A host of national champions and internationals will be on view when the English Boys County Finals take place at Pannal Golf Club, Harrogate, Yorkshire, on 29th – 31st August.
The four regional winners taking part are Gloucestershire, Lancashire, Shropshire & Herefordshire, and Surrey and all will field players with international experience.
Only Gloucestershire have never won the Boys County title, but the South West winners are justifiably confident that they have a good chance of making the breakthrough this time. Their team includes Oscar Sharpe, the first player to hold the English under 14 (Reid Trophy) and under 16 (McGregor Trophy) Championships in the same year and also Adam Carson, runner-up in the recent Reid Trophy, and Chris Lloyd, third in the Reid.
Success has denied Lancashire the services of newly-crowned British Boy champion Matthew Nixon. Following his outstanding victory at Royal Aberdeen last weekend, Nixon has been included in the GB&I team to meet Europe in the Jacques Leglise Trophy in the Czech Republic.
However, the Northern Group winners can also call on internationals in the shape of Tommy Fleetwood and Jack Senior as well as Sam Stuart, who has been successful in recent championships. Fleetwood was runner-up in last year’s English under 16 Championship and was capped at under 16 level against Scotland. Senior is another under 16 cap while Stuart finished equal tenth in the Carris Trophy and was a semi-finalist in the British Boys.
Surrey field internationals in Tim Chatfield and Billy Fowles, the latter having been capped in this month’s Boys Home Internationals after which he reached the quarter finals of the British Boys, while Tommy Hayes finished third in the Scottish Boys Championship.
Ashley Chesters is Shropshire and Herefordshire’s international, having been capped at under 16 level against Scotland last year. He is also a former Midland Boys champion. The Midland regional champions also include Oliver Farr, the county’s boy champion, winner of the Eden Trophy at St Andrews recently and the individual winner in the boys and men’s regional qualifying. Also pencilled in is Tom Lowery, a Welsh under 16 cap, and Richard Prophet, who moved from Worcestershire this year and won the Shifnal club championship with a record score.
Lancashire have the best record in the competition with victories in their only final appearances, in 1990 and 2001, while Shropshire and Herefordshire took the title in 1992.
Although Gloucestershire have never been successful, they were runners-up in the inaugural final in 1986 and again ten years later, while Surrey won on their only previous final appearance in 2000.
The County Finals are contested on a round robin basis, each match consisting of three foursomes and six singles, all over 18 holes. In the first round of matches on 29th August, Gloucestershire will play Shropshire and Herefordshire, while Lancashire meet Surrey.
Teams:
Gloucestershire
Lancashire
Stuart Baker (Tewkesbury Park)
Martin Edge (Hesketh)
Adam Carson (Long Ashton)
Tommy Fleetwood (Formby Hall)
Oliver Glaze (The Kendleshire)
Steven McGlynn (Blackburn)
Ed Kennedy (Broadway)
James Robinson (Southport & Ainsdale)
Chris Lloyd (The Kendleshire)
Jack Senior (Heysham)
Oscar Sharpe (Minchinhampton)
Sam Stuart (Chorley)
Kyle Trewin (The Kendleshire)
Michael Williams (Formby Hall)
Shropshire & Herefordshire
Surrey
Sam Baker (Burghill Valley)
Tom Berry (Wentworth)
Jamie Britain (Shifnal)
Tim Chatfield (Wentworth)
Ashley Chesters (Hawkstone Park)
Tom Hayes (West Byfleet)
Matthew Davies (Kington)
Billy Fowles (Wentworth)
Oliver Farr (Ludlow)
Andrew Cooley (Chobham)
Tom Lowery (Ludlow)
Henry Smart (Walton Heath)
Ricky Pharo (Hawkstone Park)
Leigh Smith (Surrey National)
Richard Prophet (Shifnal)
Contact:
Lynne Fraser, EGU Marketing and PR Manager
Email: lfraser@englishgolfunion.org
Tel: 01526 354500
