Nine players have been selected by Great Britain and Ireland to compete in the St Andrews Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 July.
The GB&I team will be captained by Scotland’s Craig Watson for the first time and will bid to retain the trophy following a 14-10 victory at Barsebäck in Sweden two years ago; their first win in the biennial match since 2008.
“We have selected a strong team for this match knowing that it will be a tough encounter at Prince’s”, said Watson.
“The players have impressed the selectors with their excellent performances this season and are looking forward to the challenge of trying to retain the trophy that GB&I won in Sweden two years ago.”
Two members of the team, David Boote and Stuart Grehan, appeared in Europe’s 18½-11½ win in the Arnold Palmer Cup at Formby last month. Boote also featured in Europe’s record 21½-10½ win against Asia-Pacific in the Bonallack Trophy at Vidago Palace in Portugal in March.
Ireland’s Jack Hume, who won the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship this year, appeared in GB&I’s record 16½-9½ win over the USA in the 45th Walker Cup Match at Royal Lytham & St Annes last September.
England’s Jamie Bower has enjoyed a successful season, winning the Men’s English Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship (Brabazon Trophy), the Gauteng North Amateur and the Southern Cape Open in South Africa this year.
Scott Gregory and Robert MacIntyre, who contested the final of The Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl last month, are both selected. Gregory, who was also runner-up in the Spanish Amateur Championship this year, defeated the Scot 2&1 to become the 2016 Amateur Champion and qualify for The 145th Open at Royal Troon.
Grant Forrest and Connor Syme, who along with MacIntyre were part of the Scottish team that beat Sweden this weekend to win the European Amateur Team Championship for a second consecutive year, also feature in Watson’s selection.
Alfie Plant, the 24 year-old winner of the Lytham Trophy in May, completes the team.
The St Andrews Trophy has been played alternately on British/Irish and mainland European courses since 1956. GB&I has won on 25 occasions and the Continent of Europe has won five times, including the 2010 and 2012 matches.
The GB&I team:
Players:
David Boote, 22, Walton Heath, Wales
Jamie Bower, 23, Meltham, England
Grant Forrest, 23, Craigielaw, Scotland
Scott Gregory, 21, Corhampton, England
Stuart Grehan, 23, Tullamore, Ireland
Jack Hume, 22, Naas, Ireland
Robert MacIntyre, 19, Glencruitten, Scotland
Alfie Plant, 24, Sundridge Park, England
Connor Syme, 21, Drumoig, Scotland
Captain:
Craig Watson, East Renfrewshire, Scotland
Reserves:
- Craig Howie, 21, Peebles, Scotland
- Conor O’Rourke, 24, Naas, Ireland