BIG FIELD SET FOR ENGLISH AMATEUR
 A
total of 288 leading players, the largest ever, will descend
on the Kent coast on Monday 30th July seeking to join a long
and exclusive list of English champions.
The English Amateur Championship returns to Royal St George’s
Golf Club at Sandwich, scene of so much history in the game
and of so many dramatic golfing episodes as the championship
takes on a different format.
Instead of straight match play from the start, as has been
the practise for many years, two rounds of stroke play qualifying,
one at Royal St George’s and the other at nearby Royal
Cinque Ports at Deal, will be staged over the opening two
days.
From that, the leading 64 players and ties will go forward
to the knockout stages over 18 holes before the 36-hole final
in staged on the Saturday. This brings the English Amateur
in line with the Amateur Championship and many other national
events.
Six days of quality golf will be guaranteed over these famous
links, with every member of the Elite and A squads and most
of the under 21 and under 18 squads competing, thereby producing
a line-up of internationals.
Paul Waring (pictured - photo courtesy of Tom Ward), champion
in 2005 and just back from competing in the Open Championship
at Carnoustie, gets his bid underway at 12.50pm at Deal alongside
fellow Elite squad colleague Matthew Cryer (11.10) and Jamie
Moul (11.50).
Gary Wolstenholme, who has never won the English title despite
reaching the 2000 final, starts at 1.10pm at Royal St George’s
as does David Horsey (7.20am), Seve Benson, recent winner
of the Tillman Trophy (8.20), and Gary Boyd (11.50).
The in-form Chris Wood from Gloucestershire, recent winner
of the Russian Amateur and runner-up in the Tillman Trophy
as well as his county championship, could prove a top candidate
and he starts at Sandwich at 10.40am.
The field also contains most of England’s boy internationals
including 14 year old Oscar Sharpe, also from Gloucestershire,
who is first off on Monday at Deal, while under 16 champion
Tom Lewis from Hertfordshire, starts at 8.40am at Deal.
The Championship starts at 7am on Monday 30th July and culminates
with the 36-hole final on Saturday 4th August.
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