OVER 100 TOP YOUNGSTERS LINE-UP FOR REID TROPHY
Over 100 of the best young golfers from Britain and Europe
will line-up in the English Boys Under-14 Stroke Play Championship
for the Reid Trophy at Porters Park Golf Club, Hertfordshire,
on 14th-15th August.
Many of the boys, who are likely to become the internationals
of tomorrow, have low handicaps despite their tender years
and, for English players, the Reid Trophy offers a stepping
stone to EGU regional coaching, a first foot on the ladder
to greater things.
The player with the lowest handicap is Andrea Pavan from
Italy, who is off one, while there are six entries off three,
five of whom are from continental Europe. The home player
with the lowest handicap is Henry Smart from Banstead Downs,
also off three.
One player, Daniel Shevill (Stocksfield) has already claimed
a national title. He won the Scottish Boys Under-14 Open Stroke
Play Championship by a stroke at Helensburgh last month with
a 70. In last year's Championship at Catterick, Daniel finished
third in the under-13 category and 13th overall.
He also did well in the Northumberland under-21 matchplay
at Whitley Bay, losing at the second extra hole in the quarter
finals, and finished third in the Northumberland Stroke Play
Championship for under-18s at Wallsend.
Among other talented entrants is Duncan Pike (Sene Valley),
who won the under-13 prize at the 2002 Kent Junior Championships,
and Peter Stevenson from Great Torrington in Devon, the son
of clubmaker Steve Stevenson.
Last year, the title went to Wales in the capable hands of
Zac Gould and the Welsh will be at Porters Park in force with
around a dozen entrants from the principality.
Young golfers from Italy, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands
are also represented including Dutch boy Floris de Vries,
who won the under-13 title in last year's Championship. He
is the younger brother of Wouter de Vries, who won the English
Under-16 title in June at Rotherham.
There are several 11 year olds in the field, the youngest
being Chris Lloyd (The Kendleshire) and Mikhail Ishaq (Bondhay).
The entry for this year's Championship, which is returning
to its original home at Porters Park, has been enlarged to
111 from 90 and has attracted a total entry of 135, all but
six of the ten-handicappers being balloted out.
The leading six players in the Championship will gain automatic
exemption to next year's McGregor Trophy, the England Boys'
Under 16 Championship, at Dudsbury, Dorset.
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