Youth to put on quality show

ST ANDREWS AND JACQUES LÉGLISE TROPHYS:THE ANEMOMETER gauging the wind speeds at Portmarnock Golf Club yesterday recorded gusts of up to 25mph. Nothing to necessitate any battening down of the hatches or hurricane-inspired warnings, but sufficient to let the players involved in the St Andrews Trophy and Jacques Léglise Trophy – a gathering of the finest amateurs in Europe – that this famed links will, with a little help from Mother Nature, afford them a challenge worthy of prestigious matches.

In both instances, Great Britain and Ireland will face-up to the Continent of Europe for more than just bragging rights, for these matches – played since the 1950s – have created their own history and, more often than not, given the public first sightings of players who have gone on to become superstars. Messrs McIlroy, Garcia, Harrington, Donald et al have shown their shot-making craft in this team environment.

And, for this latest staging, the 29th occasion of the biennial St Andrews Trophy and the 45th of the annual boys’ Jacques Léglise Trophy, the make-up of the teams is indicative not only of the quality on show but, also, the fact golfers these days are apparently getting younger and younger: the GBI team in the St Andrews Trophy features British Amateur champion Alan Dunbar and European strokeplay champion Rhys Pugh, whilst the youngest player in action – on the Continent of Europe’s Léglise team – is Germany’s Dominic Foos, all of 14 years of age.

A further indication of the rude health of Irish golf is reflected in that four home players will be in action over the two days: Dunbar, from Rathmore Golf Club in Portrush, and Waterford Castle’s Kevin Phelan are playing in the St Andrews Trophy; Gavin Moynihan, the Irish Amateur Open champion from The Island Golf Club, and Alex Gleeson, from Castle Golf Club, in Dublin, are in the Léglise and are paired together for the opening foursomes.

Although continental Europe is the holder of the St Andrews Trophy, and includes Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, ninth in the world amateur rankings, Britain and Ireland – who hold a 24-4 advantage – carry the favouritism tag, with Dunbar paired with Neil Raymond in the opening foursomes. Phelan is in the anchor foursomes with Nathan Kimsey.

“In many ways, it is the best form of the game,” remarked Peter McEvoy, captain of the home team’s Léglise Trophy side. “I’d go so far as to say you could stick anybody here, from either team, boys or senior, at an Open Championship on a range hitting balls and you wouldn’t be able to spot them, the ball striking standard is so high . . . you will have the equal of the top end of the pro game here.”

It is amateur golf at its very finest. As Nigel Edwards, captain of the GBI St Andrews Trophy team put it, “you want the players to stand up and put a marker down (for the Walker Cup). It’s a great opportunity to up their ante, as it were.” The forecast is for the wind to blow just enough to add bite to a quality course.

TODAY'S SCHEDULE

Jacques Léglise Trophy

Foursomes – 7.30am: G Moynihan/A Gleeson v K Subregis/R Langasque; 7.40: T Tree/M Orrin v V Tarnstrom/H Ronneblad; 7.50: A Turner/P Kelly v M Schwab/D Foos; 8.0: H Ellis/M Fitzpatrick v M Galiano/G Castagnara.

Singles begin at 12.30pm

St Andrews Trophy

Foursomes – 8.20am: A Dunbar/N Raymond v E Espana/M Lampert; 8.30: C Hinton/B Taylor v R Karlsson/T Sorensen; 8.40: R Pugh/G Porteous v M Trappel/M Schneiderl. 8.50: N Kimsey/K Phelan v C Pigem/J Pastor.

Singles begin at 1.50pm.

Teams consist of nine players with four foursomes and eight singles played on successive days. Aggregate totals in each competition determine the winners.