Amateur Scene: With 16 players between them ranked in the top 20 on the European Amateur Order of Merit, Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales all have realistic hopes of lifting the European Team Championship, which gets under way with the first qualifying round at Hillside Golf Club in Southport this morning.
Irish captain Mark Gannon will have Darren Crowe, the World Universities champion and fifth-ranked in Europe; recently crowned British Amateur champion Brian McElhinney, ranked 13th; and 16-year-old Rory McIlroy, the winner of the Irish Close and West of Ireland titles this year, in his side as Ireland go in search of their first European title since 1987 in Murhof, Austria.
Scotland, five-times champions and winners in 2001 in Belgium, could take some beating this time. They include all four members of the side - George Murray, Andrew McArthur (the current Scottish champion), Irish Open champion Richard Ramsay and Lloyd Saltman - that finished runners-up to Spain in this year's Sherry Cup.
Order of Merit leader Saltman has been at the pinnacle of the game this year with back-to-back victories in the Brabazon and St Andrews Links Trophies.
The England team, beaten by Spain in the 2003 final at the Royal Hague Golf Club, include the current European individual champion in Matthew Richardson and the runner-up, Gary Lockerbie.
While Ireland have Jim Carvill, making a return to the amateur scene after a number of years in the professional ranks, and McIlroy, England will field probably the youngest and oldest players in the championship: 16-year-old Oliver Fisher making his debut and 44-year-old Gary Wolstenholme playing in his sixth European Team Championships.
Wales have a Walker Cup man, Nigel Edwards, as well as James Williams, runner-up in their national championship last year.
The Dutch could also have a say in the destination of the title. Their team includes Joost Luiten, winner of the Spanish Amateur back in March, and Taco Remkes, who qualified for the British Amateur.
The vastly experienced Eduardo Molinari, who won the English under-16 title back in 1996, lines up for Italy.
The Scandinavians are also likely to be strong. Norway's team includes Eirik Tage Johansen, third behind Richardson in last year's European individual, while Iceland tee off with the accomplished Heidar Bragason.
Meanwhile, the former Irish international and Curtis Cup player Alison Coffey is one of a number of top players entered for the Ladies British Open Mid-Amateur Championship, to be played at Walton Heath Golf Club next weekend.
Alison represented Britain and Ireland in the 2002 match at Fox Chapel, the third year of a spell of outstanding golf in which she twice won the Irish Close Championship.
If she is to win a first, elusive British title, she will have to overcome the challenge from over 100 players, including several from the Continent and farther afield.
Coffey, is the back marker in the field, and one of only five players entered off a plus handicap. Others who might be expected to challenge for honours are Rebecca Halpern and Sally Krueger of the US and Lisa Ball, Rachael Lomas and Michelle Smith of England.
Recently crowned Irish Youths champion Séamus Power has had to put his celebrations on hold as he faces into a busy schedule over the coming weeks. Tomorrow he leads his club, West Waterford, in the Fred Daly Trophy Munster semi-finals at Mitchelstown, after which it's on to the European Boys Championships at Monticello GC in Italy and back to Lahinch for the South of Ireland Championship.
The Boys team for Italy is Alan Glynn (Porters Park), Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), Brian Keenan (The Heath), Shane Lowry (Esker Hills). Séamus Power (West Waterford) and Simon Ward (Co Louth).
Gary McGrane (Royal Dublin) and Liam Reilly (Galgorm Castle) will represent Ireland in the European Young Masters at Styrian Golf Club, Murhof, Austria, from July 21st to 24th.
