MYERS SEEKS A TITLE DOUBLE IN REID TROPHY
Adam Myers will attempt to add the English Boys under 14
Championship to the under 16 crown already in his grasp when
he tees off in the Reid Trophy at Bristol & Clifton Golf
Club on 11th - 12th August.
The 14 year old from Northamptonshire won the under 16 title
for the McGregor Trophy a month ago at Radcliffe on Trent,
a final round of 70 giving him a one stroke advantage over
Lancashire’s Tommy Fleetwood, the overnight leader.
However, Myers can again expect strong opposition from Fleetwood
as well as defending champion Jonathan Bell in a field of
111 talented youngsters.
Bell, from Royal Blackheath Golf Club, won the title a year
ago at King’s Norton by a shot from James Wilson (Formby
Hall) with Fleetwood, another Formby Hall member, and Jack
Crowe (West Hill) a stroke further back in third place.
Fleetwood, also 14, can be considered among the favourites
for this coveted title particularly after winning the under
13 prize at Kings Norton last year plus his fine performances
in the aforementioned under 16 championship and the English
Amateur. In the latter the one-handicapper took former Walker
Cup man Michael Skelton to the last green in the first round
before losing by two holes. That earned high praise from Skelton,
who feels he is one of the finest prospects to emerge in recent
years.
Another Lancastrian, Jack Brooks, winner of the Reid Trophy
in 2003 as a 12 year old, is also competing as is Cornwall’s
Billy Downing, who finished runner-up to Brooks, and 13 year
old Chris Lloyd from The Kendleshire.
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.
Young golfers from Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Portugal,
Scotland, Wales and the United States, are also competing
while the Netherlands, who are gaining a glowing reputation
in junior golf, have eight players in the field.
The player with the lowest handicap of plus-one is 13-year
old American David Flynn, while youngest player competing
is Colin Walsh from Lee-on-Solent, who was 12 in April.
The leading six players in the Championship will gain automatic
exemption to next year’s McGregor Trophy at Worthing.
|