BUMPER YEAR FOR SCOTTISH BOYS CHAMPS

SGU Press Release

The Scottish Boys Match Play Championship gets underway at Dunbar next week (9-14 April) boasting a bumper number of entrants, with the Boys crown looking set to be one of the most hotly contested national titles in the SGU’s opening major of the season.
With more than 350 entries, the Championship will harness one of the strongest fields of competitors reflected by the handicap ballot set at a record low of 5.3 and more than 90 reserves anxiously anticipating a late call up to angle for the prestigious title.
Hosted at Dunbar Golf Club for the 18th time, last year’s champion James White is now too old to contest his title, but Thornton’s Michael Main who was left in White’s wake will hope to go one better to improve on his 2006 runner- up finish.
Other hopeful contenders include Scottish Boys cap James Byrne, recently back from the Boys Quads in Rome and a member of last year’s victorious team at St Cyprien. The Banchory player has the lowest handicap in the event with +2.3.
Likely lads and fellow Quad team mates Kyle Smith (Kilmarnock Barassie), Cameron Gray (West Kilbride) and Inchmarlo’s Tom Spencer will also hope to withstand the eliminating rounds to reach a place in the quarter finals for a chance to contest the title.
Along with national squad member, Troon Wellbeck’s Michael Stewart whose handicap of +1.3 places him among the dozen players in the event with plus handicaps.
Boy wonder John Henry – brother of double champion Scott Henry who recently made it to the quarter finals of the Australian Amateur Stroke Play Championship will hope to replicate his brother’s prowess, and Old Ranfurly brothers Jamie and Sam Binning will add sibling rivalry into the mix.
Commenting on the event, SGU Performance Manager Stuart Turner said, “The Boys Championship is the first title to be contested in the SGU domestic season and this year the competition will be fierce.
Not only is it a record year in terms of the growing popularity of the event, we have a record number of Academy players among the competitive field, with nearly all of the year 2 academy players (bar 2) and 16 year 1 academy players adding to the fray, which will hopefully lead to a very exciting championship.”
Kirkhill’s Paul Shields fresh from his Junior Tour event win at Kingsbarns last weekend, will no doubt now be casting his eye over the silverware up for grabs and Perthshire’s jewel in the crown Sam McLaren, current U16 Stroke Play Champion from King James VI is also not to be discounted.
SGU National Junior Coach Spencer Henderson, coach to many of the players involved, said, “The Boys Championship this year really is wide open with a number of our national squad and academy players ready for action, hoping to capitalise on the long winter months of preparation and training camps.
Henderson added, ‘The weather will play a large part next week as windy conditions on the coastal course will test the shot making abilities of all the players.’
Spectators are welcome to come along and support Scotland’s rising stars, hoping to savour their first taste of national success at the scenic par 71 course nestling along the East Lothian Coast. Past champions at the event include European Tour players Andrew Coltart and Steven O’Hara.