End of era for Euro Youths at Barassie

SEVERAL future stars of the European Tour will be onparade at Barassie this week in what will almost certainly be the last European Youths Championship.

The R&A dropped the British Youths’ Championship after 1994 because it was felt theunder-21 tournament was no longer needed to bridge the gap between boys’ (under-18) and men’s golf.

England followed the R&A lead and scrapped its youths’ championship, and it would seem the continental countries are sharing this point of view.

The biennial Euro youths’ championship will be no more at the end of this week, though Scotland and Ireland will aim to foster competitive play for their best under-21s.

Some of Europe’s best golfers from 17 countries will be in Ayrshire for two qualifying rounds today and tomorrow, at the end of which the eight countries (six young men per team) with the lowest team aggregates will make up the top flight forthe championship match-play from Thursday to Saturday.

Scotland’s squad includes Steven O’Hara from Motherwell, who may be included in the Great Britain & Ireland team of four to defend the Eisenhower Trophy in Berlin from31 August to 3 September.

Barry Hume from HaggsCastle and Christopher Campbell (Grantown on Spey) arealso in captain Gordon Whyte’s squad. They are backed up byrepeating Canon Scottish Youths champion Joel Hendry (Elgin), Marc Warren (East Kilbride) and Lee Rhind (Uphall).

Scottish Golf Union officials are hoping West of Scotland fans will roll up to support the Scots’ bid to be the last name on the trophy, but also to spotthe future pro stars in thetalented field.