Holly Clyburn and Solheim Cup captain Alison Nicholas after their match at Woodhall Spa.

Rising star Holly Clyburn joins Mary

McKenna among early entries

for February's Spanish Festival

Holly Clyburn, one of the brightest young talents on the English amateur scene, has joined Curtis Cup captain Mary McKenna among the early entries for the 2009 Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival at the five-star resort in the south-east Spanish region of Murcia.

Four events make up a busy programme at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort from Thursday, Febuary 12 to Tuesday, February 17.

Holly, who lives at Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire and is a member of Woodhall Spa Golf Club, has entered the 36-hole Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open on the closing Monday and Tuesday of the 2009 Festival.

She will have her 18th birthday during the week before the Festival starts and she will be hoping to produce a performance to impress the Great Britain & Ireland selection committee who will be monitoring scores from far and near in the early months of 2009 as they work their way towards a team of nine for the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe in Hamburg, to be named after the British women's open amateur championship in June.

The Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival is one of the few opportunities for prospective selection candidates to put some competitive results on the board - and sharpen up their game at the resort's five-star practice facilities - early in 2009.

Holly Clyburn helped England to win the girls' home internationls title at Panmure Golf Club, near Carnoustie this past summer and she was also in the England team which beat Wales and Scotland in the 2008 schoolgirls international matches.

Holly also played in a top-level exhibition match which launched the Single Figure Golfer Challenge Cup over her home course at Woodhall Spa.

In a Ryder Cup-style format, the "Single Figure Golfers" played "The Pros," a team consisting of former Ryder Cup, Walker Cup and Solheim Cup players, including Paul Way, Gordon Brand junior, Steve Richardson, Alison Nicholas, Roger Champman, Jim Payne, Ricky Willson, Philip Walton, John McHenry and Gary Wolstenholme.

Holly showed her class in partnering Richard Latham to victory against current Solheim Cup captain Alison Nicholas and Gary Wolstenholme, now a professional but arguably the most successful English male amateur over the past two decades.

In a match of high quality, Holly staged a grandstand finish to birdie the 17th and 18th for victory in the opening day's four-balls.

In the Day 2 foursomes, Holly partnered Liam Hannan to an 8 and 7 win over the very experienced pairing of Paul Way and Roger Chapman.

In the afternoon singles, Holly was drawn against Alison Nicholas and their tie went all the way to the 18th green before Alison won.

For the record, the Pro Challenge team won by 14.5 to 5.5.

Just a reminder of the 2009 Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival programme (every competitor is guaranteed a free practice round over the Dave Thomas-designed course which Ryder Cup player Miguel Angel Jimenez represents on the European Tour).

THURSDAY-FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12 & 13

MURCIA LADIES OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP over 36 holes

Entry fees: Professional - 70 Euros; Amateur - 55 Euros.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO ST VALENTINE'S DAY PRO-AM over 18 holes

Entry fees: Professional - 70 Euros; Amateur - 55 Euros.

+Entries from male amateurs, either as individuals or teams of three accepted for this event.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15

COSTA CALIDA PAIRS TOURNAMENT over 18 holes

First nine holes alternate shot; second nine holes foursomes.

Entry fees: Professional - 70 Euros; Amateur - 55 Euros.

+Teams can be two professionals or amateur-professional or amateur-amateur.

Entries from male amateurs, either as individuals or as a team or two, accepted for this event.

MONDAY-TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 & 17

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO LADIES OPEN over 36 holes.

Entry fees: Professional - 70 Euros; Amateur - 55 Euros.

NO ENTRY FEES TO BE PAID UNTIL YOU CHECK IN WITH TOURNAMENT CONTROLLER COLIN FARQUHARSON IN THE HACIENDA DEL ALAMO GOLF RESORT CLUBHOUSE