CRAMPTON TO DEFEND CHIBERTA GRAND PRIX
James Crampton has been invited by England to defend the
Chiberta Grand Prix, a title he won so well a year ago, in
France from 14th - 17th July.
Also selected to compete for England in the tournament in
Biarritz will be former boy internationals Gary Boyd from
Northamptonshire and Surrey’s Seve Benson.
Crampton, 33, from Lincolnshire became the first British
winner of the event last year when a closing 64, one shot
outside the course record, gave him a 14 under par aggregate
of 266 and a two stroke victory. The Spalding golfer was in
the leading group throughout all four rounds but didn’t
get his nose in front until the back nine of the final day.
Crampton has a fine record within Lincolnshire, where he
has been county champion four times. He is also a former winner
of the Midland Youth Championship, the Berkhamsted Trophy,
and the Lincolnshire Open Championship. In 2003 he won the
English County Champions event at Woodhall Spa and last month
finished runner-up in the Brabazon Trophy at The Oxfordshire.
He is also a current member of the England B squad.
Boyd caused a sensation when he won the EGU Gold Medal as
an 11 year old in 1998. In recent years Boyd, now 18, has
been a regular member of the England junior scene, having
been capped at boys under 16 and boys under 18 levels. He
travelled to Japan with England in 2003 for the World Boys
Team Championships, then after being picked for the European
Boys Team Championships was forced to pull out with a back
injury.
Last year, Boyd won the Midland Youths Championship, finished
third in the Carris Trophy, was a member of England‘s
winning team in the Boys Home Internationals and represented
GB&I in the Jacques Leglise Trophy. Recently he finished
runner-up in the Hampshire Hog.
Benson, 18, from the Wentworth club, made his England debut
in last year’s winning Boys Home Internationals and
was a member of the Surrey side that won the English County
Finals at Worksop. He was called into the England A squad
at the start of this year and has enjoyed high finishes in
the Berkhamsted Trophy and Hampshire Hog, finishing fourth
in the latter.
The Chiberta competition is medal stroke play over 72 holes
with a halfway cut. There is also a team event over the first
two days, the best two of the three cards to count.
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