|
DIXON
AND RYLES IN HOME INTERNATIONALS SQUAD
England will
seek an eight successive Home International triumph at Carnoustie
on 13-15 September with two new caps, David Dixon (Enmore Park)
and David Ryles (West Hill), in their squad.
Both have enjoyed
exceptional success this season, which the selectors have recognised
by drafting them into what is an experienced line-up.
The rest of
the team is Nick Dougherty, Jamie Elson, Richard Finch, David Griffiths,
Max Harris, Richard McEvoy, Philip Rowe, Zane Scotland and Gary
Wolstenholme. The captain is Malcolm Lewis. Double English champion
Paul Casey and Walker cup colleague Luke Donald are at college in
the United States and declared themselves unavailable.
Dixon, 23, is
a member of the successful Somerset squad which has reached the
English County Finals while his major victory came in the Lytham
Trophy in May. His international call-up comes in the wake of his
being named as player/manager of the three-man team, which will
contest at the Chiberta Grand Prix in France later this month.
Ryles, 20, has
spent the last two years at college in Charleston, South Carolina,
during which his game has developed to such a degree that he reached
the semi-finals of the Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool in
June. That brought him to the attention of the selectors while he
underlined his potential by reaching the last four of the English
Amateur at Royal Lytham, before going out to Gary Wolstenholme.
He will return from America to play at Carnoustie.
Although there
are only three survivors from the side that won last year’s Home
Internationals at Royal County Down in Northern Ireland - Griffiths,
Harris and Wolstenholme – the selectors have made few changes from
the line-up that overwhelmed France at Chart Hills in May. Seven
of that team will be in Carnoustie while John Morgan is named among
the reserves.
Dougherty, 18,
made his senior England debut in the French match in May and since
then has played in the World Boys Team Championships in Japan and
the European Boys Team Championships in Holland. Last month the
Lancastrian was a member of the winning Great Britain and Ireland
St Andrews Trophy team at Turnberry and he also reached the last
16 of the English Amateur at Royal Lytham.
Elson, 19, was
another debutant against the French. He is also at college in America,
at Augusta State, is a former England Boy international and was
a member of the England side that won the European Youths Team Championship
in Scotland last month.
Finch, 23, a
member of the victorious Yorkshire team in the English county finals
for the past two years, he also earned his first senior cap against
France which followed his outstanding victory in the Spanish Amateur
Championship at El Prat in February.
Griffiths, 20,
made his full England debut in last year's Home Internationals in
Northern Ireland and also faced the French in May. A former boy
international, he finished third in the Brabazon Trophy at Woodhall
Spa in May, won the St Mellion Trophy, and was a member of the triumphant
team in the European Youths Team Championship.
Harris, 22,
is also a former boy international and has been studying at the
University of North Carolina. Max has played in the last two Home
Internationals and in the recent St Andrews Trophy at Turnberry.
McEvoy, 21,
was another debutant against the French in May, played in the one-day
match with South Africa at Formby in June and helped win the European
Youths Team Championship. In 1999, he won the Sunningdale Foursomes
with Lisa Walters and reached the semi-finals of the Amateur Championship
at Royal County Down, while prior to making his England debut he
lost a playoff for the Berkhamsted Trophy.
Rowe, 21, has
a long international record with England and GB&I which dates
back to 1996 when he went to Japan for the World Boys Team Championships.
The 21-year old from Cornwall has been an England regular ever since,
being capped at boys level before making his senior debut at 18
in the 1997 Home Internationals at Burnham and Berrow. He missed
last year’s clash at Royal County Down after enrolling at Stanford
University but was unbeaten in his three matches in the Walker Cup
at Nairn. Rowe has also been runner-up in the English Amateur, reached
the semi-finals of the Spanish Amateur, and was also a member of
last month’s winning European Youths team Championship squad.
Scotland, 18,
battled his way into last year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie
having been capped at Under-16 and Boys level. He made his full
England debut at Chart Hills in May and has enjoyed a successful
year, winning the McEvoy Trophy. He has also played for England
in Japan as well as the Youths Team Championship in Scotland and
captained the GB&I in the Jacques Leglise Trophy against the
Continent of Europe at Turnberry in June.
Wolstenholme,
who will turn 40 before going to Carnoustie, is third in the all-time
England records with 120 appearances. He began his international
career in 1988 while his list of golfing achievements is still growing.
Three Walker cups, two Eisenhower Trophies, and an Amateur Championship,
head it while he finished runner-up to Casey in the English Amateur
earlier this month.
The full squad
is:
David Dixon
(Enmore Park)
Nick Dougherty
(Shaw Hill)
Jamie
Elson (Kenilworth)
Richard
Finch (Hull)
David
Griffiths (West Herts)
Max Harris
(Ham Manor)
Richard
McEvoy (Thorpe Hall)
Philip
Rowe (West Cornwall)
David
Ryles (West Hill)
Zane Scotland
(Woodcote Park)
Gary Wolstenholme
(Kilworth Springs)
Captain:
Malcolm Lewis
Non-Travelling
Reserves:
Tom Whitehouse
(Maxstoke Park)
John Morgan
(Clevedon)
Graeme
Clark (Doncaster) |
