Yorkshire boys will field strong line-up as they defend their English title

NEW Lee Westwood Trophy holder Ben Schmidt is part of Yorkshire's seven-player squad that will defend the English boys' championship next week at the County Finals at Rockliffe Hall in County Durham.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Aug 2018, 09:22 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2018, 10:40 BST
Yorkshire pictured with the trophy after last year's success in the County Finals (Picture: Leaderboard Photography).Yorkshire pictured with the trophy after last year's success in the County Finals (Picture: Leaderboard Photography).
Yorkshire pictured with the trophy after last year's success in the County Finals (Picture: Leaderboard Photography).

Rotherham’s Schmidt was only denied McGregor Trophy success last month by four birdies in the final six holes from Stoke Park’s Conor Gough, who five days ago added the Boys’ Amateur Championship title to his English under-16 boys’ open win.

Among those alongside Schmidt at Rockcliffe Hall for the champions will be 13-year-old Josh Berry, the French Under-14 title holder,

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The Doncaster player earned the call from Yorkshire, despite being just into his teens, as a result of form that has taken him to No 3 in Europe in the boys’ under-14 category.

Rotherham’s Charlie Daughtrey, Middlesbrough’s Michael Hay, Abbeydale’s Jack Leversidge, Lindrick’s Callum Macfie and Hornsea’s Jack Maxey are the others entrusted with bringing the title back home with them.

Daughtrey, Hay, Macfie, Leversidge and Schmidt were all members of last year’s successful Yorkshire side.

Challenging the title holders next Tuesday to Thursday, August 28-30, will be teams from Lincolnshire, Kent and Cornwall.

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All four teams, including the reigning champions, had to come through qualifiers to represent their region at County Finals. Yorkshire are aiming for their ninth success in the England finals, Lincolnshire and Cornwall their second and Kent their first.

The Kent team includes Jensen Hull, who reached the semi-finals of the Boys’ Amateur Championship, and Jacob Kelso, who won the 2017 English Boys’ County Champion of Champions title.

Cornwall’s George Leigh had the winning individual score at the South West qualifying event for next week’s championship and was sixth in the McGregor Trophy. Lincolnshire’s very experienced Hugo Kedzlie was third in the Midland boys’ championship.

The round robin championship is played over three days. Each match consists of three foursomes and six singles.

How Yorkshire won the English title last year

How Yorkshire qualified for this year’s finals

Related topics:Ben SchmidtYorkshireCounty Durham