Connor Graham forced to sit out Lytham Trophy due to ongoing hand issue

In-form big brother Gregor leads Scottish contingent into battle in Lancashire event

Connor Graham, the runner-up two years ago, is sitting out this week’s 58th edition of the Lytham Trophy as the Blairgowrie teenager continues to take precautionary measures with a hand issue.

Graham, who played in both the Walker Cup and Junior Ryder Cup last year, was forced to miss a trip to South Africa as part of a Scottish Golf squad earlier in the year after a stress fracture was diagnosed.

He then returned to action when helping a team of Scottish amateurs beat their professional opponents in the inaugural Paul Lawrie Foundation Challenge Match at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen only to then be forced to sit out the final two rounds of the European Nations Championship at Sotograde in Spain after the hand problem flared up again.

Blairgowrie's Connor Graham helped Europe, captained by Stephen Gallacher, win the Junior Ryder Cup in Rome last year. Picture: Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images.

Thankfully, there is no fracture this time but, due to bruising of the bone and it feeling tender, Graham has been unable to practice over the past fortnight. He could return in either the Irish Open Stroke Play or Brabazon Trophy, but his main focus now is the second half of the season and ensuring he’s fully fit for the start of his spell at Texas Tech in August.

Gregor Tait, the beaten finalist in the Scottish Amateur Championship the last two years, is also a notable absentee from the Lytham Trophy line up as he’s had a busy spell already this year and is now gearing up for a run of four events in a row after this one.

However, Gregor Graham, Connor’s big brother, will be aiming to maintain his great form so far in 2024, having won the South African Amateur, finished second in the European Nations Cup and also made the top ten in last week’s Italian International Amateur Championship.

In an event last won by a Scot in 2007, when Lloyd Saltman did the trick, other players flying the Saltire on this occasion include Gullane’s Olive Mukherjee, who finished sixth behind English winner Frank Kennedy 12 months ago.

Spaniard Luis Masaveu, the world No 32, is the highest-ranked player in a field that also includes Englishman Kipp Popert, who finished second to Brendan Lawlor in last year’s inaugural G4D Open at Woburn.