Golf: Scots trio aiming high in Eisenhower Trophy

Scotland’s leading amateur golfers will be hoping to extend an impressive recent record when the World Amateur Team Championship gets under way in Antalya, Turkey, today with a field of 72 nations.

The trio of Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm), Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) and Paul Shields (Kirkhill) have been handed the task of trying to reclaim the Eisenhower Trophy won by countrymen Wallace Booth, Gavin Dear and Callum Macaulay four years ago in Adelaide.

The Scots put up a stout defence of the title in 2010, when James Byrne, Ross Kellett and Michael Stewart finished in a share of fifth place in Argentina.

Buoyed by recent Home Internationals victory, the first since now European Tour players Scott Jamieson, George Murray and Richie Ramsay helped the team to the title back in 2006, Scotland go into the Championship in confident mood.

They prepared with an
acclimatisation trip to southern Spain last week and Robertson, who has already enjoyed an excellent season, finishing third in the St Andrews Links Trophy and racking up a 100 per cent record in the Home Internationals, believes the Scots can continue their fine team record.

“I’ve played a lot of team events this year and it’s been good,” he said. “They seem to bring out the best in me and I’ve performed fairly well. I’ve had a really good season and playing in the Eisenhower Trophy really just caps it all for me.

“Everyone in the team can go low on the day and the format of the event certainly gives us a chance. Somebody may well have an off-day one day, but hopefully we can get it just right on each given day.”

Meanwhile, Scott Henry this week returns to European Challenge Tour action for the first time since his incredible Kazakhstan Open victory just over a fortnight ago when he lines up in the ALLIANZ Open de Lyon. Chris Doak, Steven O’Hara, Lloyd Saltman and Raymond Russell are among the other Scots in the field in France.