FORMER Tadmarton Heath member Gavin Caldwell will take over as captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club later this year.

He will begin his year in office with the traditional driving-in ceremony on the first tee of St Andrews’ Old Course in September.

As captain, Caldwell will represent The R&A and support its work in developing golf around the world, along with attending their championships.

Born in Northern Ireland in 1947, he was a member at Tadmarton in his 20s as a two-handicapper.

Tony Gray, a member of the club who played with him, said: “His golf was of a very high standard and I remember marking his card once in the President’s Medal when he recorded a 72 with a ten on the 15th.”

The list of his predecessors as R&A captain include several members of the royal family, most recently Prince Andrew in 2004.

But Caldwell is the third Tadmarton member to hold the position, following Lord Wardington and Peter Gardiner-Hill.

  • RYE Hill’s Mark Agnese and Mark Wheeler won the club’s Lombard Trophy qualifier to reach the regional stage.

Banbury’s Agnese, who plays off 24, and Wheeler, who has been the club’s professional for five years, won with a nett 70.

They will now progress to the regional final at Walton Heath in Surrey on July 8, where the top 16 will reach the grand final at Gleneagles.