Six of England's finest in Jones Cup field
 Six
of England’s leading players, four of whom are members
of the 2007 Walker Cup squad, have been invited to compete
in the biennial Jones Cup in the United States in early February.
The group, all members of the Elite Squad, comprises Gary
Boyd (Cherwell Edge), Jamie Moul (Stoke-by-Nayland), Ben Parker
(Royal Birkdale), John Parry (Harrogate), Ed Richardson (Southern
Valley) and Paul Waring (Bromborough).
A field of 78 players, including some of the best amateurs
from the US and the UK, will compete over 54 holes of stroke
play at Frederica Golf Club, St Simons Island, Georgia, on
1st - 4th February.
Boyd, Moul, Parker and Waring, pictured left with Gary Boyd,
(photo courtesy of Tom Ward), have all been named in the 22-strong
squad from which next September’s Walker Cup team will
be selected.
Boyd, 20, will be hoping to follow up his victory achieved
on foreign soil last month when he triumphed in the Asia-Pacific
Open Amateur Championship in China.
Moul, 22, from Suffolk, a reserve for the last Walker Cup,
enjoyed a successful 2006 by winning the Lytham Trophy, reaching
the semi-finals of the Amateur Championship and the English
Amateur and being selected for the Eisenhower and St Andrews
Trophies as well as for England.
Parker, 19, followed up his victory in the Junior Orange
Bowl in Florida a year ago by winning the Tasmanian Open,
reaching the quarter-finals of the English Amateur and representing
England in the European Youths Team Championships and making
his full debut in the Home Internationals.
Parry, 20, from Yorkshire, a former winner of the McEvoy
Trophy and the Danish Amateur, made his full England debut
against France in Bordeaux last May. Although he helped Yorkshire
retain the County Championship, 2006 was a disappointing year
for the Harrogate player during which he made some swing changes.
In addition to from winning the Juan Carlos Tailhade Cup
with fellow Elite Squad member Seve Benson in Buenos Aires
last month, 38-year-old Richardson from Kent also won the
Midland Open Amateur last year and extended his number of
England caps by playing against France and in the Home Internationals.
Waring, who will turn 22 during the Jones Cup, was English
champion in 2005. He also played against the French and in
the Home Internationals last year and finished runner-up in
the West of England Stroke Play. Has also represented England
at under 16, boys and youths levels.
The Jones Cup was inaugurated in 2001 as a prelude to the
Walker Cup at Sea Island and is moving to the Tom Fazio-designed
Frederica course this year because its regular venue, the
Ocean Forest course, is undergoing major renovation.
The quality field, which includes players from the other
Home countries including current US Amateur champion Richie
Ramsay from Scotland, will be tested over the 7,217-yard par
72 Frederica layout, some of whom may be in direct opposition
again in the Walker Cup at Royal County Down in September.
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