Duke of York Young Champions Trophy
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The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy is an international 54-hole stroke play junior golf tournament for boys and girls who are either the current holders of their under-18 National Championship or have won another major golfing event in the preceding year.
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[edit] History
First played in 2001, the event was created by HRH The Duke of York and John Simpson, aiming to promote the development of junior golf. It encourages competitiveness and friendship between individual champions whilst providing them with an opportunity to play one of the finest UK links course against a field of top quality players. The average handicap for the 2009 field was plus-one.
Supported by the R&A and counting towards the World Amateur Golf Rankings, this event in many ways is organised like a professional tournament, so as to give the potential golfing stars of the future a chance to experience what life as a professional might involve; hence the involvement of sponsors, official functions, demonstrations of equipment by major golf manufacturers and a programme of educational events.
The tournament has grown from having just 11 competitors from six countries in 2001, to a field of 57 champions from 34 countries in 2009. This year’s event featured juniors from Korea and China competing for the first time. The field is expected to reach the maximum capacity in 2010 to involve 60 players. Sponsors of the tournament include Royal St George's Golf Club, where the event is held, BMW, Ricoh, InterContinental Hotels Group, Man Group, Fortune, Mizuno, and Callaway Golf Company.
The tenth Duke of York Young Champions Trophy is scheduled for 14th – 16th September, 2010 and is taking place at Royal St George’s Golf Club. It has also been confirmed that the tournament will be played at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in 2011.
[edit] Academic and Golf Scholarships
The Duke of York Sports Foundation is a registered charity established in 2004 to promote amateur sports. Academic and golf Scholarships have been awarded since September 2007 to provide under 18 boys and girls with the opportunity to receive a high standard of education whilst at the same time focusing on their golf and offer an alternative to studying and training in the USA.
Wellington College in Berkshire was chosen as the school that met all the criteria required to support both aspects of the scholarship. As one of the best co-educational independent private schools in Britain, it offers the International Baccalaureate, a good standard 9-hole golf course and practice facilities on site. It is also located near many excellent courses (including Wentworth and Sunningdale), coaches and major airports.
Candidates must meet Wellington College's academic standard, demonstrate a high level of golfing ability with clear signs of potential and are selected on a case by case basis. To date, the Foundation has awarded five academic and golf scholarships. All the scholars are aged between 14 and 17, with handicaps ranging from three to plus-two. The Foundation's aim is to award eight to ten scholarships to individuals by 2011.
[edit] The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy
| Year | Venue | Competitors | Countries | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Royal Liverpool, Hoylake | 11 | 6 | Michael Nester (England) |
| 2002 | Royal Liverpool, Hoylake | 26 | 13 | Carlos del Moral (Spain) |
| 2003 | Castletown Golf Links, Isle of Man | 31 | 16 | Rikard Karlberg (Sweden) |
| 2004 | Kingsbarns, Scotland | 36 | 20 | Zac Gould (Wales) |
| 2005 | Castletown Golf Links, Isle of Man | 39 | 20 | Oliver Fisher (England) |
| 2006 | Dundonald Links, Ayshire | 42 | 22 | Sam Hutsby (England) |
| 2007 | Dundonald Links, Ayshire | 49 | 28 | Claudio Vigano (Italy) |
| 2008 | Dundonald Links, Ayshire | 51 | 28 | Stiggy Hodgson (England) |
| 2009 | Dundonald Links, Ayshire | 57 | 34 | Moriya Jutanugarn (Thailand) |
[edit] Notable past players
- Rory McIlroy: Winner of the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic
- Anna Nordqvist: Winner of the 2009 LPGA Championship
- Pablo Martin: Winner of the 2007 Portuguese Open
- Oliver Fisher: Youngest ever Walker Cup player in 2005
- Matteo Manassero: Winner of the 2009 British Amateur
- Sam Hutsby: Runner-up in the 2009 British Amateur & 2009 Walker Cup Team Member
- Melissa Reid: 2007 Ricoh Women's British Open Silver Medal
- Stiggy Hodgson: 2009 Walker Cup Team Member
