Tuesday, 18 June 2013

Boulden and Harries secure Vagliano Trophy slots

Amy Boulden and Becky Harries will fight the continent for Great Britain & Ireland in the Vagliano Trophy at Chantilly this month.

Conwy’s Welsh Ladies’ Open Strokeplay winner Boulden and Harries, the two-time Welsh Ladies’ Amateur Closed champion from Haverfordwest, both earned their places against Europe with excellent performances this year.

It will be Harries’ first selection for a GB & Ireland team. The 25-year-old secured the Closed title at Nefyn last month with a tense 2&1 victory over Wrexham’s Chloe Williams in the final, while Boulden (19) topped the leaderboard at the Open Strokeplay at the Vale Resort, also last month, ahead of England’s Alex Peters, who also makes the team.

Amy Boulden has had a great start to 2013 - including winning
the Welsh Ladies' Open Strokeplay at the Vale Resort last month.

Both will be hoping to continue their good form in an event that will be a real test of their credentials to make the Curtis Cup squad to face America on their own soil in Missouri next year. Boulden, of course, was part of the GB & Ireland team who won back the famous old trophy at Nairn last year after the Americans had won every event since 1998.

Stephanie Meadow will as expected fly the Irish flag against Europe, while England’s Georgia Hall, who won the Ladies’ British Open Amateur at Machynys Peninsula last week, is also selected.

When the nine-player team was announced today it was obvious that the selectors, who met in Edinburgh on Monday, wanted a blend of youth and experience. The average age is just 19, although there are three players in their 20’s.

Great Britain and Ireland have lost the last three Vagliano contests and victorious Curtis Cup skipper Tegwen Matthews is anxious to halt the trend. They lost 15.5-8.5 at Porthcawl two years ago, however, they lead the overall series 15-11, with one match drawn.

She said: “I have a magic Vagliano 2013 team and look forward to the return of the match to the beautiful course at Chantilly, where GB & Ireland last won the trophy. My players and I will be trying very hard to do the same this time.”

The match, which features four foursomes and eight singles on each of two days, is being played on June 28 and 29 at Chantilly, 24 miles north of Paris.

Great Britain and Ireland Vagliano Trophy team: Amy Boulden (Conwy), Gabriella Cowley (Brocket Hall), Hayley Davis (Ferndown),Georgia Hall (Remedy Oak), Becky Harries (Haverfordwest), Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush), Alex Peters (Notts ladies), Amber Ratcliffe (Royal Cromer).

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