A 10-year-old from Saltford near Bath is through to the final of the American Golf Junior Championship after an exception display of golf at a recent qualifying event.
Junior golfer Grace Emmerson’s skill at the qualifier, held at the Gaudet Luce Golf Club, has seen the youngster go through to the final, which will be televised on Sky Sports.
Grace came home with an impressive score of 54 over 9 holes to win the 9 years and over Future Star category, which allows young players without a handicap to take part.
When asked her motivation for taking part in the competition, Grace was clearly in it for the fun when she said she wanted, “to gain new experiences and friends and enjoy a game of golf.”
Grace now progresses to the U.K. & Ireland final at Gainsborough Golf Club, home to tournament sponsor PING.
After seeing qualification come to a close, Matt Bacon, Head of Events at American Golf couldn’t hide his excitement for the Junior Championship.
He said: “Some of the best junior golfers in the U.K. & Ireland have played in the Championship over the past few years so I’m excited to see the boys and girls that have been here today taking the competition forward.
“There has been some incredible golf, all played in the best spirit of the game. It never ceases to amaze me how these young people perform under pressure, but more so, how they handle themselves in the heat of competition.
“From what I’ve seen and heard, every parent and Junior coach can be very proud of their kids.”
John Clark, Managing Director of PING Europe, added: “Over the years we’ve been involved with the American Golf Junior Championship, we’ve seen some great golf played by hugely talented golfers but, more importantly, we’ve seen sportsmanship and camaraderie from some inspiring young people.
“We’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with American Golf and being part of this fantastic event yet again, and we’re looking forward to welcoming all the qualifiers to Gainsborough Golf Club for the finals.”
The American Golf Junior Championship will be shown on Sky Sports in October. The event is free to enter and players with and without handicaps can take part in different categories.
