Scotland Aim for Seniors Glory at Crail




NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
The historic golfing town of Crail is the venue for next week’s Senior Home Internationals (14 – 16 September) with Scotland hoping for a repeat of their victory four years ago when the event was last staged on home soil.
The Scots veterans will face stiff opposition however, with Ireland chasing a hatrick of Senior Home International title victories and England buoyant after their victory in last week’s European Senior Men’s Team Championship in Fairhaven.
Scotland last won the title back in 2006 at Dunbar in East Lothian and finished runners-up to Ireland in 2009, who successfully defended their title twelve months ago at Westport. Six of the seven-strong Scottish team who will play next week clinched the bronze medal at the recent European Senior Men’s Team Championship, beating Sweden in the third/fourth place play-off after losing to Ireland in the quarter-finals.
Scottish seniors’ stroke play champion Scott Macdonald (Dunfermline) will make his Senior Home International debut, while he is joined by national seniors match play champion Tony Stafford (Dun Ochil), one of Scotland’s top performers last week in Lancashire.
Dave Jessup, who finished runner-up to Macdonald in the Scottish Seniors Championship at Pollok, heads a strong English challenge having been undefeated in the match play stages on route to European victory, while former Walker Cup player and captain Garth McGimpsey heads the Irish three-in-a-row title bid.
Euan Mordaunt, SGU Events Manager, looked ahead to the event:
“The Senior Home Internationals is a fantastic championship featuring some of the finest players to grace amateur golf. The event is played with great spirit and camaraderie but with great rivalry among the four home nations.”
“We have a superb venue in the Craighead course at Crail Golfing Society, with excellent facilities which I’m sure the players will thoroughly enjoy.”
The event gets underway on Tuesday morning, with three foursomes matches followed by six singles matches each day, played in a round robin format. Scotland play England on the opening day, while defending champions Ireland open their campaign against Wales in the first match.
Team Line-Ups:
Scotland
David Gardner (Broomieknowe)
Scott MacDonald (Dunfermline)
John McDonald (Cowglen)
Tony Stafford (Dun Ochil)
Ian Taylor (Royal Burgess)
Jim Watt (Edzell)
Captain - Gordon Macdonald


England
Doug Arnold (Copthorne)
Andrew Carman (Coventry)
Dave Jessup (Rochester & Cobham Park)
Chris Reynolds (Littlestone)
Philip Slater (Sandiway)
Roy Smethurst (Crewe)
Alan Squires (Oldham)
Captain - Richard Palmer


Ireland
Tom Cleary (Cork)
Billy Donlon (Birr)
Maurice Kelly (Killeen)
Garth McGimpsey (Bangor)
Adrian Morrow (Portmarnock)
Seamus McParland (Greenore)
Michael Quirke (Doneraile)
Captain – Barry Doyle


Wales
Robert Broad (Minchinhampton)
Paul Bloomfield (Chippenham)
Nigel Evans (St Mellons)
Basil Griffiths (Llanymynech
Keith Stimpson (Wenvoe Castle)
Jeff Thomas (Royal Porthcawl)
John Whitcutt (Burnham & Berrow)
Captain - Phil Jones