Duke of York Young Champions Trophy
Encyclopedia
Celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy is a unique, international 54-hole stroke play golf tournament for boys and girls who are either the current holders of their Under 18 National Championship or have won some other major golfing event in the preceding twelve months.

History

First played in 2001, the event was created by HRH The Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...

 and John Simpson. This highly rated invitational event, supported by the R & A and now counting towards the World Amateur Golf Rankings, aims to promote the development of junior golf, encourage competitiveness and friendship between individual champions whilst also offering a unique opportunity for boys and girls to compete for the same Trophy on a top quality UK links course. The standard of competition continues to be incredibly high with the average handicap for last year’s event being an impressive +1.5. It is anticipated that a maximum field of 60 junior champions from around 35 countries will compete at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake in 2011.

The tournament has grown from having just 11 competitors from six countries in 2001, to a field of 58 champions from 32 countries in 2010.
The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy is organised in many ways like a professional tournament in order to give the potential stars of the future a chance to experience what life as a golf professional might involve; hence the inclusion of sponsors and official functions, including the Official Dinner hosted by HRH The Duke of York, as well as an educational talk. Past players include Rory McIlroy, Anna Nordqvist, Matteo Manessero and Tom Lewis.

Sponsors of the tournament include PGA European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...

, BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...

, Ricoh
Ricoh
or Ricoh, is a Japanese company that was established in 1936 on February 6th, as , a company in the RIKEN zaibatsu. Its headquarters is located in Ricoh Building in Chūō, Tokyo....

, InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group plc is a global hotels company headquartered in Denham, United Kingdom. It is the largest hotels company in the world measured by rooms , and has over 4,500 hotels across over 100 countries...

, Man Group
Man Group
Man Group plc is a British alternative investment management business. It provides a range of funds for institutional and private investors globally. The company manages about US$68 billion and employs around 1,700 people in 15 locations worldwide.Man’s headquarters are at Riverbank House...

, The Fortune
Fortune (magazine)
Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. Founded by Henry Luce in 1930, the publishing business, consisting of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, grew to become Time Warner. In turn, AOL grew as it acquired Time Warner in 2000 when Time Warner was the world's largest...

, Mizuno
Mizuno
Mizuno may refer to:* Mizuno Corp., a Japanese sportswear and sports equipment manufacturer* Mizuno , a political family in Japanese history* Mizuno , a World War II aircraft manufacturer, see also Mizuno Shinryu...

, and Callaway Golf Company.

Academic and golf scholarships

The Duke of York Sports Foundation is a registered charity established in 2004 to promote amateur sports. Academic and golf scholarships have been awarded since September 2007 to provide under 18 boys and girls with the opportunity to receive a high standard of education whilst at the same time focusing on their golf and offer an alternative to studying and training in the USA.

Wellington College
Wellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...

 in Berkshire was chosen as the school that met all the criteria required to support both aspects of the scholarship. As one of the best co-educational independent private schools in Britain, it offers the International Baccalaureate, a good standard 9-hole golf course and practice facilities on site. It is also located near many excellent courses (including Wentworth and Sunningdale), coaches and major airports.

Candidates must meet Wellington College's academic standard, demonstrate a high level of golfing ability with clear signs of potential and are selected on a case by case basis. To date, the Foundation has awarded five academic and golf scholarships. All the scholars are aged between 14 and 17, with handicaps ranging from three to plus-two. The Foundation's aim is to award eight to ten scholarships to individuals by 2011.

The Duke of York Young Champions Trophy

Year Venue Competitors Countries Winner
2001 Royal Liverpool, Hoylake
Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake
The Royal Liverpool Golf Club is a leading golf club in Merseyside in North West England. It was founded in 1869 on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club, and received the "Royal" designation in 1871 due to the patronage of the Duke of Connaught of the day, who was one of Queen...

11 6 Michael Nester (England)
2002 Royal Liverpool, Hoylake
Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake
The Royal Liverpool Golf Club is a leading golf club in Merseyside in North West England. It was founded in 1869 on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club, and received the "Royal" designation in 1871 due to the patronage of the Duke of Connaught of the day, who was one of Queen...

26 13 Carlos del Moral
Carlos del Moral
-Amateur and early professional career:Born in Valencia, he was a successful junior, winning the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy before taking up a scholarship at the University of Oklahoma, where he played on the golf team alongside Anthony Kim...

 (Spain)
2003 Castletown Golf Links, Isle of Man
Castletown Golf & Country Club
Castletown Golf & Country Club, Langness Peninsula, Derbyhaven, Isle of Man.Castletown Golf Links is a tournament golf course on the Isle of Man, and is aA Top 100 course designed by Old Tom Morris and redesigned by Mackenzie Ross...

31 16 Rikard Karlberg
Rikard Karlberg
Rikard Karlberg is a Swedish professional golfer.Karlerg was born in Gothenburg. He turned professional in 2006. He topped the Nordic League rankings in 2007 to earn a tour card on the Challenge Tour. His best finish on the Challenge Tour was T4 at the 2008 Reale Challenge de España.Karlberg...

