ESSEX GIRL PAIGE KEMP (16) WILL BE CHASING SCOTS U18s CAP

 PAIGE KEMP, one for the SLGA selectors to look out for in the 2012 Scottish U18 girls and U21 open stroke-play championships.

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Earlier this week, Paisley-born, Lincolnshire-based Kirsty Condon, who will be 20 in May, let it be known that she would be chasing a place in the Scotland women’s international team in 2012. 

Now comes news from Essex that 16-year-old Paige Kemp, whose mother Julie was born in Stirling, will do her very best to win a place in the Scotland Under-18 girls team in the new season. 

Paige intends to play in the Scottish Under-18 girls’ championship at Crail (July 17-21) and stay on for the Scottish Under-21 girls’ open stroke-play championship at Blairgowrie (July 25-27). 

Born in Essex on October 5, 1995, Paige starts 2012 with a handicap of 2.5 which could come down nearer the scratch mark in the new year.

Her dad Allan reports: “Paige is a stalwart member of a very strong Essex girls county squad, that can boast the current English Under-15s champion and another champion in the form of the Under-14s US Kids World Championship winner.” 

Paige says: "I love my trips up to Scotland as it provides me with a great change of scenery, different faces to compete against and make new friends. I especially enjoyed my last round at Cardross this past year when I got to play with some quality players in the form of Rachael Watton and Eilidh Briggs. It also gives my Mum the chance to see her family on a regular basis." 

“Paige is in her last year of senior school and is currently doing her GCSE's so making trips up to Scotland is limited as she has always said that her education comes first,” says her father. 

“She will then go on to college in Essex, before deciding on a UK university or moving over the pond to America for college golf.”

Paige’s late grandfather Bill – father of mother Julie – was born in Alloa but moved to Essex for work, taking his family with him. 

“Paige was always very close to her grandad, who kept his Scottish accent, and he would always come and watch her play in all her sporting activities, including her other sporting passions, football and hockey,” said Allan Kemp. Paige has played a few times in Scotland, twice at the U16 girls’ open stroke-play and once at the U18 girls championship. She qualified for the knock-out stages of the U18s’ event in 2010 (at the age of 14), losing 2 and 1 to Rachael Watton in the second round. 

Paige hit some form in the middle/end of last season, coming a crediitable sixth, at the age of 15, in the U21 stroke-play at Cardross. 

She followed this up by winning the Boyce Hill GC women’s club championship and also finishing runner up, only one stroke behind the winner, Junior Vagliano Trophy team player Amber Ratcliffe (Royal Cromer) in the East of England women’s championship at Cambridge Meridian GC.