Thursday, June 09, 2016

Scotland teams named for European championships

Scottish Golf has named its Men’s and Ladies’ sides for their respective European Amateur Team Championships next month, as the Scots seek more Euro glory.
A six-player Men’s team will bid to defend their European title won in Sweden last summer (pictured top) when they travel to France, while the Ladies will seek to build on their improved performance last year and push for a top eight position in Iceland.
Nairn teenager Sandy Scott, fresh from his runner-up finish in the St Andrews Links Trophy on Sunday, has earned a first men's international team chance.
The GB and I Boys cap joins three members of last year’s victorious side at Golf de Chantilly from July 5 to 9.
Walker Cup-winning pair Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) and Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) return to the team, so too Drumoig’s Australian Amateur champion Connor Syme. Peebles’ Craig Howie, who has posted three top-10 finishes in recent weeks, and Cawder’s Jamie Savage, who shared second in the Lytham Trophy and tied fourth in the Links Trophy, are also rewarded with selections such is their current form.
Scotland’s leading four players on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking, Germany-based Rachael Taylor, Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies), Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) and Heather Munro (Monifieth), will spearhead the team challenge at Oddur GC in Iceland, also from 5 – 9 July.
Grantown-on-Spey’s Hannah McCook, sixth at the Irish Stroke Play Championship and a semi-finalist at last week’s Scottish Women’s Amateur Championship, has also been selected, along with Eilidh Briggs from Kilmacolm. Briggs has recovered from her injury problems to consistently impress in 2016, including a third-place finish in the St Rule Trophy.
Ailsa Summers, the new Scottish Women’s Amateur champion, was unavailable for selection due to work commitments.
Steve Paulding, Scottish Golf Performance Director, said:  “Selecting teams is never easy, but I believe we have robust processes and have chosen strong sides on their individual merits.
“A number of our male players are performing very well and are ranked highly on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. We have great strength in depth, as shown by those playing well domestically in recent weeks to force their way into the team.
“In selecting our ladies’ team, a key criteria was recent stroke average and players have been chosen to give us the best possible chance of qualifying past the stroke play stage and into the top eight matchplay.
“At both team events, we are also looking for players to lay down a maker for their selection to the World Amateur Team Championships in Mexico in September.”
Men’s Team (club and age in brackets)
  • Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) 19
  • Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) 23
  • Craig Howie (Peebles) 21
  • Jamie Savage (Cawder) 22
  • Sandy Scott (Nairn) 17
  • Connor Syme (Drumoig) 20
The Men’s team is selected from the top two Scots on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the leading player on the Scottish Golf Men’s Order of Merit and three selectors’ picks.
Ladies’ Team
  • Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) 23
  • Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) 19
  • Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies) 22
  • Hannah McCook (Grantown-on-Spey) 22
  • Heather Munro (Monifieth) 20
  • Rachael Taylor (Am Reichswald, 24)
The Ladies’ team is selected from the top two Scots on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (within the top 300), the leading player on the Scottish Golf Women’s Order of Merit and three selectors’ picks.
The Scottish Golf National Squads are sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management and TaylorMade-adidasGolf.

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