It was an invite to represent the foundation and Australia at the International Players Championship at Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta, Canada in August.

The 16-year-old from Branxton will be joined by Dubbo’s Lachlan Jones, Annika Boyd (Toukley) and Yerin Kim (Concord) for the 54-hole stroke event from August 13-15. The team will play practice rounds in the lead-up and be overseas for 10 days in total.

“I didn’t have a clue until I opened the email,” Lamb told the Herald. “It will be so good. I have never been overseas before and it will be great experience. I had a look on the course guide and it looks pretty good.”

Lamb’s selection follows a string of outstanding results highlighted by winning the under-16 division at the Harvey Norman Week of golf in Canberra, the Australian All-Schools individual stroke championships (Adelaide) and completing the Interstate series undefeated.

“I have been playing OK, but still have plenty of work to do before we go Canada, mainly on chipping and putting,” he said.

Lamb shot two-over to finish four strokes behind Aberdeen’s Tom Bateman in the NSW Open qualifer at The Island course at Nambucca Heads on Sunday.

 Next for Lamb is the NSW Junior Open at Charlestown and Belmont from July 9-13.

* FORMER Charlestown club champion Brayden Petersen has continued his strong start to the trainee series. The 23-year-old, who is in his first year at Asquith in Sydney, carded rounds of 71,71,71,73 to be two under and finish third at the Queensland Trainee Championships in Indooroopilly last week.

The third place followed his win in the Rich River Trainee Classic in February.

“I’m pretty happy with my game at the moment,” he said. “Some people believe doing a traineeship, with the extra work in the shop and theory, can have a negative impact on your golf, but for me it has been the opposite. I work most morning and practice in the afternoon.”

Playing in the final group, Petersen started the fourth round in Queensland two strokes behind Cooper Eccleston, who finished with a 68 to win by four strokes.

“He just played super in the last round and I couldn’t keep up,” Petersen said. “I tried to be too aggressive. If I had stuck to my game plan it might have been a different story. I will learn from that. Playing in the final group on the last day, I need to pick my moments when to attack a bit better.”

Next trainee event is at Asquith on Monday.

“I shot 64 around here before I went to Queensland so hopefully I can repeat that,” he said. 

* The Vintage’s Josh Knott fared best in difficult condition to take the Cessnock Cup with a two-round total of seven-over 151. Jeremy Fuchs from Sydney was a stroke behind with Hayden Gulliver and Justin Ely a stroke back in equal third.

* Boom Charlestown 20-year-old Blake Windred leaves Tuesday on a 10-week golf journey that could determine when he turns professional. The Australian representative will play in the British Amateur (Scotland) and European Amateur (Holland) before travelling to the US where he will compete in six events, culminating in the US Amateur at Pebble Beach.

* Kurri Kurri 11-year-old Harry Atkinson shots rounds of 72-70 to finish fifth in the 36-hole Macarthur Junior Masters at Camden on Monday.  Atkinson made just one bogey on Monday to rocket up the leaderboard, leaving many of his older rivals in his wake. Atkinson won the 12-13 Years Division by five shots.

Josh Robards (Newcastle) claimed another JNJG Junior Masters Age Division title with a come from behind win in the Boys 14-15 Years with rounds of 73-73. His efforts were  good enough to record another overall top 10 finish.

* The Newcastle District representative team will be out for a clean sweep when they take on Hunter River at Toronto on Sunday.

** Jake Higgingbottom had his best result on the Asian tour this season with rounds of 67,69,68,70 to be at six-under and tied for 13^th in the Thai Open.