Young Masters up for top prize

Oct 10 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

EIGHTY young golfers from across Scotland, four from local clubs, will battle it out this weekend (Sunday, October 12) for the prize of 2008 Dunfermline Building Society Junior Masters champion, with the grand final being held at the Queen’s Course, Gleneagles.

Following the five regional finals this summer, 50 boys and 30 girls have qualified for the final, having put in impressive performances at Duff House Royal (North), Torwoodlee (South), Dunblane New (Central), Ratho Park (East) and Gourock (West).

The event is Scotland’s largest participation junior golf event, with more than 2,500 youngsters setting out at local club level at the start of the season.

Golfers from Auchterarder, Blairgowrie, Dunblane New and Milnathort will line-up in the event, hoping to land the top prize.

Gleneagles, which will host the Ryder Cup in 2014, is a fitting venue for the final and the Queen’s Course will provide a testing yet hugely enjoyable challenge for each of the young golfers.

Dunfermline Building Society are sponsoring the event for the second conyear, following their £100,000 investment in Scottish junior golf in 2007.

Chief executive Graeme Dalziel is looking forward to the final.

He said: “As a parent of a young golfer myself, I fully appreciate the effort and commitment our finalists put in to make it this far.

“This is a fantastic event, giving every young golfer the opportunity of competing in a national final, irrespective of their handicap.”

The Junior Masters final features a boys and girls’ section, with competitors playing the stableford points system.

The championship is open to all members of golf clubs aged under 16 and features players with a wide range of abilities with handicaps ranging from three to 36.

Euan Mordaunt, events manager for the Scottish Golf Union, said: “The Junior Masters has grown significantly since we began the event 10 years ago in 1998.

“The final venues give youngsters a huge incentive to do well – we started at Loch Lomond and we’re now at Gleneagles.

“It’s an important event for the SGU as it gives young players their first taste of national competition. Hopefully it will encourage them to keep practicing hard and progress up the next stage, or simply enhance their enjoyment of the game.”

Friends and family of the competitors can follow their progress at the SGU’s new website, www.scottishgolf.org with hole-by-hole scores posted from Sunday afternoon.