Golf Amateur news: Three members of the victorious 2003 Walker Cup team and 19 members of the squad for the 2005 matches, including Ireland's Brian McElhinney and Darren Crowe, will line-up in an impressive international field for the English Amateur Open Strokeplay Championship for the Brabazon Trophy at the West Lancashire Golf Club, starting on Friday.

Nigel Edwards from Wales, and England's Michael Skelton and Gary Wolstenholme, all hoping to be given the opportunity to defend the Walker Cup in Chicago next year, will be in action at the Merseyside course.

McElhinney and Crowe lead a seven-strong Irish challenge for the English title that also includes John Foster (Ballyclare), Stephen Crowe (Dunmurry), Seán McTiernan (Co Sligo), Michael McGeady (North West) and Michael Sinclair (Knock)

McTiernan made an excellent showing in the Irish equivalent at Carton House over the weekend when finishing second behind Carig Smith of Wales over the Montgomerie course. And with Royal Dublin set to continue alterations to their Links in the coming years, Carton House looks favourite to stage the Irish amateur event again next year.

The other Walker Cup potentials from the 2005 squad in the Brabazon draw are Rhys Davies, David Price, Craig Smith and Alex Smith from Wales, Scotland's Andrew McArthur, James McLeary and Gareth Wright.

With title-holder Jonathan Lupton, who won at Hunstanton a year ago, having turned professional, it is difficult to pick who might succeed him but McElhinney, Crowe and McTiernan will be among the favourites to lift the title on Sunday.

However, no one will be trying harder to land the trophy than Wolstenholme. The Brabazon has always proved elusive for the 43-year-old from Leicestershire and he would dearly love to finally land it after many years of trying.

His late father, Guy, won at Ganton in 1960 but despite his many triumphs including five Walker Cups, Gary's best Brabazon finish is joint third behind Spain's Ignacio Garrido at Hollinwell in 1992.

The Brabazon title has gone abroad four times in the last six years and there is again a strong foreign entry.

Several of the European side that lost narrowly to Asia/Pacific in the Bonallack Cup in Rome recently will be at West Lancashire including Francesco Molinari from Italy, Portugal's Hugo Santos, Jan-Willem van Hoof from Holland, and Spain's Gonzalo Castano.

Reinforcing the foreign entry are players from most European countries, including Iceland and Slovenia. There are also entries from Monaco, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the United States among the pre-qualifiers.

France has a substantial entry including several of their team involved in the coming week's international with England at Royal St George's.

Founded in 1873, West Lancashire is the oldest golf club surviving in the county of Lancashire and is among the top 10 oldest golf clubs in England.

The club was founded by members of the Royal Liverpool Golf Club and some became members of both clubs.

In 1885 the Royal Liverpool Golf Club organised a Grand Tournament for amateurs which became, in 1886, the British Amateur Championship.

West Lancashire was one of 24 clubs that contributed to the cost of the trophy which bears their names.

The first winner was Alan Macfie, who was also a member of West Lancashire.

Meanwhile, the Co Louth march towards another Suzuki-sponsored ILGU All-Ireland Senior Cup title continued at Seapoint Golf Club on Sunday when they chalked up their sixth success in seven years when beating close neighbours Laytown and Bettystown 3-2 in the Eastern District final.

However, this year they had to work hard to collect their second hat-trick of wins in recent years. In the semi-final they had to go to a tie hole before seeing off the challenge of The Grange, winners in 2001.

It all came down to the match between Karen Yates and Melanie Cunningham. Yates was two up with two to play but was forced into sudden death when Cunningham won the last two holes.

Yates won on the 19th to edge Co Louth through to the final.

In the second semi-final Laytown and Bettystown had a 3-2 win over The Island, who earlier in the competition had beaten the seeded Woodbrook side.

In the final Co Louth made the early running with Deirdre Smith and Maria Dunne scoring convincing wins over Phil O'Gorman and Noeleen Quirke.

However, Alison Taylor hit five birdies on the back nine to pull one point back from Jenny Gannon and Carol Wickham looked like taking a point when she turned one up on Una Purfield.

But the former international fought back to win on the 18th and take Co Louth through to the September All-Ireland finals at Athlone Golf Club.