ENGLISH GOLF UNION:
SEVEN CAPS IN BOYS HOME INTERNATIONALS SQUAD

England will field seven new caps in their 11-strong squad for the Boys Home International at Portmarnock on 9-11 August, although most have played at under 16 level.

Under the captaincy of Yasin Ali, the newcomers are: Eren Behcet, Gary Lockerbie, Jamie Mouls, Chris Russell, Michael Skelton, Craig Stevenson and Daniel Wardrop. The rest of the squad are David Porter, Josh Simons and David Skinns, all of who with Ali, played in the European Boys Team Championship in Holland last month.

Behcet, 16, from Kent, played in the under 16 international against Scotland last autumn and against Italy at Woodbury Park in Devon in June. At the same venue he finished third in the England Boys under-16 Stroke play Championship for the McGregor Trophy.

Lockerbie�s selection comes in the wake of his four-stroke victory in the recent Carris Trophy, the English Boys Under-18 Stroke play Championship, while the 17-year old former Cumbria Boys champion has been a member of the EGU�s School of Excellence for the past two years.

Moul, 15, from Suffolk, steps up for his first major representative honour having finished fourth in last month�s Carris Trophy, while he shot rounds of 73 and 68 in the recent EGU Boys South East Region Qualifier at Brokenhurst Manor.

Russell, 17, one of the two Whittington Heath members in the team, is the son of former tour professional David J Russell. He also shone in the EGU Boys qualifying, returning 67 and 72 in the Midland Regional at Brockton Hall, and was joint eight in the Carris.

Skelton, 16, is currently English under-16 champion, having won the McGregor Trophy at Woodbury Park in June. From Yorkshire, he finished runner-up in the British Boys Championship at Royal St David�s last August. He also played against Scotland and Italy at under 16 level and, with Behcet, represented England in the European Young Masters in Turin.

Stevenson, 17, the other player from Whittington Heath, finished runner-up in last year�s McGregor Trophy and in the recent Carris Trophy. He has also been capped at Under-16 level.

Wardrop, who will turn 17 on the eve of the Home Internationals, is the Cheshire Boys champion following his victory at Delamere Forest, was third in the Northern Boys Championship and fifth in the Peter McEvoy Trophy.

Ali, 18, came to prominence when he won the McGregor Trophy in 1998. He has been a member of the School of Excellence for the past two years and this year finished third in the McEvoy Trophy. He has also been a member of the England team for the World Boys Team Championships in Japan and the European Boys Team Championships in Holland, as well as representing Great Britain and Ireland against the Continent of Europe in the Jacques Leglise Trophy at Turnberry.

Porter, 17, has been on the international scene for three years at both under 16 and under 18 levels. He was a member of the victorious England team in last year�s World Boys Team Championships in Japan and played there again this year, in the European Boys Team Championships and the Jacques Leglise Trophy. This will be his third year in the boys Home Internationals.

Simons, 18, also played in this year�s European Boys Team Championships and the Jacques Leglise Trophy, and finished fifth in the Berkhamstead Trophy and ninth in the Berkshire Trophy.

Skinns, 18, last year�s Lincolnshire Boys champion, will be playing in his second Boys Home Internationals. He also represented England in Holland and has been a member of the School of Excellence for the past two years.

England will be defending the trophy they won at Conwy a year ago.

The full team are:

Yasin Ali (Ealing)
Eren Behcet (Langley Park)
Gary Lockerbie (Penrith)
Jamie Moul (Stoke by Nayland)
David Porter (Stoneham)
Chris Russell (Whittingham Heath)
Josh Simons (Royal Mid-Surrey)
Michael Skelton (Hunley Hall)
David Skinns (Canwick Park)
Craig Stevenson (Whittingham Heath)
Daniel Wardrop (Worsley Hall)