Yorkshire will attempt to complete a hat-trick of victories in the English County Championships when they defend the title on home soil at Cleveland Golf Club on 28th – 30th September.
They will also be seeking their eighth triumph in 11 years, having previously completed the hat-trick between 1997 and 1999 and followed that with victories in 2001 and 2002.
The EGU Northern Group Champions will start firm favourites against the other regional winners, Hampshire, Isle of Wight & Channel Islands, Leicestershire & Rutland, and Wiltshire, especially as they are fielding an almost all-international line-up including Walker Cup man John Parry (pictured left – photo courtesy of Tom Ward).
Parry, who has been a member of three Yorkshire County Championship-winning sides, joins boy internationals Adam Best, Matthew Evans, Adam Hodkinson and Nick McCarthy, while the team also includes Gareth Evans and Stephen Uzzell, both members of the England ‘A’ Squad.
Parry, 20, was selected for the Walker Cup following victory in the Spanish Amateur Championship, Welsh Open Stroke Play and a quarter final spot in the English Amateur Championship.
Best, 18, is having an exemplary year with victories in the Yorkshire Boys Championship, Cleveland Salver and York Rose Bowl. He was also runner-up in the Seaton Salver and Northern Boys Championship and made a victorious debut for England in the Boys Home Internationals.
Gareth Evans, McCarthy, Parry and Uzzell were members of the team that won the County Championships title at Prince’s in Kent a year ago.
It is 11 years since Hampshire, IoW & CI were last in the County Championships Finals and on that occasion they emerged victorious at Woodhall Spa. This time they will rely on new England international Sam Hutsby, Mark Thistleton, winner of the 2006 Lagonda Trophy and this year’s Selborne Salver, Martin Young, last year’s English Mid-Amateur champion and runner-up in 2007. They also have the redoubtable Ryan Hanley, their County Champion, and Matt Allen, who finished fourth, a shot out of a playoff in the Hampshire Hog
Leicestershire & Rutland will be without the services of England veteran Gary Wolstenholme, away at the US Mid-Amateur Championship, newly-capped Charlie Ford, back at college in the United States, and Neil Chaudhuri, who has family commitments. But they do have Jason Palmer, a member of the England ‘A’ Squad, who last year was quarter finalist in the Amateur Championship and winner of the Italian Amateur and was fourth in this year’s Midland Open Amateur. The evergreen David Gibson, now in his forties and County Champion, and Jake Amos, a former boy cap who is at college in America, are also playing.
Wiltshire also have some strong players. Sam Matton is the Wiltshire County Champion and he also spearheaded their victory in the regional qualifying when he also became the South West Stroke Play Champion. The 19 year old has also captured the Wiltshire Colts title as well as the Welsh Youth Championship. Miles Mackman, will also be an valuable asset to the team. A member of the England Under 21 Squad, who won the Lagonda Trophy in May and was also a member of the winning England Squad at the Chiberta Grand Prix in France.
Yorkshire have won the English title on 19 occasions and this will be their 36th appearance in the final. Hampshire, with six previous appearances, won the title in 1996, while Leicestershire have finished runners-up in 2003 and 2004. This will be their seventh final and Wiltshire’s first.
The Finals are contested on a round robin basis, each match consisting of three foursomes and six singles. In the first round of matches on 28th September, Hampshire will play Leicestershire while Yorkshire will meet Wiltshire.
Full details, scores and news for the English County Championships are available on the EGU website, www.englishgolfunion.org.
Teams:
Hampshire, Isle of Wight & Channel Islands
Matt Allen (North Hants)
Stuart Archibald (Blackmoor)
Sam Hutsby (Liphook)
Ryan Henley (Stoneham)
Mark Thistleton (Hayling)
Gavin O’Neill (Royal Jersey)
Martin Young (Brokenhurst Manor)
Leicestershire & Rutland
Jake Amos (Kilworth Springs)
Martin Anderson (Kibworth)
Matt Bolton (Cosby)
David Gibson (Cosby)
Sam Mayfield (Kilworth Springs)
Jason Palmer (Kirby Muxloe)
Liam Plant (Cosby)
Wiltshire
Tom Burley (North Wilts)
John Haugh (Salisbury & South Wilts)
Ali James (Cumberwell Park)
Ben Loughrey (Wrag Barn)
Sam Matton (Bowood G&CC)
Miles Mackman (Broome Manor)
Richard Scarrott (Wrag Barn)
Yorkshire
Adam Best (Cleveland)
Gareth Evans (Northcliffe)
Matthew Evans (Rotherham)
Adam Hodkinson (Hallowes)
Nick McCarthy (Moortown)
John Parry (Harrogate)
Stephen Uzzell (Hornsea)
Contact:
Lynne Fraser, EGU Marketing and PR Manager
Email: lfraser@englishgolfunion.org
Tel: 01526 354500
