Bonallack Trophy call up for Robin Dawson
Tramore's Robin Dawson will represent Europe in the Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy in Qatar in March.
Ireland's Robin Dawson has been selected on Europe's 12-man team for the Bonallack Trophy match against Asia-Pacific in Qatar from March 8-10.
Captain Alexis Godillot named the Tramore man for the biennial match featuring the best amateurs from Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Europe, the reigning champions, have won the last five matches and will defend their title at Doha Golf Club.
Returning as Captain after a successful Bonallack Trophy in 2016, Frenchman Godillot said: "It is a great honour to captain Europe's best amateur golfers in the Bonallack Trophy for the second time. We are lucky to have so many talented players available to represent Europe.
"The 2016 match was very close, and I am sure we will face a big challenge once more against a strong Asia-Pacific team, this time away from home. Given the format of the match, I believe it is extremely important to do well in the four-ball and foursomes matches, which played a huge part in our victory in 2016."
The players are selected based on their World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and high-level golfing performances, with particular attention placed on match play performance.
Twelfth in the recent South American Amateur Championship, Dawson won the World University Championship in 2016 and had a stellar season last year with runner-up finishes at the European Nations Cup at Sotogrande and the South African Stroke Play Championship.
The team in full is: Edgar Catherine (France), Todd Clements (England), Robin Dawson (Ireland), Oliver Gillberg (Sweden), Marc Hammer (Germany), Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark), Matias Honkala (Finland), Angel Hidalgo Portillo (Spain), Matthew Jordan (England), Frederic Lacroix (France), Kristoffer Reitan (Norway), Sami Valimaki (Finland).
Edgar Catherine (Fra)
Won the South African Stroke Play Championship and finished third in the Internationaux de France (Coupe Murat) last year. He previously helped the Continent of Europe to victory in the 2016 Jacques Léglise Trophy.
Todd Clements (Eng)
Finished top of the 2017 MENA Tour Amateur Order of Merit. The Englishman's performances on the MENA Tour earned him a spot at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic last month, where he finished in a tie for 68th. The 2017 English Men's Amateur Champion also won the Lee Westwood Trophy in 2016.
Oliver Gillberg (Fra)
Currently the highest ranked European player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). The Swede is in fantastic form, having won the South African Stroke Play Championship last week, an event where he finished seventh last year. Gillberg finished fourth in the 2017 European Nations Cup (Copa Sotogrande) and finished 35th on the Nordic Golf League ranking in 2016.
Marc Hammer (Ger)
Won the German National Amateur and had a top-10 and a top-25 on the Pro Golf Tour. In 2016, he finished third in the Toyota Junior World Cup and was runner-up in the Fairhaven Trophy.
Rasmus Hojgaard (Den)
Tthe youngest player on the European side, he helped the Danish team to victory in the 2017 European Boys' Team Championship. He also finished as runner-up in the Copa Baleares and helped the Continent of Europe to victory in the Jacques Léglise Trophy in the same year. Hojgaard won the Danish International Amateur Championship in 2016.
Matias Honkala (Fin)
Represented Europe in the 2016 Junior Ryder Cup and the Continent of Europe in the 2017 Jacques Léglise Trophy. Last year, he made it to the fourth round of The Amateur Championship and finished 11th in the South American Amateur.
Angel Hidalgo Portillo (Esp)
Helped Spain to a gold medal in the 2017 European Amateur Team Championship. The Spaniard also claimed bronze medals in the Spanish Amateur Championship and the Copa Baleares in the same year. In 2016, Hidalgo Portillo won the Campeonato de Espana Amateur and the Campeonato Internacional de Espana U18.
Matthew Jordan (Eng)
The second English player selected, Jordan had an impressive 2017 season which saw him win the St Andrews Links Trophy. Runner-up in the Carrick Neill Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship, he was fourth in the Irish Amateur Open Championship, fifth in the Brabazon Trophy, and sixth in the European Amateur Championship. Furthermore, he helped England to a silver medal in the 2017 European Amateur Team Championship and played in the Walker Cup at Los Angeles Country Club.
Frederic Lacroix (Fra)
Won the 2017 European Men's Club Trophy with Racing Club de France, a competition where he had already gained silver and bronze medals the previous two years. In 2017, the Frenchman also won the Championnat de France (Coupe Ganay), and finished tied third in the South African Stroke Play Championship.
Kristoffer Reitan (Nor)
Represented Europe in the 2016 Junior Ryder Cup. He has also played for the Continent of Europe in the Jacques Léglise Trophy on three occasions. Reitan represented Norway in last year's European Amateur Team Championship, where he finished top of the individual stroke play rounds. In 2016, he finished as runner-up in the Junior Orange Bowl International.
Sami Valimaki (Fin)
Won the Portuguese International Amateur Championship, the Ticino Championship, and claimed a bronze medal in the German International Amateur Championship in 2017. He also finished fifth in the Italian International Amateur Championship and claimed a top-15 in the Challenge Tour in the same year. Valimaki helped Finland to earn promotion to this year's European Amateur Team Championship by winning the Division 2 event last season.
Europe - Bonallack Trophy (8-10 March, Doha GC, Qatar)
Name - WAGR ranking
- Edgar Catherine (France) - 93
- Todd Clements (England) -27
- Robin Dawson (Ireland) - 94
- Oliver Gillberg (Sweden) - 8
- Marc Hammer (Germany) - 90
- Rasmus Hojgaard (Denmark) - 84
- Matias Honkala (Finland) - 55
- Angel Hidalgo Portillo (Spain) - 33
- Matthew Jordan (England) - 17
- Frederic Lacroix (France) - 68
- Kristoffer Reitan (Norway) - 43
- Sami Valimaki (Finland) - 45
Sir Michael Bonallack (born 31 December 1934) is an English amateur golfer who was one of the leading administrators in world golf in the late 20th century. He has an exceptional amateur record in golf. He won the British Boys Championship in 1952 and, remaining an amateur in the era when professional domination of the sport became firmly entrenched, he went on to win the Amateur Championship and the English Amateur Championships five times each and the English Amateur Stroke Play Championships four times.
He was a member of nine Walker Cup teams and played in the Eisenhower Trophy seven times. His best finish at the Open Championship was eleventh in 1959. He was the leading amateur at the Open in 1968 and 1971. Sir Michael was Secretary of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews from 1984 to 1999 and Captain of the Royal and Ancient in 2000.
He has also been Chairman of the PGA of Great Britain and Ireland (1976-81), Chairman of the Golf Foundation (1977-82), and President of the English Golf Union (1982). He also had spells as President of the One-Armed Golfers Society, the British and International Greenkeepers Association, and the Professional Golfers Association of Europe and as Chairman of the advisory committee for the Official World Golf Rankings. He received an OBE for services to golf in 1971 and was knighted in 1998.
In 1972, he was voted the Bob Jones Award, the highest honour given by the United States Golf Association in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. He has received numerous honours from golfing organisations around the world, culminating in his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2000.
