Welsh Golfers Performing Strongly in 2023
Welsh golfers have been performing strongly on the international stage in 2023, finishing among the top elite amateur players on a regular basis.
James Ashfield, Delamere Forest, has been leading the way on the men’s side, while Isobel Kelly, Erewash Valley, has enjoyed a strong season on the women’s side.
Ashfield has achieved a personal best world ranking of 71st, thanks in part to a tied second finish at the European Amateur Championship, which helped him gain selection for the European Team in the Bonallack Trophy against Asia-Pacific.
In an excellent season, Ashfield also finished second in the Lytham Trophy, third in the European Nations Cup and ninth at the Spanish Amateur.
Rhuddlan’s Caolan Burford reached the semi-finals of the Spanish Amateur, while Welsh players also had a strong showing at the Irish Amateur with Welshpool’s Tomi Bowen in third and Royal Porthcawl’s Matt Roberts fifth.
Roberts also enjoyed top 10 finishes at the African Amateur and South African Stroke Play despite being unlucky with the weather shortening the event when the Welsh player was going well.
There were six Welsh players in the top 15 of the Welsh Open Stroke Play at Southerndown, Ormskirk’s James Nash finishing third, while St Athan’s Kieron Harmon and Bowen were tied fifth.
Isobel Kelly was third in The R&A U16’s Championship and also earned selection for Great Britain and Ireland in the Junior Vagliano Trophy.
Burnham and Berrow’s Harriet Lockley was tied seventh in the Portuguese International Ladies Amateur and help Wales to an impressive fourth place finish in the Nations Cup running alongside the Portuguese event, the highest placed of the Home Nations.
On the European stage the Wales Boys team were third in Division Two of the European Championships, the Men were 10th and the Women 16th.
At the Men’s and Women’s Home Internationals in Machynys, Wales men beat England men, while Wales women beat Scotland women, but the overall combined results saw Wales finish fourth. The Boys and Girls Home International Team headed to Lindrick Golf Club, where there were plenty of strong performances, despite overall team defeats.