EDITOR'S CHOICE NEWS Builder offers reward after van stolen Government pledge on cancer-drugs lottery OXFORD UNITED FOOTBALL: U's players set for hard slog EATING OUT The Black Horse, Checkendon CRICKET CRICKET: Challow close in on leaders CRICKET: Shrivenham miss out on final place NEWS Update: UK 'ill prepared' for floods VOTE Is it right that cancer patients should have to pay for their own treatment? Yes No GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Boy wins £5.5m for NHS blunder 2 Motorist freed from smash wreckage 3 Heart problem clue to crash 4 Scientists examine 'yeti hairs' 5 County's police chief retires 6 Concern growing for NOC's future 7 Stars expected at Game Fair 8 Tories publish expense claims 9 Judge pulls out knife in court 10 Knight and Day; Watermill Theatre and Boxford Masques; Hoar Hill, Boxford; July 30-August 3 Today | 7 Days 1 Baldry and Howell go head-to-head with Flint 2 Miss Oxford bows out of competition 3 Ex-teacher: Pills made me a pervert 4 Showdown meeting over housing plan 5 Campaigners claim lake victory 6 New TV news programme launched 7 Parking problems 8 FLOOD ONE YEAR ON: 'Never say never again' 9 Log on to rate your doctor 10 Radio audience dips

The best amateur golfers in England and France battle it out in an international match at Frilford Heath's Red Course this weekend.

Frilford host the contest as part of their centenary celebrations and are hoping for a large crowd to watch the action.

England have named three new caps for the match and include 47-year-old Gary Wolstenholme, their best known player and veteran of 214 appearances.

The new caps are Matthew Haines, 18, Neil Chaudhuri, 23, and Stephen Uzzell, 24.

"We have three newcomers but this is a strong team and if we get the rub of the green we should be able to record another win," said England captain Jonathan Plaxton.

"The French will also be strong. They reached the final of the European Championship last year, so we are expecting a tough match."

The international with France dates back to 1934, but Frilford was the first venue when it was revived in 1984.

Frilford's then chairman Dallas Stevens donated the salver, which the teams play for.

There is more symmetry in that his son Dick is Frilford's current chairman.

The 17th hole on the Red Course has been lengthened by 30 yards for the match in which England have traditionally held sway.

But France have won three of the past six encounters including two on English soil.

Plaxton, who played in the 1984 match, said: "I recall standing next to Jean Van de Velde in the team photograph and I also recall playing Phillipe Ploujoux, the former Amateur Champion.

"They are happy memories as we won 16-8, so a repeat would be nice."

Entry is free, while play will continue as normal on the Blue and Green Courses.

England: N Chaudhuri (The Leicestershire), M Cryer (Coventry), M Haines (Rochester & Cobham), S Hutsby (Liphook), S Uzzell (Hornsea), D Whitnell (Five Lakes), D Willett (Rotherham), G Wolstenholme (Carus Green), C Wood (Long Ashton). Res: E Richardson (Rye), M Baldwin (Royal Birkdale).

2:38pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

Print

Email this