ENGLISH GOLF UNION:
INTERNATIONALS IN AUSTRIA FOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

England is sending a strong contingent to contest the European International Amateur championship at the Styrian Golf Club at Murhof in Austria on 9-12 August. The eight strong part are all full internationals, a mixture of youth and experience and three are currently studying at American colleges.

English champion, 23-year old Paul Casey, back from Arizona State, must be counted among the favourites and will help Great Britain defend the Eisenhower Trophy in Berlin in September, while teenager Nick Dougherty is already an accomplished competitor at the age of 18.

Nick spent much of last winter in America being coached, winning the US Junior Association Polo Golf Classic, and made his senior England debut against France in Chart Hills in May. He was also a member of The England teams for the World Boys Team Championships in Japan, the European Boys Team Championships in Holland, and the GB&I St Andrews Trophy at Turnberry last month.

Jamie Elson, 19, another at college in the United States, also earned his first senior cap against France at Chart Hills, while David Griffiths, 20, broke through into the senior scene in last September�s Home Internationals in Ireland.

University of North Carolina student Max Harris, 22, made his senior International debut in the 1998 Home Internationals at Royal Porthcrawl, but two more of the team, Richard McEvoy and Zane Scotland, are relatively new to the senior scene.

Both earned their first full international caps against France in May, McEvoy, 21, also playing against South Africa in June and a member of the victorious England team that won the European Youth Team Championships in Scotland last month.

Scotland, 18, was also part of that triumphant team as well as the England line-up that finished third in the World Boys Team Championship in Japan and the Jacques Leglise Trophy at Turnberry last month.

The final member of the squad is Gary Wolstenholme who turns 40 later this month. The Leicestershire-based man is still one of the best amateurs in Europe and added to his impressive list of achievements by playing in the winning St Andrews Trophy team at Turnberry last month.

The team manager in Austria will be Rodney Hare.

The full party is:

Paul Casey (Burhill)
Nick Dougherty (Shaw Hill)
Jamie Elson (Kenilworth)
David Griffiths (West Herts)
Max Harris (Ham Manor)
Richard McEvoy (Thorpe Hall)
Zane Scotland (Woodcote Park)
Gary Wolstenholme (Kilworth Springs)