BOWOOD golfer Jordan Smith hopes winning the English Strokeplay Championship will boost his chances of a spot in the Great Britain & Ireland team for this year’s Walker Cup.

The 20-year-old amateur star, who lives in Derry Hill, became a national champion as he lifted the Brabazon Trophy last weekend at Formby Golf Club, finishing four shots ahead of playing partner Brian Casey.

Smith missed out on a place in the England team for next week’s European Team Championships in Denmark but his triumph came in front of the Walker Cup selectors and the Wiltshire player is hoping that he can clinch a berth in the amateur game’s equivalent of the Ryder Cup.

Past Brabazon Trophy winners include Masters champions Sandy Lyle and Charl Schwartzel.

“It’s one of the biggest championships in the country and I’ve had so many ‘well done’ messages since I won – my parents are proud of me too,” said Smith, who is 36th in the world amateur golf rankings.

“I’ve done it three or four years in a row and the best finish I’d had was 14th. The weather was horrendous on the second and third day and I was completely soaked through but I managed to pull through in the end.

“It was great that the Walker Cup selectors were there because I’ve wanted to get there for a long time. It was in my mind for this year and it’s been a good one so far because I’m up near the top 30 in the world.

“The top 50 automatically qualify for the U.S Amateur Championship (in Brookline, Massachusetts, on August 12-18) and I’m going to be playing in that, which should be a great experience.”

The 2013 Walker Cup takes place at the National Golf Links of America, in Southampton, New York State, on September 6-8.

Smith’s Wiltshire teammate Ben Stow, from near Warminster, qualified for this month’s Open Championship on Tuesday.

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