RISING STARS CONTEST ST ANDREWS LINKS TROPHY THIS WEEK

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ST ANDREWS LINKS TRUST

Some of the world's leading amateur golfers will take part in the St Andrews Links Trophy this weekend

Three of the top 20 players in the Rand A's World Amateur Golf Rankings head up the international field for the prestigious 72-hole tournament played over the New and Old Courses from Friday, June 3 to Sunday, June 5.

Matthew Stieger from Australia is the highest ranked player in the field at 13th in the world, closely followed by Andrew Sullivan, who won the Scottish stroke-play championship at Blairgowrie last weekend, at 15th and then New Zealander Ben Campbell two places further back. 

The on-form Stieger has two victories under his belt already this season, having won the Tasmanian Open Championship in February and then defeating Campbell in the Australian Amateur Championship in Melbourne in March. It was Campbell's second consecutive defeat in the final of the championship and he also finished third in this season's Australian stroke-play championship.

The joint runners-up in last year's St Andrews Links Trophy, Stiggy Hodgson, from Sunningdale, and Peterhead's Philip McLean, will bid to go one better this year. And some of Scotland's leading amateurs such as David Law, from Hazlehead, who won the Northern Amateur Open in South Africa in March, Michael Stewart, from Troon Welbeck, who recently added the South African Amateur Championship to his Scottish Amateur title last year, and Ross Kellett from Colville Park will be looking for victory on home soil.

St Andrews New Club golfers Greg Paterson, who won the Craigmillar Park Open in April, and Peter Latimer, join 15 year-old Ewan Scott, from the St Andrews Golf Club, in the field. All three players progressed through the ranks at the St Andrews Links Junior Golf Association (SALJGA).

More than 20 countries are represented in the 144 man field with players from countries as diverse as Bolivia, Slovenia, New Zealand, South Africa, USA and the Netherlands taking part. The cut-off for entries was +2.5.

John Grant, Director of Golf at St Andrews Links Trust, said "The St Andrews Links Trophy is one of the highest ranked events of the amateur season in the UK and it is an excellent opportunity to see at first hand some of the most talented young players in the next generation of golfers. 

"The home players will be looking to put on good performances with the Walker Cup in September on their minds and the overseas players will be desperate to make their mark at the Home of Golf. It should be an enjoyable week with some excellent golf on show."

Live scoring from the 2011 St Andrews Links Trophy will be available at www.standrews.org.uk.