SOPHIE Keech has been selected to play for England at next month’s European Girls’ Team Championships in Slovakia.

The 18-year-old, who hails from Lyme Regis and now lives in Axminster, takes her place in the England team alongside Alex Hewson, Sophie Lamb, India Clyburn, Inci Mehmet and Hollie Muse.

Surrey’s Sammy Fuller is the reserve for the 21-nation event which takes place at Skalica Golf Club from July 8-12.

England are bidding to better last year’s performance when they finished fourth behind hosts Sweden, France and Spain.

Millfield School student Keech heads into the championships on the back of her recent victory in the Astor Salver at The Berkshire.

That win was yet another accolade for Keech to add to her impressive golfing CV.

The teenager was the leading amateur in the Roehampton Gold Cup and won the English Girls’ Championship last summer, as well as the English Schools’ and South West Girls’ titles.

Keech was also a member of Eng-land’s winning team at the Girls’ Home Internationals.

But while Keech is used to playing on the international stage, the trip to Slovakia sees Clyburn, Mehmet and Muse awarded their first caps for their country.

The European girls’ team competition runs at the same time as the ladies’ equivalent at Ljubljana Golf Club in Slovenia.

Teams at both events will play two rounds of strokeplay to determine their places in the knockout flights, with the leading eight going on to contest the medals.