STRONG OVERSEAS CHALLENGE FOR REID TROPHY AT PORTERS PARK
 The
English Boys Under 14 Championship has never been won by a
non-British player. But the cream of England’s young
golfers face a stiff challenge from Europe when the Reid Trophy
returns to its roots at Porters Park in Hertfordshire on 14th
- 16th August.
Strong squads from Italy, the Netherlands and Spain plus
entries from Belgium, France, Germany and the United States
will pit their skills against the best Britain can offer.
Everyone, not least the players, will be hoping for better
weather than that which prevailed last year at Gosforth near
Newcastle upon Tyne when torrential rain flooded the course
and forced the event to be reduced to one round.
However, this year sees the championship extended to 54 holes
but there won’t be a cut after 36.
Of the home players, Dan Hawksworth from Hollins Hall and
Workington’s Sebastian Crookall-Nixon who were joint
third at Gosforth, are competing again as is Mark Collins
from Chart Hills in Kent, now aged 12.
The Midlands will offer a stern challenge, not least from
Staffordshire with a trio of accomplished players. Louis Birchall
from Ingestre Park is also aged 12; Drayton Park’s Jack
Orme is 13, while Robert Burlison is the 11-year-old son of
the professional at Oxley Park.
Young golfers from East Anglia could also mount a challenge
in the shape of Lee Wilson (Rivenhall Oaks), runner-up in
the Eastern Counties Under 14 Championship and Murray Rose
(Romford), who was third.
The south west will be represented by Leon Fricker from Yelverton,
who won the Devon Handicap Championship, and Daniel Phillimore
(Manor House), third in the South West Under 14 Championship.
The player with the lowest handicap of scratch is Stanislas
Gautier from France while there are three 11 year olds in
the field, the youngest being Matti de Gram from the Netherlands.
The leading six players in the Championship will gain automatic
exemption to next year’s McGregor Trophy (Under 16 Championship)
at High Post Golf Club in Wiltshire.
The 2006 Reid Trophy was Oscar Sharpe from Minchinhampton
(pictured, photo courtesy of Tom Ward), who also won the McGregor
Trophy last year.
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