FIVE SCOTS NAMED IN


PROVISIONAL GB AND I


VAGLIANO TROPHY SQUAD

Five Scots - Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne), Hannah

McCook (Grantown on Spey), Connie Jaffrey (Troon

Ladies), Chloe Goadby (St Regulus) and Hannah

Darling (Broomieknowe) - have been included in a

preliminary Great Britain and Ireland squad of 19

players for the VaglianoTrophy and Junior 

Vagliano Trophy matches against the ContInent of

Europe at Royal St George's Golf Club, Kent on June

28 and 29.

The team will be captained for the first time by Elaine 

Ratcliffe who said:

 “We have selected a talented group of players and

they all now have a chance to make their case to be

included in the team to play the Continent of Europe

 next year.

“We will be monitoring their results closely over the

coming months as well as the performances of other

players who still have time to play their way into our

plans ahead of selecting the eight golfers to play at

Royal St George’s.”

The GB and squad is:
 

Lianna Bailey (21, Kirby Muxloe)	Hannah McCook (25, Grantown-on-Spey)
India Clyburn (22,  Woodhall Spa)	Shannon McWilliam (18, Aboyne)
Beth Coulter (14, Kirkistown Castle)	Olivia Mehaffey (21, Royal Co Down Ladies)
Hannah Darling (15, Broomieknowe)	Hollie Muse (19, West Lancashire)
Annabell Fuller (16, Roehampton)	Ffion Tynan (15, Minchinhampton)
Chloe Goadby (21, St Regulus)	Lauren Walsh (18, Castlewarden)
Paula Grant (25, Lisburn)	Isobel Wardle (19, Prestbury)
Alice Hewson (21, Berkhamsted)	Caitlin Whitehead (16, Carus Green)
Lily May Humphreys (16, Stoke by Nayland)	Annabel Wilson (17, Lurgan)
Connie Jaffrey (22, Troon Ladies)

The GB and I team will comprise the two highest ranked eligible golfers in the World Amateur Golf Ranking™ on May 29 and six players chosen by The R and A Women’s Selection Committee.

Six players will be selected on Monday, June 3 following the St Rule Trophy tournament at St Andrews, and two players will be selected on Monday, June 17 following the British Women’s Amateur Championship at Royal County Down.

The GB and I team for the Junior Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe will be announced on Monday, June 3.

NO SCOTS PLAYER CHOSEN BUT ELAINE TO

CAPTAIN GB and I VAGLIANO TROPHY TEAM 

There is no Scottish player in the GB and I squad of 10 named for a preliminary Vagliano Trophy team get-together at The Belfry on December 21 and 22.

The only Scottish connection is the retention of Aberdeen solicitor Elaine Farquharson-Black (Deeside) as the team captain for the two-day match against the Continent of Europe at Circolo Golf Bogogno, Italy on June 30 and July 1, 2017.

She led GB and I to memorable victory over the United States in the Curtis Cup match at Dun Laoghaire GC near Dublin last June.

Elaine, an honorary member of Deeside Golf Club and its junior convenor, said, “I am delighted to be continuing as captain of the GB and I team for the Vagliano Trophy. I look forward to working with another talented group of golfers to prepare for the challenge of winning the match against the Continent of Europe next year.”

The players chosen for The Belfry session are:

Emma Allen (Eng)
Lianna Bailey (Eng)
Gemma Clews (Eng)
India Clyburn (Eng)
Maria Dunne (Ire)
Alice Hewson (Eng)
Sophie Lamb (Eng)
Leona Maguire (Ire)
Olivia Mehaffey (Ire)
Lizzie Prior (Eng).

Ireland's Claire Coughlan-Ryan will continue as captain of the GB and I team of six Under-16 players for the Junior Vagliano Trophy match at the same Italian venue.

England's Helen Hewlett will be manager of both teams.

It generally considered that it is harder for GB and I to beat the Continent of Europe than it is to win against the United States.
Last year, at Malone Golf Club, Dublin, GB and I, captain by Elaine Farquharson-Black, got within one point of drawing with the Continent in the Vagliano Trophy match, the closest since the 2005 match won by GB and I at Chantilly.
The Continent have won the biennial fixture in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015.

The loss of Bronte Law, who won all five matches in the Curtis Cup match but is bound for the pro ranks, is a blow but Leona Maguire's decision to delay turning pro for at least another year is a big bonus for skipper Farquharson Black.