Golf: Knowles hoping for flying start to amateur campaign

SCOTT KNOWLES, the Scottish amateur golf team captain, is looking for his players to get their season off to a flying start in this week's Jones Cup at Sea Island in Georgia.

Four Scots – Ross Kellett, Steven McEwan, Philip McLean and James White – are lining up in the invitational event, which tees off today.

The quartet spent last week at the IMG Academy at Bradenton in Florida, where they worked with national coach Ian Rae and Dr Richard Cox, the Scottish Institute of Sport's golf psychologist, and were also joined by former amateur aces Gavin Dear and Callum Macaulay.

"If only we'd be given that sort of opportunity when I was younger," said a jealous Knowles. "It must have been a fantastic experience and should be helpful for the season ahead."

Lying ahead this year for the Scots are two title defences – in the European Team Championship in Sweden and then the World Team Championship in Argentina.

"The Jones Cup is the start of the battle for places in those teams," added Kingsknowe's Knowles, who led Scotland to the European title at Conwy last summer after taking over from George Crawford.

"Last year provided some great guidance but this is the main year and the opportunity is there for all our top amateurs to show what they can do.

"The likes of Ross Kellett, James Byrne, Michael Stewart and David Law are in pole position at the moment but it's up to the others to push on over the coming weeks and months."

Knowles is delighted that Dear and Macaulay, who joined forces with Wallace Booth to win the world title when they lifted the Eisenhower Trophy in Australia in 2008, spent time with his players at Bradenton.

"Gavin and Callum are both upbeat guys and it was tremendous they were there as well," he noted. "Our players are still at primary school in golfing terms and any guidance they can get from these players can only be helpful.

"They'll have been able to give pointers on what sort of things to look out for in events like the Eisenhower Trophy so there's no doubt that last week was an excellent exercise all round."

White, a former Scottish Boys' champion, has taken a semester out at Stirling University to try and stake his claim for those title defences later in the year.

"That shows the commitment James is prepared to put in because he would have had a lot on his plate if he'd tried to combine his golf and studies," added Knowles.