Lianna Bailey, Roehampton’s Annabell Fuller, Berkhamsted’s Alice Hewson, Stoke by Naylan’s Lily May Humphrey and Cornwall’s Women’s Amateur Champion – Emily Toy, from Carlyon Bay – lost the chance of collecting a medal when they were beaten 5½ – 1½ by Sweden in the opening round of the knockout competition.

But they then defeated Denmark 3½-1½ before rounding the championship out with a win over the Scots. The event was won by Sweden who beat Spain 5-2 in the final.

For full results from the championship click here.

Boys also fifth as hosts France win

THERE was also a fifth-place finish for the English team at the European Boys’ Team Championship where hosts France won in front of the own fans at Chantilly.

England – represented by Hallamshire’s Barclay Brown, Stoke Park’s Conor Gough, Bishop’s Stortford’s Max Hopkins, Florida-based Joe Pagdin, Rotheram’s Brabazon Trophy record-breaker Ben Schmidt and Robin Williams, from Peterborough Milton – lost 4-3 to Ireland in the opening round.

But the U18s then defeated Italy 3½-1½ before rounding things by beating Spain by the same scoreline.

Click here for full results

Girls qualify in fifth but lose to hosts

THE English Girls team finished fifth in qualifying at the European Girls’ Team Championship, at Parador El Saler, in Spain, but then lost 4-3 to Spain, 3-2 to The Netherlands and 3½ – 1½ to Sweden to finish eighth.

The event was won for the first time by Denmark who beat Spain in the final. Click here for full results.

ENGLAND GIRLS: Jessica Baker (Gosford Ladies), Rosie Belsham (Whitely Bay), Ellie Gower (Gleneagles), Charlotte Heath (Huddersfield), Euphemie Rhodes (Burnham & Berrow and Caitlin Whitehead (Carus Green).

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