WOLSTENHOLME'S BACK

RULES HIM OUT OF BID

FOR FIRST ENGLISH

AMATEUR TITLE

Gary Wolstenholme is out of this week's English men's amateur championship in Kent without striking a ball.
The Walker Cup veteran - who will have his 47th birthday next month - scratched with a back injury. Gary, although he has won most things, including the British amateur champion in 1991 and 2003, had never won the English title. He has been a beaten finalist.

Wolstenholme, pictured right, is ranked No 17 in the R&A WAGR. The only English players ahead of him are John Parry (No 10), David Horsey (No 13) and Gary Boyd (No 14).
For the first time, the English amateur championship has two stroke-play qualifying rounds - one at Royal St George's, Sandwich and the other at Royal Cinque Ports, Deal to narrow down a record entry of 288 to 64 and ties for the first round of the match-play at Royal St George's.
In yesterday's first qualifying round, 20-year-old Shane Winstone from Bristol lowered the Royal Cinque Ports course record to eight-under-par 64.
John Parry (Harrogate) had a hole in one at the seventh on his way to a round of 70. Paul Waring, the 2005 champion, could have done with an ace or two ... an 82 puts the pressure on him in today's second qualifying round.
At the par-70 Royal St George's venue, David Horsey (Styal) was the leader with a 68.

Conversely, 2005 champion Paul Waring, which leaves him under pressure to qualify.

LEADING FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND SCORES
ROYAL ST GEORGE'S
Par 70
68 David Horsey (Styal).
69 Nicky Harris (Whitefield).
70 Adam Wainwright (Gainsborough), Gary Boyd (Cherwell Edge), Thomas Shadbolt (Mid Herts).
ROYAL CINQUE PORTS
Par 72
64 Shane Winstone (Knowle).
66 Ben Evans (Rye).
69 Shaun Malone (Saffron Walden), Tom Lewis (Mid Herts), Warren Harmston (Wentworth), Jamie Moul (Soke by Nayland), Daniel Willett (Rotherham).
70 Neil Chaudhuri (The Leicestershire), John Parry (Harrogate), Jamie Howarth (Stockport).