Next weekend’s Battle Trophy is shaping up as a battle royal with many of Scotland’s best young talent set to tackle Crail Golfing Society’s Craighead Links.

In a huge first for golf’s seventh oldest club reigning British Amateur champion Bradley Neil will be teeing-up on the much-acclaimed Gil Hanse designed course.

Neil will be looking to restore his dented pride after the big disappointment of missing the cut in the Masters with scores of 78 and 79 for a 13-over par tally at Augusta National.

The Battle Trophy will be one of the 19-year old’s last remaining amateur events before turning professional and that would likely seem following June’s U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.    The Blairgowrie-born Scot is exempt into the U.S. Open, and was the scenario with the Masters, in capturing the 2014 British Amateur title at Royal Portrush.

Bradley Neil captures the 2014 British Amateur title at Royal Portrush (Photo – www.randa.org)

“It will be a lot different playing at Crail than at the Masters but I am looking forward to playing the Battle Trophy,” he said.

“The good thing about last week despite my disappointment is I made it to Augusta.  Some people work their whole lives to get here but I only get to watch it on TV.

“So what I’ve done so far has got me there once so I need to take that from the amateur game and use it in the pro game.

“While I’m taking home a few Augusta shirts but it’s the memories of the week that will stay with me for a very long time and I have a log of them.

“So it’s not just the Masters souvenirs it’s everything I’ve learned playing at Augusta National and everything is now stored up here (pointing to his head).

British Amateur champion Bradley Neil after his practice round with Tiger Woods. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Joining Neil is South African Amateur champion Daniel Young (Craigie Hill GC), the Irish Amateur Stroke Play Champ Jamie Savage (Cawder GC) and past Battle Trophy winners Graeme Robertson, Jack McDonald.

As well, Zander Culverwell (Dunbar), a past Scottish Amateur Champ plus reigning Battle Trophy winner, Nick McAndrew (Royal Aberdeen).

And it will not only be the Battle Trophy these young Scots will be chasing but also GB & I Walker Cup qualifying points for this year’s showdown Walker Cup showdown at Royal Lytham.