JAMIE Abbott, Suffolk's leading amateur golfer from Fynn Valley, is one of seven players promoted to the English Golf Union Elite squad for 2008. They fill the vacancies left by players, including Stoke by Nayland's Jamie Moul, who have turned professional.

By Tony Garnett

JAMIE Abbott, Suffolk's leading amateur golfer from Fynn Valley, is one of seven players promoted to the English Golf Union Elite squad for 2008.

They fill the vacancies left by players, including Stoke by Nayland's Jamie Moul, who have turned professional.

A former winner of the Henriques Salver as the leading British player under the age of 20 in the Brabazon Trophy, Abbott has had top 10 finishes in the Berkhamsted Trophy, Lagonda Trophy, South of England stroke play and the Lee Westwood Trophy.

He was also the leading player in the South East Dale Whitnell, the 19-year-old from Five Lakes who made his England debut in the Home internationals also moves up.

Whitnell, the Essex men's champion in 2006, won the North of England youth championship and was runner-up in the French Open stroke play and the Tillman Trophy. He finished third in the Russian amateur championship.

Forty-seven year old Gary Wolstenholme, who made his 200th appearance for England against Spain, retains his place in the squad as one of the four special cases who, because of other commitments, are prevented from following the full Elite squad programme.

In recent years Suffolk have had Moul and Lawrence Dodd from Bury St Edmunds in the Elite squad.

The full squad is: Jamie Abbott (Fynn Valley), Matthew Baldwin (Royal Birkdale), Neil Chaudhuri (The Leicestershire), Luke Collins (Mendip Springs), Gareth Evans (Northcliffe), Sam Hutsby (Liphook), Steve Uzzell (Hornsea), Dale Whitnell (Five Lakes), Daniel Willett (Rotherham) and Chris Wood (Long Ashton).

Special cases: Matthew Cryer (Coventry), Charlie Ford (Kirby Muxloe), Chris Paisley (Stocksfield) and Gary Wolstenholme (Carus Green).