CHARLIE Forster will become just the second Hampshire player to appear in the Bonallack Trophy when Europe’s top amateurs tee it up against the best Asian amateurs at Dubai’s Al Hamra GC, on Wednesday.
The Basingstoke GC member, who made his debut for Great Britain and Ireland in last summer’s St Andrews Trophy defeat against Continental Europe at Royal Porthcawl, joins Justin Rose as the only other Hampshire player to appear in the Bonallack Trophy, having played in the inaugural match back in 1997.
The 21-year-old failed to pick up a point in that disappointing defeat for the hosts in Wales back in August, but having achieved the rare distinction of being selected for GB&I before he had made his full England debut, Forster’s form over the summer of 2024 clearly impressed the selectors at the R&A.
And the player ranked 160th in the world this week, was announced as part of the 12-man team in late November as part of the second cluster of six players picked by the European Golf Association.
Europe will go head-to-head with Asia over three days, starting today (Wednesady) in the United Arab Emirates, with 32 points up for grabs in a series of foursomes over the first two days, followed by 12 singles matches on Fridays.
Ironically, two extra spots were available in Europe’s Bonallack Trophy team – after the first six selected for the biennial Bonallack Trophy qualified via the World Amateur Golf Rankings – as two of the latter chose to turn pro having been picked a month earlier.
The two included Ireland’s Max Kennedy who was Forster’s partner in the clash with Europe’s best amateurs.
Now Forster has a chance to shine with the R&A selectors’ thoughts turning increasingly towards this year’s Walker Cup clash against the USA, at Cypress Point, in California.
Forster is staking his claim for a place in the initial Walker Cup squad with the advantage that he has been playing golf further down the California coast at Long Beach University, having earned a transfer after two outstanding seasons at Southeast Louisiana, where he was named the Southwind Conference Player of the Year for 2023.
Charlie is a late starter compared to all his fellow England and GB&I squad members, only centrating on golf five years ago, having been a promising footballer, who played golf from time to time with his dad Lance.
In 2022, Charlie reached the semi-finals of the English Amateur Championship at Worksop GC, and made it through to the last 16 at Seaton Carew, near Hartlepool back in August.
He also made the last 16 in The Amateur Championship at Ireland’s Ballyliffin, in June 2024, beating Kennedy 5&4 on his way to the third round where he lost to Germany’s Laurenz Schiergen on the 18th.
But the result that attracted the watching national and international selectors – including Walker Cup captain Dean Robertson, who is the head golf coach at Stirling University – was Forster’s first round victory over Spain’s 2023 European Amateur Champion Jose Ballester, who went on to claim the US Amateur Championship last summer.
He beat the Spaniard, who is also in the European team in Dubai, at the second-extra hole. He was also leading the European Amateur Championship before finishing tied for 12th in Denmark, in July.
Forster came to prominence in Hampshire when he won the U16 Junior Championship in 2019, followed by the U18 title at Cams Hall GC, in 2021 – also claiming the South of England Boys Open title a few days later.
He also earned selection for England Schoolboys in their autumn internationals by winning the South West Schools Championship that summer, but having finished in the top eight at the national championship, he was unable to play for his country after accepting a place at Southeast Louisiana.
The former Peter Symonds College pupil’s first win in the States came 12 months later when he claimed the SUIE Derek Dolenc Invitational, catching the eye of Long Beach coach Rob Murray, who hails from Essex.
Forster, who made his Hampshire first-team debut in the summer of 2022, was backed to make an impression on the international stage after taking Brabazon and Carris Trophy winner Darren Wright all the way in an exciting quarter-final at the 2023 Hampshire, Isle of Wright Amateur Championship.
Wright, who won on the Europro and earned a card to play on the European Challenge Tour before quitting as a pro at the end of 2016, said after losing to Charlie: “That was a very impressive display. I was hitting the ball well this week, but I take my hat off to him.
“That is some the longest and straightest hitting I have witnessed in my time as an amateur and pro,” added Wright – one of just 10 players to have won the English Boys’ and Men’s Amateur Strokeplay titles in their career, beating the likes of future Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Jon Rahm, to win the Brabazon, in 2010.
“There has been a lot of talk about Charlie after his run to the semis in last year’s English Amateur (2022) – but I was very impressed,” added Darren, who lost the quarter-final to a birdie in a play-off that lasted three extra holes.
Beaten finalist Darren Walkey, who also played on the Challenge Tour and Germany’s Pro Tour against many of Europe’s current stars, also became a member of the Forster fan club in that championship at Hockley, after ending Charlie’s dream of a first county final, with a 2&1 win in the semis.
•The Bonallack Trophy comprises a round of five foursomes and five fourballs on the first two days, with all 12 players featuring in Friday’s singles. You can follow live scoring at www.ega-golf.ch
Hampshire’s Charlie Forster (sixth from right top row) who will play for Europe against Asia in Dubai this week. GRAPHIC EUROPEAN GOLF ASSOCIATION