YMG champs book their place on the plane

Dateline: 9 October 2004, Newport, Wales


Twenty-four of the UK and Ireland's top junior golfers - some as young as 6 years old - are heading for a Spanish golfing showdown following the National Final of the Times & Sunday Times EA SPORTS YMG Masters, in association with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005.

Celtic Manor Resort
Held at the prestigious Celtic Manor Resort - home of the Ryder Cup 2010 - the National Final saw 120 youngsters competing for a place on the plane to Spain in November, where they will do battle for the ultimate title of YMG Masters Champion 2004. And with so much at stake, competition in the flag golf National Final tournament was intense.

Top of the pile
Ending the day top of the extraordinarily talented pile was local boy Rhys Pugh. The ten-year old completed the challenging 18 holes with 14 shots to spare and went on to finish just a few feet from the flag on the 23rd hole. He was chased home in his age category by Essex's Lee Wilson and Mark Marshall from Nottinghamshire, who both reached the 21st fairway, Lee just shading it to earn his place at the Grand Final in Spain.

Ten-year old Hannah Turland from Salisbury was just as impressive in the same age group for girls, as she reached the 20th green, only to have her final shot lip out of the hole. However, she had done enough to secure her place at the Grand Final, along with Yorkshire's Sophie Godley, who impressively finished just one hole further back.

Daunting challenge met head on
For the five- to six-year olds the Coldra Woods course was a daunting challenge, but they were more than up to the task as Birmingham's Maxwell Martin once again showed talent beyond his years to win his category. However, he was hounded all the way by six-year old Dubliner Ross Mohan, who finished just one hole behind, narrowly edging out little Nathan Fell from Sheffield. There was also an outstanding performance from six-year old Fay Carpenter, as the youngster from Poole in Dorset scored an impressive three hole victory over the 5- to 6-year old girls' field. Imogen Huxley made the long journey from Lincolnshire worthwhile however, as she won the battle for second place to Fay, just edging out Annabel Bailey from Leicestershire.

There were inspirational performances too from Amy Furze, Alice Rouane, Emma Naughton, Dafydd Wiliams, Greg Roostan, Gareth Owen, Jay Gauld, Lucy Goddard, Nicola Rawlinson, Darren McClelland, Callum Woodgate, Billy-Joe Bugden, Jamie-Leigh Casling, Neil McKinstry, Kyra Horlock, and Olivia Winning, all of whom earned their place at the final in Murcia.

Stars of the future
The event was sponsored by computer games giant EA SPORTS and The Times and Sunday Times newspapers and marked the penultimate stage of the YMG nationwide search to find the future stars of European golf. All the youngsters won their place at the Celtic Manor Resort National Final by triumphing in their respective age categories at 12 regional qualifying events held during August and September, which attracted over 1,100 boys and girls. That number has now been whittled down to just 24 youngsters, who will be heading for the La Manga Club Grand Final at the end of November.

"There was some truly tremendous golf from all our young champions," confirmed David Gosling of YMG. "The whole event was a terrific showcase for the quality of young junior golfers now emerging from YMG Academies around the UK and our top 12 girls and top 12 boys (pictured above) can now look forward to a fantastic four-day event in Spain. And I'm sure the golf world will be hearing a lot more from these youngsters in the future."

The Grand Final will take place at the La Manga Club in Spain on 24 November 2004.

RESULTS:

The Times & Sunday Times EA SPORTS YMG Masters National Final at The Celtic Manor Resort:

Boys:
15+ Boys: 1 Dafydd Williams (The Ridgeway Golf Club), 2 Greg Roostan (Drayton Park GC)

13-14 Boys: 1 Gareth Owen (Cairndhu GC), 2 Jay Gauld (The Hampshire GC)

11-12 Boys: 1 Darren McClelland (Cairndhu GC, 2 Callum Woodgate (Waterlooville GC)

9-10 Boys: 1 Rhys Pugh (The Ridgeway GC), 2 Lee Wilson (Rivenhall Oaks GC)

7-8 Boys: 1 Billy-Joe Bugden (Hamptworth GC), 2 Neil McKinstry (Cairndhu GC)

5-6 Boys: 1 Maxwell Martin (Copt Heath GC), 2 Ross Mohan (Deer Park GC)

Girls:
15+ Girls: 1 Amy Furze (Chesterfield GC)

13-14 Girls: 1 Alice Rouane (Chesterfield GC), 2 Emma Naughton (Leyland GC), 3 Jamie-Lee Casling (Kendleshire GC)

11-12 Girls: 1 Lucy Goddard (Nazeing GC), 2 Nicola Rawlinson (Leyland GC)

9-10 Girls: 1 Hannah Turland (Mark Ingram Golf School), 2 Sophie Godley (Balborough Links GC)

7-8 Girls: 1 Kyra Horlock (Ferndown Forest GC), 2 Olivia Winning (Balborough Links GC)

5-6 Girls: 1 Fay Carpenter (Dorset Golf & CC), 2 Imogen Huxley (Rutland County GC)


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