USA sides to play Shire golf juniors
Blairgowrie Junior Invitational to play in July
Jimmy Turriff (left) with team sponsors A&B Taxis, joins Blairgowrie club captain Brian Wesencroft (centre) and Charlie Gallagher of The Barrie Douglas Foundation A Perthshire golf club is rolling out the welcome mat for star-studded US state teams.
The Blairgowrie US Junior Invitational will be played over the Rosemount and Lansdowne courses from July 8-10, with six American teams joined by a Perth and Kinross select and a Scottish team supported by the Barrie Douglas Foundation.
The tournament, which will provide spin-off benefits for the local economy, builds on the success of a match last year between Blair youngsters and a touring side from Arizona.
Neil Wilkie, junior convener at Blairgowrie Golf Club, explained: “This is the big event on their tour but the Americans will also be playing in the St Andrews and North Berwick areas.
“It’s another feather in the cap for Blairgowrie, which hosted the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup.
“This year we will have six-person under 18 teams competing, six from America and two from Scotland, which will be a Perth and Kinross select managed by Bradley Neil’s dad Rodney and a Scottish side supported by the Barrie Douglas Foundation and led by Spencer Henderson, the national junior coach.
“We have four state teams from Utah, Illinois, Arizona and Colorado and composite state teams featuring players from Ohio, Iowa, Florida and Missouri.
“There will be two Sunday rounds and one on the Monday and Tuesday over Rosemount and Lansdowne. The opener is a fun mixed foursomes to encourage the youngsters to interact and the tournament itself spans the other three rounds with pairs and singles in a Ryder Cup style format.
“The quality is pretty impressive, with five US state champions in the visiting party.
“The Perth and Kinross side recently won the Scottish Area Team Championships. We are having a squad of 10 and each will get a chance, with Gregor Graham, Cormac Sharpe, Fraser Matthews and Declan Gray from Blairgowrie and Alex Simpson from Strathmore joined by Jamie Roberts, Andrew Thornton and Findlay Hamilton (all Muckhart) and Auchterarder duo Harry Clarke and Andrew Scott.”
The Barrie Douglas Foundation team is being backed by Perth firm A&B Taxis and the Salutation Hotel.
Jimmy Turriff, A&B Taxis director, said: “Everyone on the local and national golf scene seemed to know Barrie and we are delighted to support the Scottish team taking part in the invitational. I can see this going from strength to strength in years to come.”
Neil added: “It’s all mushroomed very quickly so it is very exciting and daunting at the same time.
“There are also real spin-off benefits for the local economy. The US visiting party including coaches and parents will extend to around 70 people and they are staying locally in Blairgowrie and Alyth.”
Gordon Paterson, manager of the Salutation Hotel, said: “We are looking forward to hosting the foundation golf team and wish them every success.”