Having come close to winning the English County Championship three times in the last four years, Wiltshire will be hoping it’s fourth time lucky when they represent the South West Region in this year’s finals at Ganton on 23rd – 25th September.
At the north Yorkshire club they will face defending champions Lancashire (North), Surrey (South East) and Warwickshire (Midlands), the other finalists, in the annual round robin contest for the national title.
Wiltshire, who have yet to win the title, made their first appearance in the finals in 2007 at Cleveland and re-appeared a year later at Notts (Hollinwell), finishing fourth on both occasions. They were back in 2009 at Chipping Sodbury but finished runners-up to Essex, the title being decided in the final match on the final green.
They missed out on the South West title last year but are back with a team that contains internationals Ben Loughrey and Ben Stow, the County Champion, along with Scrutton Jug winner Josh Loughrey and the experienced Ali James.
Wiltshire qualified as south west champions at Saunton when they finished 20 strokes ahead of joint runners-up Cornwall and Gloucestershire.
Lancashire have been national champions ten times, twice in the last three years, while their success at Hunstanton a year ago was gained in the most testing of conditions of gale force winds and driving rain. Their team will be missing Jack Senior, a Walker Cup hero recently at Royal Aberdeen, who is turning professional but it contains three of last year’s side in John Carroll, the County Champion, Jon Hurst and Mark Young.
Lancashire won the Northern Group qualifying at Seaton Carew when they finished ten strokes ahead of their nearest rivals Yorkshire.
Surrey can go one better than their northern rivals with 11 titles, the last coming in 2004 at Worksop. Stiggy Hodgson, a team-mate of Senior in the victorious Walker Cup team, is in their line-up along with Warren Harmston, beaten finalist in the 2010 English Amateur at Little Aston. Also in the team is Josh White, the Berkshire Trophy winner, who is also the County Champion.
Surrey booked their place in the final at Ashridge when they finished 14 strokes ahead of Hertfordshire.
Warwickshire have been champions five times, the last in 1990 at Hayling, but their most recent finals appearance was in 2004 at Prince’s in Kent, when they finished fourth. Their line-up includes County Champion Tom Ibbertson, County Captain David Westwood and Fred Jewsbury, a familiar figure at many national championships.
The Midland champions qualified at Peterborough Milton when they trailed after the first round but produced a cumulative two under par in the second to win by eight strokes from Lincolnshire.
Each match in the county finals comprises three foursomes and six singles and in the first series on 23rd September Wiltshire will face Warwickshire and Lancashire play Surrey.
Teams:
Lancashire
Adam Andrews (Ashton in Makerfield)
Richard Blundell (Hillside)
John Carroll (Huyton & Prescot)
Paul Howard (Southport & Ainsdale)
Jon Hurst (Pleasington)
Ian Kenwright (Haydock Park)
Mark Young (Longridge)
Surrey
Mark Booker (Royal Wimbledon)
Simon Crockett (Addington Palace)
Warren Harmston (Wentworth)
Stiggy Hodgson (Sunningdale)
Ben Rickett (Surbiton)
Josh White (Chipstead)
Max Williams (Cuddington)
Warwickshire
Rob Browning (Coventry)
Jamie Carney (Shirley)
Sam Dodds (Coventry)
Chris Dougill (Stoneleigh Deer Park)
Tom Ibbertson (Coventry Hearsall)
Fred Jewsbury (Ladbrook Park)
David Westwood (Handsworth)
Wiltshire
Tom Burley (Broome Manor)
Ali James (Cumberwell Park)
Ben Loughrey (Wrag Barn)
Josh Loughrey (Wrag Barn)
Kevin Phillips (Broome Manor)
Jordan Smith (Bowood)
Ben Stow (Rushmore)
