ENGLAND QUARTET TARGET A DOUBLE VICTORY DOWN UNDER
English players have won the prestigious Lake Macquarie International
Amateur Championship in Australia on just three occasions
in the past 20 years. But that record may improve following
the selection of a top quality quartet by the EGU to contest
the 2006 event.
 The
four, Adam Gee, Jamie Moul, Edward Richardson and Gary Wolstenholme
(pictured left - photo courtesy of Tom Ward), are members
of England's Elite Squad and they will head "Down Under"
to compete in the Lake Macquarie tournament at Belmont Golf
Club on 26th - 29th January and the New South Wales Medal
and Amateur Championship over three Sydney courses on 4th
- 12th February.
While Gee, Moul and Richardson will be making their debuts
at Lake Macquarie, the event will be nothing new for Wolstenholme.
The 45 year old is a regular participant and this will be
his ninth attempt to extend his international successes by
lifting the title. The closest he has come was in 1998 when
he lost to Brett Rumford in a play-off, although in 2003 he
won the team title with Jonathan Lupton.
However, he will be the defending champion in the New South
Wales Amateur following his two stroke victory from Ireland's
Sean McTernan at Pymble a year ago.
Surrey-based Gee has been an England regular for the past
two years. The 25 year old from Leatherhead has enjoyed a
successful 2005, winning the Berkshire Trophy and finishing
runner-up in the South African Strokeplay Championship and
the Berkhamsted Trophy. He also reached the quarter finals
of the South African Amateur, finished fifth in the Lytham
Trophy and was an England reserve for the European Men's Team
Championships at Hillside in July.
The past year has also been a happy one for Moul. The 21
year old from Suffolk regained his international spot as well
as a place in the Elite Squad after a disappointing run and
celebrated by helping England win the European title at Hillside.
He was also a member of England's winning team in the Costa
Ballena Match and was England's joint leading points scorer
in the Home Internationals.
The former under 16 and boy cap also finished runner-up in
the St Andrews Links Trophy, fourth in the West of England
Strokeplay, and equal sixth in the Brabazon Trophy. After
being named a reserve for the Walker Cup, Moul teamed up recently
with Oliver Fisher, English Ladies Amateur champion Felicity
Johnson and Sophie Walker to win the Spirit International
in America.
Richardson, who made his England debut in the Home Internationals
at Royal St George's in September at the age of 37, earned
his elevation after solid performances on the Kent county
scene over the previous five years, topping the Order of Merit
in 2003 and 2004. He helped his Southern Valley club win the
EGU Champion Club title in 2003 and this year he has won the
West of England Strokeplay Championship, finished tied fourth
in the Berkshire Trophy and fifth in the Tillman Trophy. He
also represented the EGU in the Swiss and European Amateur
Championships.
Wolstenholme, England's most capped player, competed in his
sixth Walker Cup in August and also was a member of the victorious
England team in the European Men's Team Championships. Apart
from his New South Wales triumph, Wolstenholme finished ninth
in the Australian Amateur and tied fourth in the Berkhamsted
Trophy.
Leading golfing nations from around the world send teams
to Lake Macquarie while the Australians will, as usual, be
tough to beat. So the event will provide the England players
with stern early year competition.
English players have won the tournament on three occasions,
through Russell Claydon in 1989, Ricky Willison in 1991 and
Nick Dougherty in 2001.
The NSW Medal is a 72-hole stroke play competition, being
played at Strathfield and Ryde-Parramatta Golf Clubs on 4th
- 6th February, one round being played over each of the courses
on the first two days, after which the top 60 players and
ties tackle 36 holes on the final day. The leading 32 players
from the Medal will then compete in the NSW Amateur Championship,
a match play event, at Concord Golf Club on 8th - 12th February,
each match being contested over 36 holes.
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