England county finals for feast of

top-class play

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
With five internationals and a host of tournament winners on view, the English Men's County Championship final being staged at Hunstanton Golf Club in Norfolk from Friday to Monday (September 24 to 26) should provide a feast of top class golf.
The four regional winning counties, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Channel Islands, Lancashire, Somerset and Worcestershire, will lock horns over the testing north Norfolk links in one of the English Golf Union’s flagship events.
Lancashire, the northern champions, has the greatest pedigree in the championship. They have won the title nine times, the most recent two years ago, and have two internationals, Matthew Nixon and Jack Senior in their team.
Nixon, a semi-finalist in the 2010 Amateur Championship, has been an England regular since making his debut in last year’s Home Internationals, while Senior was capped for the first time in this year’s contest when both played a role in England’s victory at Ashburnham. Senior also won the South of England Stroke Play Championship.
Lancashire also field their county champion in Sean Towndrow, while Mark Young is the current leader of the North West Order of Merit.
Hampshire, IoW and CI have one victory in the County Championship, in 1996, when they won at Woodhall Spa. They also have a powerful line-up including Brabazon Trophy winner Darren Wright and former Mid-Amateur champion Martin Young.
They can also call upon Neil Raymond, who has claimed several top ten finishes this year including victory in the Parman Cup, runner-up in the Czech Amateur and fourth in the South of England Stroke Play. Their squad also includes the experienced Ryan Henley and Gavin O’Neill from the Channel Islands, runner-up in their county championship.
Somerset, yet to win the County Championship, have England international Laurie Canter, winner of the South African Amateur and West of England Stroke Play in their line-up along with teenager Ashley Mansell, another enjoying a successful season.
The 19 year old won the Somerset County Championship, the county foursomes and the West of England Match Play, while he is also the Clevedon club champion. They also include Craig Adams, who helped steer Farrington to third place in the recent English Champion Club Tournament.
Worcestershire has won the English County Championship three times but all in the 1930s. However, they can bridge a 70-year gap at Hunstanton with the likes of Welsh international Chris Nugent, who has claimed two course records in recent weeks. They also include county champion Jonathan Hems.
The Finals are contested on a round robin basis, each match consisting of three foursomes and six singles. In the first round of matches on 24th September, Hampshire, IoW & CI play Lancashire while Somerset meet Worcestershire.
Full details, scores and news for the English County Championships are available on the EGU website, www.englishgolfunion.org.
Teams:
Hampshire, IoW and C I
Jordan Ainley (Brokenhurst Manor)
Ryan Henley (Stoneham)
Gavin O’Neill (Royal Jersey)
Neil Raymond (Corhampton)
Jonathan Watt (Brokenhurst Manor)
Darren Wright (Rowlands Castle)
Martin Young (Brokenhurst Manor)
Lancashire
John Carroll (Huyton and Prescot)
Ciaran Doherty (Bury)
Jon Hurst (Shaw Hill)
Matthew Nixon (Ashton-under-Lyne)
Jack Senior (Heysham)
Sean Towndrow (Southport and Ainsdale)
Mark Young (Longridge)

Somerset
Craig Adams (Farrington)
Laurie Canter (Saltford)
Luke Collins (Mendip Spring)
Charlie Cossins (Bath)
David Gregory (Burnham and Berrow)
Ashley Mansell (Clevedon)
Phil White (Wells)
Worcestershire
Chris Bromley (Redditch)
Paul Garey (King’s Norton)
Chris Heeley (Moseley)
Jon Hems (King’s Norton)
Steven Lane (The Worcestershire)
Chris Nugent (Fulford Heath)
Richard Sadler (Moseley)