Irish close champion Ciaran McMonagle heads a six-strong official party from the GUI to compete in the Lytham Trophy at Royal Lytham and St Anne's this weekend. McMonagle is joined in the travelling team by Gary Cullen, the Irish strokeplay champion, Noel Fox, Michael Hoey, Andy McCormick and Adrian Morrow.

McMonagle, of Dunfanaghy, has already won the South African strokeplay championship this year while Shandon Park's Hoey was successful in the Emirates amateur open championship in Dubai.