LIPHOOK’S Sam West has been selected for the England south region training squad for a third year in a row.

The 2018 English Schools champion is still only 16 and has been a regular member of the Hampshire under-16 and under-18 teams over the past two years.

Having won a national title in the summer of 2018, West has continued his development by putting another major trophy on his sideboard this year.

He claimed the South of England Boys Open in August, at Yeovil and Sherborne golf clubs.

The south region squad has a new manager for 2020 – and it is someone Sam knows very well.

Hampshire’s under-16s and under-18s joint manager Rob Mulcahy will look after the 12-strong squad – and seven of that group are also West’s team-mates from the county’s junior squads, including James Freeman and Meon Valley’s Nick Matthews, who has been in the Hampshire under-18 team for the past two years with West.

The trio were joined by five of their county team-mates as the England South team beat the South East side by 12 shots at Kent’s Kings Hill Golf Club in October.

Mulcahy, from South Winchester Golf Club, said: “We had 34 applications from all the best athletes from Hampshire and Surrey which we narrowed down to 14 to invite to a selection day.

“We picked our team that we felt were the strongest and went for a variety of ages from those who have performed at national level and have had success throughout the whole season.

“Sam has probably the strongest CV in the group with two wins nationally, and we know all about his ability having managed him through the Hampshire juniors in recent years.”