P and K hot favourites on home turf to win

GolfKings Scottish area team title

 

SGU NEWS RELEASE

Boasting one of the strongest fields in the event’s 39-year history, the GolfKings Scottish Area Team Championship tees off at Blairgowrie on Friday (15 May) – with Perth and Kinross widely tipped to triumph on home soil.

Contested over three days by the 16 Area Associations of the Scottish Golf Union, a number of past and present champions will battle it out over the impressive Lansdowne and Rosemout lay-outs in pursuit of the prized title. 

Twelve months ago, host area Renfrewshire sealed victory over Lanarkshire in the nation’s premier amateur team championship, sponsored by GolfKings, Scotland’s leading specialist golf travel operator.

Renfrewshire return with the same six players who triumphed at Ranfurly Castle, with former Amateur champion Craig Watson and Matthew Clark – third in last year’s SGU Men’s Order of Merit – among their number.

But Clark insists this year’s home team are the side to beat. With Blairgowrie members Bradley Neil, the reigning Amateur champion, and Glenn Campbell, a former Scottish Amateur winner, in their ranks, as well as recent South African Amateur champion Daniel Young, Perth and Kinross will bid to replicate their 2012 victory, also at Blairgowrie.

Gavin Dear, who famously helped Scotland become world amateur champions when winning the 2008 Eisenhower Trophy in Australia, is also in their side, having been reinstated to the amateur ranks this season. 

SGU National Squad player Clark, who combines his golf with his job as a senior bank manager, said: “We have the same six players who won last year and we’ll give it our best shot at Blairgowrie, even though it’s going to be a tough ask.

“I’d say Perth are Kinross are overwhelming favourites on home soil, especially bringing Gavin Dear back into their side, along with the likes of Bradley Neil and Daniel Young. It is hard to see past them, although there are several good teams taking part. 

“It’s great to see the event being supported by so many talented amateurs from across Scotland and I’d say it’s a much-improved field to last year. It should be a great event.”

The Lothians, without a win in the event since 2007 at Powfoot, will also fancy their chances, especially as team member Alexander Culverwell lifted the Scottish Amateur title over the Lansdowne course in 2013. 

In-form Calum Hill, fresh from winning his first title on the US college circuit last month, is also in their line-up, along with former Scotland international Allyn Dick, leading qualifier at the recent Lothians championship.

As well as Neil, GB and I Walker Cup squad members Graeme Robertson (Stirlingshire), Jack McDonald (Ayrshire) and Jamie Savage (Glasgow) also tee up for their respective Areas. 

Indeed, Savage is part of a strong-looking Glasgow side that features another former Scottish Amateur champion in Barry Hume and last year’s Scottish Hydro Boys Order of Merit winner, Calum Fyfe.

Consistent performer Bryan Fotheringham will lead the North’s hopes, with Scott Gibson and Greig Marchbank part of a South side chasing their first ever success.

Current SGU Men’s Order of Merit leader Connor Syme spearheads the Fife challenge, with Craig Ross among those back to try and help Lanarkshire go one better than last year. Ewen Ferguson, already twice a winner on the domestic circuit in 2015, leads Dunbartonshire’s hopes. 

Each Area is represented by their leading six male amateur players, competing in a stroke-play qualifying format. The leading eight teams qualify for the match-play final stages, based on the lowest five scores from each team's six players on each lay-out counting. The match play stage will commence on Saturday, ahead of Sunday’s head-to-head final.

 

First played for in 1977, the championship's history has been dominated by the Lothians with 13 titles, with Fife winning two of the last four, including a win on home soil at Crail Golfing Society in 2013.

 

Neil MacRae, Golf Director for GolfKings Travel, said: “We’re delighted to sponsor the championship for the third successive year and it’s great to see the profile of the event continue to grow and attract the country’s top amateurs.

 

“We are working closely with the Scottish Golf Union to bring more benefits to golfers through the Scottish Golf Membership Card and we have a number of exciting developments coming up in the months ahead.”

 

Entry is free for all spectators at Blairgowrie, with regular updates and live scoring on www.scottishgolf.org and on Twitter @SGUGolf or SGU Facebook.

 

> View the draw for the GolfKings Scottish Area Team Championship

 

> Visit the GolfKings Travel website

 

Ed Hodge

PR and Media Executive

Scottish Golf Union

Office Line: 01334 466477

Mobile No: 07850 772166