Durham team for Challenge Cup
Durham have announced the team of young golfers that they will hope will maintain bragging rights in the north east and Cumbria.
The 20 players are all drawn from the Durham Golf Partnership's County Academy programme.
They will take part in the Inter County Academy Challenge Cup competition at Bishop Auckland golf club on Wednesday, August 10.
Last year Durham defeated Cumbria at Appleby GC to win the competition, but this year will see a three-way battle with a team from Northumberland also taking part.
The team is as follows:
Boys: John Vaulks (Captain - Bishop Auckland), Jonathan Dye (Dinsdale Spa), Connor Underwood (The Darlington), Nathan Hutton (Consett and District), Michael James (Beamish Park), Connor Race (Crook), William Skipp (Eaglescliffe), Ayrd Pearson (Whitburn), Mykal Donkin (Houghton le Spring)
Girls: Jessica Hill (Bishop Auckland), Alexandra Stevenson (Consett and District), Zara Alexander (Eaglescliffe), Briony Bayles (Bishop Auckland), Gabrielle Dickson (Durham City), Emily Henderson (Durham City), Shannon O'Dwyer (Hartlepool), Samantha Hardy (Wearside), Amy Sutheran (Hartlepool), Alice Henderson (Durham City)
Says Jonathan Ward, county development officer for the Durham Golf Partnership: "These players have all worked hard to develop their skills with the help of the coaches on the Academy programme and we are confident we can defend our title successfully, despite the increased competition from Northumberland and Cumbria."
The County Academy scheme is aimed at helping boys and girls with talent and enthusiasm to develop their golfing skills to enable them to progress within the game and reach their potential.
The County Academy programme is one of a number of projects aimed at increasing participation in golf run under the umbrella of the Durham County Golf Partnership. This is a collaboration of a number of stakeholders in the sport including the English Golf Union, The English Women's Golf Association, the PGA, the Golf Foundation and Sport England.
In Durham, the County Golf Partnership is supported by the Durham Ladies County Golf Association, the Durham Union of Golf Clubs and the North East/North West PGA as well as County Durham Sport, Tees Valley Sport and Tyne and Wear Sport.
For more details of the activities in Durham visit www.durhamgolfpartnership.com/
For more information on the work of the Durham County Golf Partnership contact Jonathan Ward, County Development Officer, Durham County Golf Partnership on 077758 48602 or email cdo@durhamgolfpartnership.com