NEW CAPS IN STRONG TEAM FOR PORTUGAL NATIONS CUP - 30th Aug 2007

England is sending three of the team selected for next month’s Home to contest the Portugal Nations Cup at Vale do Lobo on 1st - 3rd September.

Ben Evans and Chris Wood were named as new England caps for the Home Internationals in Ireland and they will be joined in Portugal by Ben Parker (pictured left - photo courtesy of Tom Ward), all three having just returned from the European Amateur Championship in Germany.

Evans (Rye), 20, has been on the international scene since 2001. Capped at under 16 and boys levels, he won the Sunningdale Foursomes with Danielle Masters in 2006 when he also finished third in the Riverswood Junior Open in Holland and in the South of England Stroke Play. This year, the Rye golfer reached the quarter finals of the Spanish Amateur, had top-ten finishes in the Berkhamsted and Berkshire Trophies and in the Welsh Open Stroke Play, was runner-up in the South of England Stroke Play, and finished tied third in the European Amateur in Berlin.

Wood (Long Ashton), 19, has claimed victories in his native Gloucestershire and in the South West at junior level followed by the Gloucestershire Championship last year and a runner-up spot in 2007. On the national and international front, he was a quarter-finalist in the Italian Amateur last year and finished fifth in the South of England Stroke Play. In 2007 he has won the West of England Stroke Play, finished runner-up in the South West Championship and the Tillman Trophy, reached the quarter finals of the Amateur Championship and last week finished seventh in Berlin. In June this year Wood also won the Russian Amateur, which allowed him to play in the Russian Open, a European Tour event, where he made the cut.

Parker (Royal Birkdale), 20, is a former under 16 and boy international, who made his full England debut in last year’s Home Internationals in Wales. This year the Germany-based player has enjoyed top-ten finishes in the Brabazon and Lytham Trophies as well as the Scottish Open Stroke Play and recently won the German Amateur Championship.

A total of 14 European nations will compete over 54 holes of stroke play on the Ocean Course at Vale do Lobo, the best two scores from three each day to count. There will also be an individual prize.

Related Links

• http://www.englishgolfunion.org

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