Sam Locke and Sandy Scott in GB and I squad for St Andrews Trophy match

 R AND A NEWS RELEASE

 A 20 player Great Britain and Ireland squad has been announced for the 2018 St Andrews Trophy match which will be played at Linna Golf in Finland on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 July 2018.

Scotland’s Craig Watson (East Renfrewshire) will captain the nine-man team that will face the Continent of Europe for the second occasion following the 12^1/2 – 12^1/2 tie in the last match at Prince’s in Kent in 2016.

Watson returns to the role after missing the Walker Cup match in September last year due to a family bereavement.

“I’m very much looking forward to the St Andrews Trophy," he said. "I’m delighted to resume the role and am excited about the potential of the new crop of players coming through and contending for a place in the team.”

 “We know we will be in for a tough match in Finland and we will need a strong team if we are to win the trophy. I am sure the players we have identified, and others not currently in the squad, will be working hard to impress the selectors in the coming months.”

With many of the 2017 Walker Cup team having turned professional following the19-7 defeat by the United States in September, only England’s Matthew Jordan returns to Watson’s St Andrews Trophy squad.

The 22-year-old is the highest ranked GB&I player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking^TM (9^th) after recently capturing the Lytham Trophy with a nine-shot victory. Having not been included in the original squad, Jordan forced his way into the Walker Cup team with an impressive win at the St Andrews Links Trophy.

The Royal Liverpool golfer is joined by his victorious England 2018 European Nations Cup teammates Gian-Marco Petrozzi, David Hague and Todd Clements. Clements, the current English Amateur champion, claimed the individual title in Spain last month with a five-stroke winning margin.

Scottish Amateur Champion Sam Locke (Stonehaven), pictured right, is included in the squad for the first time.
The 19-year-old won the Scottish title after defeating countryman Ryan Lumsden in the final at Prestwick last July. Lumsden has also been named in the squad alongside Calum Fyfe, the 2017 Scottish Golf Men’s Order of Merit winner.

Another Scot in the squad is 19-year-old Nairn Golf Club prospect Sandy Scott, pictured left.

Ireland’s Robin Dawson will be looking to secure his place in the team having come close at the Walker Cup. Dawson was a late addition to the squad last year after a bright start to 2017 in which he recorded two runner-up finishes at the South African Stroke Play Championship and the European Nations Cup.  The world number 66 is the highest ranked Irishman in contention.

Watson will gather his squad on the eve of the St Andrews Links Trophy before the final team is announced after the European Men’s Team Championships in July.

The 2018 GB and I St Andrews Trophy squad is:

Todd Clements, Braintree, England. Age 21	Sam Locke, Stonehaven, Scotland.  Age 19
Robin Dawson, Tramore, Ireland. Age 22	Ryan Lumsden, Royal Wimbledon, Scotland.  Age 21
Alex Fitzpatrick, Hallamshire, England. Age 19	Billy McKenzie, Rowlands Castle, England.  Age 23
Calum Fyfe, Cawder, Scotland.  Age 20	Gian-Marco Petrozzi, Trentham, England.  Age 21
Alex Gleeson, Castle, Ireland.  Age 24	Caolan Rafferty, Dundalk, Ireland.  Age 25
David Hague, Malton and Norton, England.  Age 21	Sandy Scott, Nairn, Scotland.  Age 19
Harry Hall, West Cornwall, England.  Age 20	Jamie Stewart, Old Course Ranfurly, Scotland.  Age 18
Benjamin Jones, Northamptonshire County, England.  Age 19	Euan Walker, Kilmarnock (Barassie), Scotland.  Age 22
Matthew Jordan, Royal Liverpool, England.  Age 22	Robin Williams, Peterborough Milton, England.  Age 16
Rowan Lester, Hermitage, Ireland.  Age 22	Andrew Wilson, Darlington, England.  Age 24