Top amateurs tee-up for tilt at Faldo Series

Some of the world's best amateurs will give a glimpse of the future when the Faldo Series International Trophy returns to the Hong Kong Golf Club today. The two-day tournament at Fanling brings together 48 talented youngsters, including last year's winner Ben Evans of England, compatriot Oliver Fisher and Ireland's Rory McIlroy, who finished second and third respectively.

Fisher made history last year when he became the youngest ever player to compete in the Walker Cup at the age of 16. McIlroy should have been on the team but missed a couple of amateur events after receiving sponsors' invitations to play in two European Tour events, including the British Masters at the Forest of Arden.

'I thought I would get picked for the team if I placed in the top 20 in a European Tour event, rather than winning an amateur event,' said McIlroy. Unfortunately, the 16-year-old's gamble failed to pay off as he missed the cut by a margin in the Masters. 'I got caught up in the moment,' he said of his first encounter with the pro game.

Missing out on a Walker Cup team place was a bitter blow for McIlroy, who had set his heart on playing in this historic biennial event in which the best amateur players from Great Britain and Ireland take on the best players from the US. McIlroy now has his sights set on the 2007 event that will be contested at Royal County Down, a famed links course just 30 minutes from his home in Northern Ireland.

'I have a lot of respect for Oliver so I need to be on top of my game this week,' said McIlroy, who was consistently booming drives out to the 300-yard mark in yesterday's second practice session. 'I very much want to win this event to get my year off to a good start.'

McIlroy will be hoping for some of the form that saw him fire an 11-under-par 61 in the second round of the North of Ireland Amateur Championships at Royal Port Rush last July. Since then the British media has followed his every move with speculation as to whether he will copy Michelle Wie and join the pro ranks at the tender age of 16. 'I'll make that decision after the Walker Cup next year,' McIlroy said.