Scotland girls named for Norway Challenge

NEWS RELEASE FROM SCOTTISHGOLF

The Scotland side has been named for the European girls' amateur team championship in Norway next month.

A six-player team will contest the annual event, this year being held at Oslo GC from July 5 to 9. Hazlehead’s Jasmine Mackintosh has been selected, fresh from winning the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Vase event at Macdonald Cardrona on Sunday.

Troon Ladies’ Hazel MacGarvie, who tied third in the Borders event, is also joined by Kirsty Brodie from Strathmore. Kirsty  finished second in the recent Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish Schoolgirls Championship at Murrayshall.

Jillian Farrell from Cardross and West Kilbride’s Louise Duncan have earned selection too, with Gullane Ladies’ Joanne Free the most experienced player in the team, aged 18.

Steve Paulding, Scottish Golf Performance Director, said: “This is a very young team and for the majority of them it will be their first European Championship.

“The competition will be tough, but it will hopefully be a great learning experience for them. We are expecting each of the girls to go out and match their best performances of the year. It would be great to make the top eight match-play stage, but that will require everyone to play at their best.” 

Aboyne’s Shannon McWilliam, one of the youngest ever winners of last year’s Scottish Ladies’ Order of Merit, is unavailable for selection due to school commitments.

The Scottish boys’ team for their equivalent European event in Austria will be finalised after this week’s Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters, where a number of players are competing. 
Scottish Boys champion Eric McIntosh (Bruntsfield Links GS) is the only automatic selection for the European team – given Nairn teenager Sandy Scott has been named in the Men’s side – with five other picks to be chosen.

SCOTLAND Girls’ Team (club and age in brackets)

• Kirsty Brodie (Strathmore) age 16.
• Louise Duncan (West Kilbride) 16
• Jillian Farrell (Cardross) 16
• Joanne Free (Gullane Ladies)  18
• Hazel MacGarvie (Troon Ladies) 16
• Jasmine Mackintosh (Hazlehead) 16

The Girls’ team is selected from the leading two players on the Scottish Golf Girls’ Order of Merit and four selectors’ picks.

The Scottish Golf National Squads are sponsored by Aberdeen Asset Management and TaylorMade-adidasGolf.

ENDS