Dec. 28, 2004 – The English Golf Union (EGU) has selected a group of 12 players to form its Potential ‘A’ Squad, which will train alongside its Elite Squad as part of the World Class Performance Program.

The squad will attend training sessions at the National Golf Center, Woodhall Spa and Sheffield Hallam University. The sessions will include specialist technical coaching, led by England National Coach Keith Williams, together with advice on physiological and psychological preparation, diet and nutrition, lifestyle and schedule management. In addition they will travel to Fancourt Golf Resort in South Africa for warm weather training early in the New Year.

Commenting on the squad selection Nigel Furniss, EGU Performance Director explained “The support team are really excited about the prospect of working with these young players, eight of the squad are under 20. I am confident some of this squad will be pushing for promotion into the Elite squad during 2005”

Several of the squad have already earned international honors but there are three newcomers, all aged 19, Luke Collins, Christopher Evans and David Horsey. All three enjoyed a successful English Amateur Championship in July. Collins reached the fifth round then was beaten by the eventual champion, James Heath, while Evans fell to Horsey in the quarterfinals. Horsey made the 36-hole final when he lost to James Heath.

Collins, now back in his native Somerset after a spell in Spain, was among the halfway leaders in this year’s Brabazon Trophy but finally finished joint 26th. He also opened the Berkshire Trophy with strong rounds of 68 and 67.

Birmingham-based Evans creditable performance at the English Amateur earned him selection as part of the England team who played in the Greek Amateur Championship along with Horsey, from Cheshire, who is a former England Schools champion.

Boy internationals Seve Benson and Gary Boyd, both 18, are also included in the new ‘A’ Squad. Benson made his England debut as a member of the victorious team in this year’s Boys Home Internationals and was a member of the Surrey side that won the County Championship in September.

Boyd, who represents Northamptonshire, has been on the international scene since 2002, representing England in both Germany and Japan. He was a member of the winning Boys Home Internationals side and helped GB&I beat Europe in the Jacques Leglise Trophy. He is also the current Midland Youths champion and finished third in the Carris Trophy.

Yorkshire youngsters Daniel Denison and John Parry have also made the squad. Denison, 19, has been in the England’s boy’s team for the past two years and is a past joint winner of the Carris Trophy.

Parry, 18, was winner of the McEvoy Trophy in April and finished runner-up in both the Carris Trophy and the recent Daily Telegraph Junior Championship in Sun City. Parry was also a member of winning teams in the European Boys Team Championships in Finland, the Boys Home Internationals and the Jacques Leglise Trophy.

Also joining the squad is Ed Butler, 25, from Gloucestershire, who is a former winner of the West of England Stroke Play and Match Play Championships and represented England in the Mexican Amateur Championship earlier this year.

Matthew Cryer, from Coventry, is the oldest member of the squad at 29, but has stepped up from last year’s ‘B’ Squad after a successful season in which he won the Czech Amateur Championship and helped England win the Nations Cup. On the domestic front, Cryer won the Midland Closed Championship as well as the Warwickshire Amateur and Match Play titles.

Kevin Harper, 23, a former Devon Youths champion, has also taken a step up from the ‘B’ Squad. Harper lost a play-off for the South West Championship this year and has been a member of the Devon side in the past two County Championships, lifting the title in 2003.

Grant Slater also joins the squad. The Cornish 18 year old has represented England at under-16 and boys levels and was a joint winner of the Carris Trophy in 2003. He has been a member of the winning England Boys Home Internationals teams for the past two years.

Completing the squad is 20-year-old Jamie Moul from Suffolk. A former boy cap, Moul made his full England debut against France at Royal St George’s in May and was a member of the side that finished runners-up in the European Youths Team Championships in Ireland last summer.

The full 'A' Squad is:
Seve Benson (Wentworth)
Gary Boyd (Northants County)
Ed Butler (Lansdown)
Luke Collins (Mendip Springs)
Matthew Cryer (Coventry)
Daniel Denison (Howley Hall)
Christopher Evans (Maxstoke {Park)
Kevin Harper (East Devon)
David Horsey (Styal)
John Parry (Harrogate)
Jamie Moul (Stoke-by Nayland)
Grant Slater (Carlyon Bay)

For more information contact:
Nigel Furnissm,
Performance Director
E-mail: nfurniss@englishgolfunion.org
Tel: 01526 354101