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English
Golf Union:
Wolstenholme
Bids for First European Mid-Amateur Title
Golfers
from 18 countries will be represented in 146-strong contingent for
the International European Mid-Amateur Championship being played
at Notts Golf Club, Hollinwell, on 1st-3rd
June.
English
players make up almost half the field with an entry of 72 headed
by Walker Cup man Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs).� The 39 year old from Leicestershire, three
times a winner of the British Mid-Amateur Championship, must be
considered one of the favorites to add the title to his ever increasing
list of worldwide honours.
But
he isn�t the lowest handicapper in the field.� That honour goes to Francois Illouz, the veteran
French International, who is off plus-three to Wolstenholme�s plus
two.
Among
the other home entries is Charlie Banks (Stanton-on-the-Wolds),
the English Mid-Amateur champion for three years from 1995 and runner-up
in the European event three years ago in the Czech Republic.
Others
likely to be in the shake-up are Martin Galway (West Sussex), third
last year in Luxembourg, David Lane (Goring and Streatly), the reigning
English Seniors champion, and Iain Mackenzie (Hallamshire), winner
of the European title in 1994 at El Saler in Spain.
Roger
Roper (Catterick), a former England international, could also come
into the equation, as could Graham Steel (Hallamshire), joint winner
of the English Seniors crown 1994.
Among
the overseas challengers is defending champion, Hans-Gunter Reiter
from Germany, who edged home by a stroke last year in Luxembourg,
while John Storjohann from Switzerland, secretary of the European
Golf Association, is another entrant along with Filipe Ortiz-Patino,
son of the owner of Valderrama Golf Club.
The
last time the title came to Britain was in 1995 when Jon Marks (Woodbridge)
won after a playoff in Estoril, Portugal.� Marks is again entered but he has been sidelined
by a wrist injury for most of the early season and may not be fit.
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