FIVE MALES AND TWO FEMALES TO BE SUPPORTED THIS YEAR

SEVEN PLAYERS NAMED TO TEAM 

SCOTTISH HYDRO 2014

FROM THE SGU WEBSITE
Team Scottish Hydro has revealed a seven-player line-up for 2014, as the support initiative seeks to build on previous successes.
Announced at an informal media event at Kingsfield Golf Centre, five male professionals and two females have been chosen for financial support to aid their seasons ahead, especially with scheduling.
Previous recipients of the Hydro backing, Callum Macaulay, George Murray (pictured) and Andrew McArthur, are joined this year by fellow Challenge Tour player Duncan Stewart, as well as Tartan Tour pro Chris Kelly. Ladies European Tour pair Kylie Walker and Pamela Pretswell complete the group for 2014.
Pretswell, Murray, McArthur, Stewart and Kelly were all in attendance, taking part in a successful Sport Relief chip challenge despite the inclement weather.
Now in its fourth year, Team Scottish Hydro has already helped Craig Lee, Chris Doak, Callum Macaulay, Jack Doherty and Jamie McLeary secure places on the European Tour.
It is hoped that some of this year’s recipients will follow in their footsteps, with the females also hopeful of climbing further up the Ladies European Tour ladder.
Scottish Hydro, who remain a strong supporter of Scottish golf at all levels, has been a committed supporter of  the Challenge Tour since 2009, and this year’s Scottish Hydro Challenge hosted by Macdonald Hotels and Resorts, also supported by EventScotland, returns to the Spey Valley course in Aviemore from June 26 to 29.
“In the main, I think we can claim Team Scottish Hydro as a bit of a victory in that the help the guys have received over the past couple of years have helped them get where they are,” said Iain Stoddart, director of Bounce Sports, a key driver of the initiative.
“In the case of Craig Lee, he has often cited the example of how being able to go to Colombia to play in an event in 2011 helped to nudge him over the line and graduate to the main tour.
“We’ve had great success and hopefully it can continue. Hopefully we’re looking at a new European Tour player here at Christmas, or a female who has climbed further up the LET ladder.”
The inclusion of a Tartan Tour player is a change to the set-up for this year, with Kelly also expected to provide corporate support.
“There is a lot of activity around Team Scottish Hydro and, often, many corporate fulfilments back here in Scotland that need to be taken care of,” added Stoddart.
“However, it tends to be that when one of the guys is away, they are all away. That leaves nobody to represent the team and fulfil those corporate duties. That’s where Chris will come in, even though he has his own playing commitments.”