Stoke Rochford Golf Club to host its first international match when England Schools take on Wales Schools
Future stars of the golfing world will battle it out in an international match at a Lincolnshire course next week.
Stoke Rochford Golf Club will host its first international match when England Schools take on Wales Schools on Monday (September 2).
Golfing superstars such as Ryder Cup aces Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood, and former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick are among many stellar names to have featured in international schools fixtures.
And there could well be big names of the future tackling Stoke Rochford’s challenging parkland course this time around.
Terry Haggerty, a former chairman and president of the English Schools Golf Association, has helped to bring the prestigious event to his home club.
“It’s a quality event,” he said.
“Over the years we’ve found that if kids want to get scholarships, particularly in America, then they do seem to value schools golf and international caps quite highly on their CVs.”
Spectators are welcome to attend the match, which begins at 8.30am, with the clubhouse and pro shop both open.
Foursomes matches will be held in the morning before the afternoon singles will decide the winners.
Similar to the Ryder Cup format, the winner of each game takes a point for their side, with the team building the greatest number of points taking the overall honours.
Both teams consist of six girls and eight boys, made up of the top seven boys and top five girls from this year’s national under 19s golf championships, and the national under 16s champions Sam Waddington and Maria Buchanan.
Stoke Rochford, which was named East Midlands Club of the Year for 2024 by Your Golfer magazine, has hosted the Midland Golf Union's Youth Championship since 1987.
However, the last time it hosted an event of this scale was more than 25 years ago when Lincolnshire’s David Skinns, who now plays on the PGA Tour in the United States, finished runner-up at the national schools championships.
Celebrating its centenary season, the club also hosted a regional round of England Golf’s Race to Woodhall Spa in May.
“The international match is obviously a major event for us to host,” Terry said.
“We have hosted the national schools championship here in the past, but we have never hosted an international.”
He added: “Head greenkeeper Gareth Austin and his staff have presented the course in excellent condition worthy of the event.
“Everyone at the club’s on board with it and we’ve made special arrangements with the greens staff and the pro shop.”
Teams -
England: Maria Buchanan (Long Ashton), Scarlett Philips (Ferndown), Zoe McLean-Tattan (Romford), Tala Clarke (Knebworth), Emily Dixon (Orsett), Eva Myers (Chesterfield), Aaron Moody (Burhill), Lucas Dennison (Rochester and Cobham Park), Fynn Colley (Market Harborough), Kailash Krishnan (Stanton-on-the-Wolds), Toby Peters (Thorpe Hall), Alexander Oddy (Orsett), Sam Waddington (Leyland), Zach Banks (Shifnal).
Wales: Sophia Benitez (Marriott San Pierre), Jemma Nand Lal (Tenby), Moli Amos (Llantrisant and Pontyclun), Nel Allen (Tenby), Rebecca Del Sol Gonzalez (Pennard), Alicia Kelly (Wernddu), William Pontin (Pyle and Kenfig), Kian Evans (Llantrisant and Pontyclun), James Palfrey (Greenmeadow), Tomos Williams (Pennard), Paul Reid (The Glamorganshire), Matthew Lewis (Pennard), Tom McLean (Pennard), Archie Gidden (Caerphilly).
