Reigning English Amateur and Lytham Trophy champion James Heath announced his intention to begin his professional golf career at the Mexican Open, a European Challenge Tour co-sponsored tournament and part of the 2005 Challenge Tour Season schedule.  Heath will then play additional Challenge Tour co-sponsored events in Latin American and prepare for a 2005 schedule composed of both Challenge Tour and PGA European Tour starts through exemptions granted from tournament sponsors.  “My first goal for the 2005 season is to secure my full PGA European Tour playing privileges for 2006, and the best way for me to accomplish that goal is to play on both Tours whenever the sponsors are kind enough to give me a spot,”  said the former English Amateur Elite Squad member.  “The English Golf Union, the Faldo Junior Golf Series, and so many others have provided me with great opportunities to develop my competitive golf skills and I am grateful to all of them for their support.  Hopefully, I can repay them all by proudly carrying the England flag throughout the world of professional golf.”

Heath also announced that he will be managed and represented by Hambric Stellar Golf, the golf division of CSS Stellar, plc, the global entertainment and sports management, marketing business, headquartered in Covent Garden, London.  “We are thrilled that James has placed his trust in us and we look forward to him being a cornerstone of our European player management business.  In the twenty-seven years that I have been representing professional golfers, I have seldom had the privilege of representing anyone as talented as James, or as skilled at such a young age,” said Rocky Hambric, CEO of Hambric Stellar Golf, who, in his career, has personally represented five different major championship winners.  “The great depth of golf management experience and global marketing capabilities are what attracted me most to Hambric Stellar Golf, and I am looking forward to working with Rocky and his team at HSG,” said Heath, who will be personally managed by Hambric.

“All of us at CSS Stellar are proud to welcome James Heath to our outstanding group of entertainment and sports personalities,” said Julian Jakobi, Deputy Chairman of CSS Stellar, plc, which also represent other professional golfers such as Sandy Lyle, Justin Leonard and Butch Harmon, as well as the England National Football Team, TV stars Anne Robinson and Michael Parkinson, IRL driver Dario Franchitti, Formula One star Juan Pablo Montoya, actors Keira Knightley and Ewan McGregor, and comedian Ricky Gervais. – 26 November 2004