TEENAGE sensation Nick Dougherty has taken another giant step in his bid to reach the pinnacle of amateur golf after being selected for a top international squad.

The Shaw Hill ace has been drafted into the Great Britain and Ireland squad for the St Andrews Trophy against The Rest of Europe at Turnberry in the summer.

And a four-man team will also be drawn from the same pool of players for the World Team Championships in Berlin later in the year.

"It's a tremendous achievement for Nick," said Tony Moss, the secretary of the Lancashire Union of Golf Clubs.

"He's made rapid progress in each of the last few years and he will be hoping to be capped by both England and Great Britain and Ireland during the coming season."

Dougherty's selection has increased his chances of a Walker Cup place when the squad is announced at the end of the season.

The last player from Lancashire to achieve such an honour was David Marsh almost 30 years ago.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.