Blair golf kid’s success

Dec 7 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THE courses might be blanketed by snow but Blairgowrie’s youngest ever champion Bradley Neil is already plotting for his next season.

The gifted 14-year-old was presented with his men’s championship trophy at the Blairgowrie Golf Club annual awards ceremony.

Bradley’s triumph during the summer re-wrote club record books dating back to the 19th Century and triggered consternation in Scottish golfing circles as news of his win spread.

The local High School pupil became the youngest champion in the 121-year history of the highly regarded Perthshire club, which boasts several national and county players in its ranks.

Having secured three U14 titles in the last two years, Bradley has leapt to prominence on the UK under age golfing scene.

And locally his exploits have been reflected by the Perth and Kinross Highland Spring Young Sports Personality and the Dundee Young Sports Personality of the Year accolades.

Bradley features in the Scottish Golf Union’s successful U16 Junior Winter Series, which comprises four events. The final two are teed-up for February and March.

It is aimed at SGU Academy players and the Order of Merit to help select eight players who will represent Scotland in the annual development quadrangular event against Holland, Ireland and Wales. Next year's event will be held in Scotland.

Bradley made an impressive start to this series by winning the first event at The Glen in October, shooting an outstanding score of three under 67, using a brand new set of Taylor Made clubs.

At the recent Strathmore Golf Centre event he posted a disappointing six over 78, blaming too many slack shots.

Getting used to his new clubs will take time, but he currently sits in third place in the Order of Merit, with two fixtures remaining.

The Boys Home Internationals at Royal St David's is on his wish list but Bradley believes a good showing next season could propel him into the selectors’ thoughts for inclusion in the senior boys squad that will experience warm weather training abroad.

And he would dearly love to squeeze into the team for the U18 quadrangular match in March in Ireland.

Looking ahead, he said: “I’m hoping to go one better than this year’s second place finish in the Scottish U16s event.

“But I know I’ll have to raise my game even higher. The competition at this level is very tough, and there are a lot of talented golfers who come from far and wide to try and grasp national titles away from the Scots.”

On the home front last term, Bradley helped Blairgowrie retain the Perth and Kinross Junior Scratch League title – something the club had never achieved in the past.

He was also runner-up in the club's Junior Championship, losing to older brother Connor.

Bradley also helped Perth and Kinross retain the U18 Gary Harvey Trophy and he captained the U15 team that won the Frank Thomson Trophy.

Along the way his handicap was trimmed from 2.4 to plus one.

Bradley now has a new coach, Kevin Hale, after national guru Spencer Henderson's career move to Turkey.

He said: “I’d like to thank Spencer for all his help, and wish him well in his new post as national coach for Turkey.”

Now the teenager will be working with Kevin on minor changes to his swing, designed to enable him to compete at the next level.

And he currently receives strength and conditioning from Tayside and Fife Institute of Sport, along with input from Alex Woods of Golf-fit Limited, who specialise in golf fitness programmes.