England Golf Hall of Fame inductee and British amateur legend Gary Wolstenholme MBE has paid homage to the importance of the Peter McEvoy Trophy.
The tournament is arguably the most prestigious amateur golfing tournament for British and Irish under-18 prospects, with previous winners including Justin Rose and Lee Westwood. Now, the clock is ticking down to the 43rd chapter of the tournament, which will be played across April 10th – 11th at Copt Heath Golf Club in Solihull.
Wolstenholme (pic), a former international teammate of Peter McEvoy (the event’s curator), maintains an awareness of the importance in competing against the best at an amateur level, particularly in the early season to set your mark for the year. The 63-year-old is the most capped national amateur golfer and the all-time points leader for the GB and Ireland side.
With over 70 amateur tournament wins internationally, he believes the Peter McEvoy Trophy is vital for the progress of the nation’s best youngsters. Speaking to Champions (UK) plc, Wolstenholme said: “It's crucial for the development of young players. Particularly with a tournament like this, top potential can make their way through to national recognition.
“Without the likes of the Peter McEvoy trophy, it will be very difficult to gain knowledge as to who's going to be the stars of the future. Justin Rose and Lee Westwood are very good examples of young guys who went on to become superstars after winning the tournament, both obviously as amateurs at a very early age but also then on to the professional game.
“It’s crucial to have these sorts of events, to allow juniors an opportunity to show off their game and give the selectors for England Golf the opportunity to work out who's going to be playing for them in the future.” Wolstenholme is widely renowned for his decorated amateur career, with two of his most notable trophy successes coming in The Amateur Championship 12 years apart (1991, 2003), another record.
The Englishman notably beat a 19-year-old Tiger Woods in the 1995 Walker Cup and put together five professional tournament wins alongside first-half appearances in The Masters, U.S. Open and The Open Championship. Wolstenholme believes the opportunity offered by the Peter McEvoy Trophy is incredibly exciting for youngsters and audiences alike.
He said: “There aren't that many that get the chance to go on and make a really good financial career out of competing in professional golf, so this is a wonderful opportunity to be able to get on that first step of the ladder.
“Without the likes of these tournaments, you're not going to get to know whether you stand out against your peers. I think tournaments like this should be encouraged by all clubs, and Copt Heath should be applauded for making the effort to give players a forum in which to show their skill.
“It gives them the experience and confidence to go on and be potential top tournament pros, playing in Ryder Cups, and becoming major champions – these are all stepping stones to hopefully making a successful career.”
He continued: “It’s situated in the Midlands which is very useful for access to everyone. The course itself is a great test of golf - I've played there many times over the years and it’s ideal for this sort of event.
“The fact they're so keen to continue the history of this event, and put time and effort into making sure that the course is in good shape early in the season, is a testament to the hard work everyone involved puts in. They should be very proud of what the Peter McEvoy Trophy has done for the club, because it's put it on the map on a national basis.”
The Peter McEvoy Trophy has seen an extremely strong field enter the competition for this year’s instalment, with 72 of the very best prospects, selected from 120 submissions, looking to emerge victorious. The tournament takes place between April 10th-11th and is free and open to all spectators who are looking to experience an exciting golfing event unfold.
