England's eight quarter-finalists from last year

there again for 2009 national championship


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH GOLF UNION
All eight quarter finalists from last year’s event, including champion Todd Adcock, are in the field for the English amateur championship at Rye and Littlestone Golf Clubs from July 27 to August 1.
That is unusual these days when so many players turn professional at a young age. But it means the field for this year’s championship will contain the cream of English golf fighting for the prestigious title.
Adcock, 24, was the winner last year at Woodhall Spa when he beat Northumberland’s Chris Paisley 2 and 1 in the 36-hole final over the Hotchkin Course. Adcock has a 9am start at Rye in the opening qualifying round, while Paisley, 23, back from the University of Tennessee, also starts at Rye at 12.40pm.
Last year’s beaten semi-finalists, Tom Sherreard from Kent and Lincolnshire's Adam Keogh begin at different courses. Sherreard, who will celebrate his 22nd birthday during the championship, starts at 7.50am at Littlestone, while Keogh, 21, is off in the second game at Rye at 7.10am.
The Championship affords the opportunity for several players to impress the Walker Cup selectors, none more so that Dale Whitnell, current leader of the Titleist/Footjoy EGU Order of Merit.
The 20 year old from Essex is just off a victory in the Tillman Trophy, a triumph that follows victory in the Portuguese Amateur this year as well as third places in the Lytham Trophy and Scottish Open Amateur and fourth in the Irish Open Amateur and Brabazon Trophy.
Whitnell has an 11.40am start at Littlestone, just after another Walker Cup candidate, Charlie Ford from Leicestershire, who starts at 11am at the same venue. Luke Goddard, 20, from London, is another Walker Cup squad member and a quarter finalist last year, is a 9.30am starter at Littlestone alongside boy cap Tom Lewis.
West of England Stroke Play champion Darren Wright is a Littlestone starter at 11.10am. James Robinson, the Lytham Trophy winner from Wigan, is off at 8.10am at Littlestone, while Darren Renwick, Amateur Championship semi-finalist and runner-up to Whitnell in the Tillman Trophy, is a 7.10am starter at Littlestone.
Farren Keenan, from Surrey, who successfully defended the Berkshire Trophy last month, is off at 7.40am at Rye, followed 20 minutes later by fellow international Eddie Pepperell.
The field is not confined to the younger element. English Seniors champion Chris Reynolds, starts over his home course at Littlestone at 12.30 and is followed two games later by his seniors international team-mate Dave Jessup.
European Mid Amateur Champion Stephen East from Yorkshire is also competing, starting his quest at Littlestone at 2.40pm A total of 288 leading players will descend on Rye and Littlestone seeking to join a long and exclusive list of English champions.
The English Amateur adopted a change of format two years ago which has proved a winner with players and officials alike. Instead of straight match-play from the start, as had been the practice for many years, two rounds of stroke play qualifying, one at each course, 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 at Rye. A total of 345 players filed entries with the cut-off coming at scratch, 65 players of that handicap getting in, the rest being balloted out to a reserve list.
The Championship starts at 7am on Monday, July 27 and culminates with the 36-hole final on Saturday, August 1.
Latest scores and news updates will be available on the EGU website www.englishgolfunion.org. -