Scotland, with Ayrshire’s Stuart Easton in the
side, lost 5.5-3.5 to tournament winners Sweden on the third and final day
of the Under-18 Quadrangular Matches in Italy last week, finishing third
overall.
(From the www.scottishgolf.org website)
After opening with a victory over host nation
Italy, the young Scots lost to European champions France on day two
and needed a good win over the Swedes to try and secure the
title.
On the final day, hopes were raised after winning
the foursomes 2-1, but Sweden hit back in the singles, with Marriott Dalmahoy’s
Murray Naysmith the sole Scots winner in the 4.5-1.5 afternoon defeat. Stuart
Easton (Irvine) halved his game.
Scotland met the Italians, Sweden and France
in the annual fixture, this year contested at San Domenico Golf Club
from Wednesday 12th until Friday 14th March.
St Andrews’ Ben Kinsley won both of his ties as
Neil Marr’s charges claimed an opening day 5-4 win over holders
Italy.
After the foursomes were drawn 1.5-1.5 each on
Wednesday, with Kinsley teaming up to win with Naysmith, victor in the
Paul Lawrie Foundation Junior Jug in 2013, the SGU group edged the singles to
triumph.
Robert MacIntyre (Glencruitten), twice a national
champion last year, won his tie, with Kinsley and Calum Fyfe (Cawder) also
victorious. Naysmith claimed a key half.
Boys’ Amateur champion Ewen Ferguson
(Bearsden) was also among the six-player team, securing a halved
match in the foursomes with MacIntyre. Easton lost his singles tie at the last.
National Under-18 coach Marr was pleased
with a “very good fighting performance” against the Italians, but France
just held the edge on the second day, as it proved against Sweden today.
MacIntyre and Ferguson won their foursomes tie
against France, plus their singles matches, but Naysmith was the only other
Scottish winner in the singles.
 |
| Stuart Easton (Picture courtesy of SGU) |
Stuart Easton, a product of the ClubGolf
initiative, commented before the start of the tournament,
“It’s a great privilege to be chosen to represent
Scotland in the Quadragular match and I am looking forward to competing with
and against some of the best junior golfers in Europe, which will improve me as
a player.
“It’s an honour to represent my country. It has
been a goal of mine since I started competing and for it now to be a reality is
a big step in my journey towards a career in golf.”
Having enjoyed ClubGolf coaching in previous years
at SportScotland National Centre Inverclyde, in 2013 Easton was one of 16
youngsters from around the country chosen to play alongside Ryder Cup captains
Paul McGinley and Tom Watson in the ‘Year to Go’ event at Gleneagles from
Scotland’s crop of Development Centre students.
On his rise to the international stage, Easton
added:
“ClubGolf has been a big part of my development throughout my junior
years.
“My county coaching was involved with ClubGolf
which helped improve my game. Also, ClubGolf nominated me and gave me the
privilege of playing in the Ryder Cup Captains Day where I played with Paul
McGinley and Tom Watson".
“I am looking forward to the new season. Over the
winter I have done a lot of good work with my coach, Scott Garrett, and it is
paying off nicely. I am feeling confident with my game and am eager for the
season to begin.”
Delighted to see former ClubGolfers now performing
on the international stage, ClubGolf Manager Jackie Davidson said: “ClubGolf
has always been challenged on whether it is producing players that can perform
on the international stage.
“In the majority of sports it takes 7-10 years for
a player to come through any junior development programme, so it makes that we
are now starting to see youngsters now inducted into the Scotland set-up.
“I am hopeful that year on year we will see more
and more aspiring players who have had their start in the game with ClubGolf
having national and international opportunities and congratulate Stuart on the
progress he has made so far.”
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