FRESH from a successful winter trip to South Africa where he chalked up a string of impressive top 10 finishes, Craig Howie returns to international duty later this month after earning a place in the Scotland team for the European Nations Cup in Spain.

Howie will head to Sotogrande to compete from March 29 to April 1 in a four-man team, having helped Scotland to victory in the Leopard Trophy last month.

The quartet will be bidding to emulate the victorious Scotland side who defeated Italy in a play-off to win the Nations Cup at the same venue in 2014 with the Peebles man aiming to impress Walker Cup selectors as he strives for a place in the Great Britain and Ireland side later this year.

Howie claimed fifth place in the African Amateur Championship, backing up a ninth place finish in the SANLAM Cape Province Open Championship last month, having also come seventh in the prestigious South African Stroke Play Championship, where he closed with a final round 65.