FAST-rising Irvine Golf Club ace Stuart Easton has been invited to fly the flag for Scotland in next month's European Team Championships.

His selection for next month's event came after a fine performance in last week's Amateur Championships.

He bowed out of the event at Royal Aberdeen in the last 32 last Thursday morning after a close match with England’s Mitch Waite from Filton Golf Club.

Easton, the only Ayrshire player to make the matchplay stages, was two-down after four holes but brought the match back to all square by the seventh.

He took the lead for the first time with a par three at the eighth and maintained his slim advantage to the turn.

Easton extended his lead to two holes with a winning par four at the tenth and a birdie two at the eleventh extended his lead to three holes with seven holes to play.

Like Easton had done in the outward half, Waite capitalised on some poor scoring from Easton over the next few holes, turning a three hole deficit into a one hole lead by winning four successive holes from the twelfth.

Despite Easton’s efforts, he could do no more than match Waite’s scoring over the closing three holes and exited the competition on the final green.

He will be joined in the European event, at the Faldo Course, Berlin by Ryan Lumsden (Royal Wimbledon) Euan McIntosh (Turnhouse) Sandy Scott (Nairn), Jamie Stewart (Old Course Ranfurly) and fellow Ayrshireman Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie).

Kilwinning's Connie Jaffrey, who plays out of Royal Troon, will form part of the Ladies team competing in the Ladies European Team Championships in Austria with others including newly-crowned Scottish Amateur Champion Gemma Batty (West Linton).