SCOTTISH AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP RETURNS TO SOUTHERNESS AFTER A DECADE - 2nd Mar 2005

The Scottish Golf Union’s flagship event, the Scottish Amateur Championship, will return to Southerness for the first time in a decade.

This year’s Championship headlines a number of other notable events, both home and abroad, in the SGU 2005 fixtures list.

Southerness, the venue of Scott Henry’s record breaking win in the BP Scottish Boys Championship last year, and Barry Hume’s Stroke Play victory in 2002, will host the Scottish Amateur for the first time since 1995. Scottish Internationalist Simon Mackenzie was crowned Champion that year.

A number of Scotland’s leading players are in contention for a place in this year’s Walker Cup, which will take place two weeks after the Scottish Amateur Championship.

Stars such as Amateur Champion Stuart Wilson (Forfar), Scottish Stroke Play Champion Richie Ramsay (Royal Aberdeen) and Scottish Amateur Champion George Murray (Earlsferry Thistle), will be hoping for another successful season, to give themselves a chance of selection for the GB&I team which will take on USA at Chicago (13 – 14 August).

A good performance in the European Team Championships in June will also give top players an opportunity to impress on the international stage. Scotland won the event in 2001, and they will be looking for a repeat performance when they line up at Hillside Golf Club, England (28 June – 2 July).

On the domestic front, the first event of the season is the BP Scottish Boys Championship (4 – 9 April) at Murcar – where Scott Henry will look to become only the third player in the event’s history to successfully defend the title.

Cardross ace Henry will also battle to defend his Boys Stroke Play title. The 18-year-old would become the first player ever to win the back to back double if he triumphed at Murcar in the Boys Match Play and finished on top in the Boys Stroke Play at Monifieth (19 – 21 July).

The SGU’s prestigious stroke play event of the year - the Scottish Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship - returns to Royal Aberdeen for the first time in over 15 years. Defending champion Richie Ramsay will be looking to make his home advantage count against what is sure to be a high class field once again.

The format of the Douglas Gillespie Scottish Boys Under 16 Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship will change this season. Formerly a 36 hole event played over one day, competitors will now play 54 holes of stroke play over three days, with the leading 40 players and ties making the cut after 36 holes. The change will see the starting field increase from 84 to 120 competitors.

Euan Mordaunt, SGU Events Manager, explained: “The format of our Championships is continually reviewed in the events where numbers wishing to compete continue to grow.

“The Boys Under 16 Stroke Play is an example of this trend. The 36 hole format over just one day limited the field size at a time when the numbers of entries continued to grow. As such, the Championship Committee decided to make the change.

“The introduction of a cut also provides youngsters with the opportunity to become accustomed to regular championship conditions.

“2004 was a tremendous season for Scottish golf, and we are once again looking forward to a successful season on the course.

“We would like to thank all host clubs from across Scotland for their tremendous support of our National Championships, and we look forward to visiting each of them this year.”

Entry forms for SGU Championships can be obtained from the SGU Events Department on 01382 549504 or events@scottishgolfunion.org

Related Links

• http://www.scottishgolfunion.org

All news for Aberdeenshire | Local News Homepage