PEERLESS PORTEOUS PURSUING DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS TROPHY
MEDIA RELEASE (Issued by the Scottish Golf Union on behalf of The Duke of York Young Champions)
No-one
is surprised that the 18-year-old Haydn Porteous, the highest ranked
amateur in the field, is back for the 12th edition of The Duke of York
Young Champions Trophy which takes place at Royal Troon next week (11th –
13th September).
Last
year at Royal Liverpool, the South African Porteous was just one shot
away from making the play-off in which England’s Harry Casey defeated
the European Young Masters girls’ champion, Harang Lee.
Porteous
has packed plenty of experience under his belt since that week. This
owner of a +5 handicap has won the 2012 South African Match and Stroke
Play Championships, besides finishing second behind Paul Barjon in the
Scottish Stroke Play Championship at Kilmarnock (Barassie). In the
process, he has earned himself a reputation for being at his best down
the stretch. In winning the South African Stroke Play, he came from
behind with two birdies in the last four holes; at Barassie, he soared
up the leaderboard with an eagle, birdie, birdie finish.
After
the Young Champions Trophy, Porteous will be representing his country
in the World Amateur Team Championships in Turkey in early October. Yet
however impressive his credentials, he is likely to have a tough time of
it at Royal Troon.
In
a year when the field takes in 58 champions from 33 countries, with
handicaps averaging out at a remarkable +2, Gavin Hall from the USA,
Rigel Fernandes from India, Tyler Hodge from New Zealand, Kenta Konoshi
from Japan and Scots pair Craig Howie and Greig Marchbank are just five
who could give the South African some trouble.
Peebles’
Howie won the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish Boys Championship in
April while Marchbank of Dumfries and County claimed the Stephen
Gallacher Foundation Scottish Boys’ Stroke Play title in July.
In
the girls’ section, Scottish hopes lie with Lauren Whyte, the Scottish
Girls’ champion from the St Regulus club in St Andrews.
Of
the other girls, there is none more formidable than Casey Danielson,
the current Wisconsin State School Champion. She is on the same +5
handicap mark as Porteous, while she and her older sister, Lindsay, have
been cleaning up in State events for some time.
John
Renninger, their coach, says that the sisters’ games never cease to
amaze him: “Both girls are a joy to watch. They are not just great
players, but they love the game and that’s so important.”
Much
interest will also attach to the progress of Jing Yan from China who
finished as the leading amateur in the LET World Ladies’ Championship.
China’s golfing youth, as everyone knows, is working flat out in a bid
to be a factor when golf joins the Olympics in 2016.
Finally,
a point to ponder from the Duke of York’s remarks at the end of the
2011 event when the girls were the more impressive through the 35 mph
gusts of the first day, only to find the boys catching them as the
elements became a little less frisky.
“Boys,” came HRH’s cryptic
comment, “can’t play in a gale and girls can’t play in a wind.”
In
the light of that royal comment, everyone will be hoping for something
more than a mild zephyr to stir the links for the Young Champions.
Entry to Royal Troon next week is free so please come along to cheer on stars of the future.
See www.doy-champions.com for further information or contact:
Tournament Director, Huw Jones huw.jones@jsa-ltd.com or Press Officer, Ed Hodge e.hodge@scottishgolf.org
Ed Hodge
PR & Media Executive
Direct Line: 01334 466483
Mobile No: 07850 772166
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