HAWORTH'S Will Whiteoak says that his call-up to the England A men's squad for 2015-16 "has been a long time coming".

The 21-year-old Shipley member, who won the prestigious Tillman Trophy this summer, is one of five newcomers in the nine-man line-up.

However, he confessed: "I am happy to have been called up but it has been a long time coming and I would have liked to have had it earlier.

"I definitely feel I could have been called up for the 2014-15 squad but I have been pretty consistent this season, although I have had the odd lapse."

Whiteoak's July victory in the Tillman Trophy at Surrey's Moor Park certainly helped.

His rounds of 66, 69, 66, 69 resulted in a best-ever total of 270 for the amateur event, and he won by five shots from Matthew Fieldsend, Josh Hilleard, James Walker and Nick Watson.

It also meant that Whiteoak's name was engraved on a trophy that has previously been held by four-time major winner Ernie Els (1988), Ryder Cup players Ross Fisher (2001) and Peter Baker (1985, 1986) and European PGA Tour players Simon Wakefield (1996) and Phil Parkin (1982).

Another factor in Whiteoak's national call-up was him winning May's Northern Qualifying for the Brabazon Trophy, with a three-under-par 68 at Clitheroe.

Hilleard is another of the news boys in the A squad, the others being Jake Burnage, Will Enefer and Gian-Marco Petrozzi.

Meanwhile, Ben Amor, Tom Gandy, Scott Gregory and Andrew Wilson have been retained from 2014-15.

Burnage won the Philip Scrutton Jug for the best aggregate score in the Berkshire and Brabazon Trophies, while Hilleard was fourth on the Men’s Order of Merit after a season which included wins in the Midlands Amateur and North of England Youths.

Petrozzi and Enefer are both boy internationals who have had a host of high finishes this year.

Enefer, who was runner-up in the German Boys’ Amateur Championship, has had eight top-ten placings, while Petrozzi has had six.

Whiteoak, who has again been receiving help from Andrew Nicholson (Wynyard), one of the country's leading coaches, said: "Both the Tillman and the Brabazon led to me being picked.

"My season has tailed off a bit, although I finished 12th in the 'Lee Westwood' and 25th in the Midland Amateur.

"But I have been working on all aspects of my game recently, including the basics and technical things."

Whiteoak's call-up should open some doors for him in terms of coaching, overseas tournaments and money.

He said: "I might know more soon but I will have to go down to Woodhall Spa for four or five days a month, there is the chance of some coaching from England A lead coach Graham Walker, whose speciality is the short game, and there is the chance to play overseas, as well as get a bit of financial assistance.

"Nothing is set in stone yet in terms of my schedule but I have already arranged off my own bat to play in the Portuguese Amateur Championships from February 10-13."

There is also the opportunity to be promoted from the men's A squad to the full England squad in 2016-17 as has happened to England internationals Jamie Bower (Meltham), Sean Towndrow (Southport & Ainsdale) and Ashton Turner (Kenwick Park) this time around.

England men's A squad 2015-16: Ben Amor (Marlborough), Jake Burnage (Saunton), William Enefer (Wrekin), Tom Gandy (Rowanby), Scott Gregory (Corhampton), Josh Hilleard (Farrington Park), Gian-Marco Petrozzi (Trentham), Will Whiteoak (Shipley), Andrew Wilson (Darlington).