 (Sweden)
2004 Kingsbarns, Scotland 36 20 Zac Gould (Wales)
2005 Castletown Golf Links, Isle of Man
Castletown Golf & Country Club
Castletown Golf & Country Club, Langness Peninsula, Derbyhaven, Isle of Man.Castletown Golf Links is a tournament golf course on the Isle of Man, and is aA Top 100 course designed by Old Tom Morris and redesigned by Mackenzie Ross...

39 20 Oliver Fisher
Oliver Fisher
Oliver James Fisher is an English professional golfer who plays on the European Tour.Fisher was born in Chingford, London. He was a winner of the Faldo Series, Nick Faldo's development programme for young golfers, in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and as such was regarded as one of the best prospects of his...

 (England)
2006 Dundonald Links, Ayrshire 42 22 Sam Hutsby (England)
2007 Dundonald Links, Ayrshire 49 28 Claudio Vigano (Italy)
2008 Dundonald Links, Ayrshire 51 28 Stiggy Hodgson (England)
2009 Dundonald Links, Ayrshire 57 34 Moriya Jutanugarn (Thailand)
2010 Royal St George's, Kent
Royal St George's Golf Club
The Royal St George's Golf Club is one of the premier golf clubs in the United Kingdom, and one of the courses on The Open Championship rotation. It has hosted 13 Open championships since 1894, when it became the first club outside Scotland to host the championship...

57 32 Gudmundur Kristjansson (Iceland)
2011 Royal Liverpool, Hoylake
Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake
The Royal Liverpool Golf Club is a leading golf club in Merseyside in North West England. It was founded in 1869 on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club, and received the "Royal" designation in 1871 due to the patronage of the Duke of Connaught of the day, who was one of Queen...

57 31 Harry Casey (England)

Notable past players

  • Rory McIlroy
    Rory McIlroy
    Rory McIlroy is a Northern Irish professional golfer from Holywood in County Down. He has represented Europe, Great Britain & Ireland, and Ireland as both an amateur and a professional. He had a successful amateur career, topping the World Amateur Golf Ranking for one week as a 17-year-old in 2007...

    : Winner of the 2009 Dubai Desert Classic
    Dubai Desert Classic
    The Dubai Desert Classic is an annual professional golf tournament which takes place in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. It has been part of the European Tour schedule since its inauguration in 1989, and was the first European Tour event to be staged in the Middle East...

     & Winner of the 2011 U.S. Open
    2011 U.S. Open (golf)
    The 2011 United States Open Championship, the 111th U.S. Open, was played June 16–19 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. It was won by Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who set 11 U.S. Open records on the weekend, including the lowest total 72-hole score and the lowest total under...

  • Anna Nordqvist
    Anna Nordqvist
    Anna Maria Nordqvist is a Swedish professional golfer who plays on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour.-Amateur career:...

    : Winner of the 2009 LPGA Championship
    LPGA Championship
    The LPGA Championship, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Wegmans LPGA Championship, is the second-longest running tournament in the history of the Ladies Professional Golf Association surpassed only by the U.S. Women's Open. It is one of four majors on the LPGA tour...

  • Pablo Martín
    Pablo Martin
    Pablo Martín-Benavides is a Spanish professional golfer.Martín was born in Málaga, and attended Oklahoma State University in the United States. He was awarded the Haskins Award in 2006 and featured in the top ten of the World Amateur Golf Ranking...

    : Winner of three European Tour events
  • Oliver Fisher
    Oliver Fisher
    Oliver James Fisher is an English professional golfer who plays on the European Tour.Fisher was born in Chingford, London. He was a winner of the Faldo Series, Nick Faldo's development programme for young golfers, in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and as such was regarded as one of the best prospects of his...

    : Youngest ever Walker Cup
    Walker Cup
    The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested biennially in odd numbered years between teams comprising the leading amateur golfers of the United States and Great Britain and Ireland...

     player in 2005
  • Matteo Manassero
    Matteo Manassero
    Matteo Manassero is an Italian professional golfer. He is the youngest golfer to win a European Tour event.Manassero was born in Negrar, in the Province of Verona. In 2009, at the age of 16, he became the youngest ever winner of the British Amateur Championship, defeating England's Sam Hutsby in...

    : Winner of the 2009 British Amateur, 2010 Castelló Masters Costa Azahar
    Castelló Masters Costa Azahar
    The Castelló Masters is a European Tour golf tournament that was held for the first time in October 2008, taking the slot formerly used by the Mallorca Classic...

     & 2011 Maybank Malaysian Open
  • Sam Hutsby: Runner-up in the 2009 British Amateur & 2009 Walker Cup Team member
  • Melissa Reid: 2007 Ricoh Women's British Open Silver Medal
  • Stiggy Hodgson: 2009 Walker Cup Team member
  • Tom Lewis: Silver Medal winner at The Open Championship
    The Open Championship
    The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...

    , 2011

External links

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