Hampshire Golf have backed a plan to award three places in the team selected for the first South Division match against Kent at the end of May, to the leading three players in the county Order of Merit, after the conclusion of the Delhi Cup at Hockley, this weekend.
Hampshire Golf secretary Richard Arnold said: “We have been very keen to make sure that there is a clear pathway for all of our players to earn a place in the first team on merit – subject to our code of conduct – and we feel this new selection criteria helps meet that.
“We want playing for Hampshire to be a result of a transparent process and inclusive of everyone aiming to be a county player.
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“The changes to the Challenge League structure for what was the old Colts set-up several seasons ago means we have an environment where our best juniors can learn what it takes to play in the first team matches, learning alongside our more experienced players who have been around the first team, or who are pushing for selection.
“This new selection policy – the captain will still pick the other five players for the three South Division matches – is another step in making the county as strong as we can possibly be in terms of the regional and national tournaments we compete in.”
Also in the Delhi field are first-team squad members Rob Wheeler, from North Hants – the winner of the Order of Merit in 2024 and 2025 – and defending champion James Knight, from Sandford Springs, as well as Test Valley’s former county champion Stuart Archibald, who won the English Mid-Amateur Championship in 2022 and 2025.
While Wright, currently third in the Order of Merit table, is looking for his first Delhi win, county captain Burden, who reached three county championship finals in a row from 2019-21 – the first player since Richard Bland to do so – is not playing the event.
With 15 points awarded to the Delhi winner, victory could propel the new champion into Burden’s thoughts for the trip to Kent.
Report by Andrew Griffin
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