Michael Stewart's double whammy:
chosen for men's and boys' teams

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Troon’s rising star Michael Stewart will become Scotland’s own equivalent to the Euro Star Express after receiving a call-up to both the men’s and boys European team championship.
At just 18 years old, the current Scottish boys' match-play champion, enhanced his CV with a brilliant birdie-eagle finish at the Old Course to tie for secnd place in a strong international field in the St Andrews Links Trophy.
The Ayrshire boy is beginning to underline his great potential this year – and in return has received the nod for two European team appearances.
After competing at the men’s event in Turin, Italy, last year's Scottish boys' open stroke-play runner-up (beaten in a play-off by James Byrne) will then embark for the European boys' championship, hosted this year at Bled in Slovenia, (July) 8 to 12 to compete with his Under-18 peers.
Heading the boys' Tartan Army, Stewart is joined by the five other players currently occupying the upper reaches of the SGU boys' order of merit standings, following the weekend’s results after the last Junior Tour event at Kilmarnock (Barassie).
Aberdeen Hazlehead player David Law, semi finalist at the Scottish boys championship and winner of two recent junior two events (combining the latter victory with his 17th birthday), has already tasted international success this year. He helped Scotland to victory at the interntional boys' quadrangular at St Cyprien in March.
Renfrewshire’s Andrew McLachlan, who denied Law the hat-trick following his success at the weekend’s fifth Junior Tour event at Kilmarnock (Barassie) is also in the mix. The 16 year old national boys squad member from Bonnyton, who along with Law won the Nations Cup in the Belgian Junior Open last year, is joined by the talented Kirkhill player, Paul Shields.
Shields has whetted his appetite for international action, which saw the Scottish boys finalist finish as the leading Under-16 player at the Skandia Junior Open last year. A Junior Tour winner last year, Shields shared Junior Tour victory this season with Kyle Smith – which marked a return to form for Smith, a national boys cap who has also received a call up.
Royal Burgess player James Ross, a consistent performer and quarter finalist at the Scottish boys championship completes the line-up.
SGU National Junior Coach Spencer Henderson said following the announcement, “We have great strength and determination among this talented group of individuals who have already proven themselves as consistent performers on the domestic scene. I am confident that they will provide a challenging team to beat and they can muster a top flight finish at this event.
"I am also delighted that Stewart has received the double European call-up, for which he has worked extremely hard for. Joining the boys after his experience in Turin will undoubtedly bolster the team’s morale and confidence.”
Scotland last won the European boys team championship in 2000 when it was hosted at Noord, Netherlands, and had won it on three occasions prior to that (1984, 1987 and 1992).

Scotland boys' team (in order of SGU Boys Order of Merit rankings):

David Law - Hazlehead
Michael Stewart – Troon Welbeck
Andrew McLachlan - Bonnyton
Paul Shields - Kirkhill
James Ross – Royal Burgess
Kyle Smith – Kilmarnock (Barassie)