200 NOT OUT FOR WOLSTENHOLME - 17th Apr 2007

Gary Wolstenholme will make a record 200th appearance for his country when he lines up for England against Spain at Royal Ashdown Forest on 12th - 13th May.

It is a remarkable record for the Leicestershire-based 46 year old, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List, which marks him as the most successful England amateur of all time.

“It will make me extremely proud to make my 200th appearance for England,” he says. “When I made my debut back in 1988 who’d have thought I’d still be playing international golf and passing 200 appearances.”

The rest of the England team will be Seve Benson, Gary Boyd, David Horsey, Stephen Lewton, Jamie Moul, Ben Parker, John Parry, and Paul Waring.

Even after two decades and so many contests, Wolstenholme can clearly recall his first match in England colours.

“It was against France at The Berkshire and it was a foursomes with Peter McEvoy and we lost 2 and 1,” he reflects. “But I won my singles 3 and 2 then partnering Peter again on the second day we won before I halved my other singles with Francois Illouz.”

“I owe so much to my team-mates over the years as well as my employers,” he adds. “I would never have achieved what I have without them and I’m never going to get around to thank them all.”

Overall, England have named a powerful squad that includes just one new cap in Benson, the 20 year old from Surrey, winner of the Qatar Amateur Championship earlier this year. This earned him a place in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters on the PGA European Tour in which he played all four rounds.

Boyd, 20, Parker, 19, and Lewton, 23, gained their first full caps in last September’s Home Internationals in Wales, while Horsey, 22, and Parry, 20, earn recalls after being capped for the first time against France a year ago.

Several of the team have enjoyed overseas success over the winter. Boyd won the inaugural Asia-Pacific Open Amateur Championship in China and reached the quarter finals of the Spanish Amateur.

Lewton won both the Avondale Medal and the New South Wales Medal in Australia, while Horsey was runner-up in the Tasmanian Open Championship.

Parry won the Spanish Amateur at Desert Springs a few weeks ago when Waring was a quarter finalist, while Wolstenholme won the New South Wales Amateur Championship.

This year the England vs. Spain International is being sponsored by Selectia Overseas Property. England have a superb record in their biennial matches with Spain that began in 1985. They sported an unbeaten record until 2005 when the Spanish gained their first success by 15-8 with one match halved at Puerta de Hierro

With names including Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia having played in previous matches, golf fans are encouraged to turn up to see some of today's exceptional players in what promises to be a fantastic golf event. There is no charge for entry. For those not able to get to the match daily news updates, scores and final results can be found on the Championships section of the EGU website (see related link below).

Moul and Wolstenholme are the only members of the England side that played in that match.

England team: Seve Benson (Wentworth), Gary Boyd (Cherwell Edge), David Horsey (Styal), Stephen Lewton (Woburn), Jamie Moul (Stoke-by-Nayland), Ben Parker (Royal Birkdale), John Parry (Harrogate), Paul Waring (Bromborough), Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs). Reserve: Matthew Cryer (Coventry).

Related Links

• http://www.englishgolfunion.org

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