All roads lead to Aberdour for Scotland's best Under-14 year olds

Talented Youngsters Gather for National Boys and Girls Under-14s Championship 

The picturesque setting of Aberdour Golf Club on the Fife coast is the venue for this week’s Loretto School sponsored Scottish Boys and Girls Under-14s Championship (11 – 12 August).

A field of 84 boys and 42 girls will tee off tomorrow in the country’s youngest age group category national championship with the event extended from 18 to 36 holes for the first time this year, reflecting the ever increasing talent and competitiveness on show. 

A new name will feature on the boys’ trophy this year, with the winner of the previous two championships, Blairgowrie’s Bradley Neil, now too old to compete in the event. The 2009-10 double champion has made significant progress in the junior ranks since his victories, finishing second in both the Scottish and English Under-16s titles as well as winning the English Boys Under-14s championship, while last week representing Scotland in the Boys Under-18s Home Internationals.

The depth of young talent within in the field is highlighted by a handicap ballot of 12.8, with the lowest player in the line-up playing of just 2.3, Italy’s Luca Portelli. The lowest handicaps among the home contingent are Drumpellier’s Innes Ferguson and Lochgelly’s Niall McMullen, both of 4.9. Competitors have assembled from across the continent, including players from France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden. 

This year’s championship celebrates the eighth year of sponsorship from the Loretto School Golf Academy, one of the UK’s leading golf schools. The Golf Academy, based at the school in Musselburgh, offers pupils an exceptional opportunity to develop their sporting talent in tandem with a first-class all-round education, directed by the School’s resident PGA professional, Rick Valentine.

The action gets underway at 0730 on Thursday morning with tomorrow’s final tee-time at 1450. Hole-by-hole scoring will be available on completion of players’ rounds throughout the championship via the SGU’s website, http://www.scottishgolf.org/.

 To view the first round draw, click here.

 For more information about the Loretto School Golf Academy and its scholarship programme, visit http://www.lorettoschool.co.uk/extra_curricular/golf_academy.

  

Ross Duncan Marketing, Media & Sponsorship Manager Direct Line: 01334 466482 Mobile No: 07834 191 896