SUCCESS FOR LOCAL GOLFERS

TWO local teenage golfers are celebrating after taking top prizes in the sport.

Banbridge High School pupil, Olivia Mehaffey, has completed a clean sweep of the U15 interprovincial golf titles, while Luke Woods has just received a call-up to the Ireland U16 team.

Olivia's season started back in May when she finished second in the U16 age group of the Sir Nick Faldo series at the Lough Erne Resort.

At the end of May she travelled to Gullane in Scotland to play in the European Championship. Competitors from 45 countries throughout the world took part in this event. Olivia finished second and qualified to play in the European girls U12 team against the Rest of the World. She won her match and Europe beat the Rest of the World.

The Girls' Leinster Provincial U18 Championships was her next big event at the beginning of July. The venue was Balbriggan Golf Club and Olivia was one of the 16 girls who qualified for matchplay.

In the first round Olivia played an Irish U16 opponent and was unfortunate to be beaten on the 19th hole.

Next was the Irish Close Girls Championship at the Grange Golf Club, Dublin, where Olivia was one of the top qualifiers. In the first round she had a convincing win against a three-handicap player, while in round two Olivia had to play a 17 year old Irish girls international and was knocked out.

The Ulster U18 girls tournament was held at Royal County Down and Olivia finished eighth in the strokeplay tournament. The Ulster Girls team was then selected for the Interprovincial Championships and Olivia was selected to represent this team for the second year.

The Connacht Girls at Roscommon Golf Club was next on Olivia's calendar. Once again Olivia successfully defended her U15 title to bring the cup home for a second year.

The interprovincials were held the following week in Roscommon and Olivia won all three matches, allowing Ulster to retain the title for the sixth year in succession.

Connacht introduced a new tournament for U14 girls at Claremorris and Olivia won this tournament by a clear six shots.

The next day Olivia travelled to St Andrews in Scotland to play in the Great Britain and Ireland Wee Wonders U12 Championship. Olivia was unlucky to finish second as the tournament on the second day had to be played in gale force winds of up to 60mph. On one occasion she putted her golf ball up to the edge of the hole and the wind gusted, blowing it back some 15 feet from the hole. It cost her a shot and probably the tournament with this stroke of bad luck.

September saw Olivia returning to school following a hectic summer of golf. With one more scratch cup to play in before the end of the season Olivia travelled to Seapoint Golf Club and won the U15 title, beating Seve Ballesteros' cousin.

This completed a brilliant six months for Olivia and she reduced her handicap from 11 to 5.8 during the summer. Her ambition for next season is to play for some of the Irish girls underage teams.

Meanwhile Luke’s call-up comes on the back of winning several major honours throughout the season.

On May 25 he began his successful season by finishing runner up in the Nick Faldo U16 Series at Lough Erne, shooting 77 and 79 on the championship course.

In May and June he represented Banbridge Golf Club at senior level in the Irish Senior Cup and Barton Shield alongside Irish Internationals Connor Doran and Rory Leonard, while also in June winning the Connacht U15 Boys at Strandhill, shooting 70 to win by two shots, and finishing second by a shot in the Munster U15 Boys at Thurles GC.

In August he was third in the Ulster U15 Boys at Rockmount, runner up in the Irish U15 boys by one shot and represented Ulster in the Irish U15 interprovincials.

But so far this month his success has been honoured by being named winner of the U15 Order of Merit and getting that call up to the Irish U16 panel.

“It’s a great honour for him and a great chance to succeed at a higher level,” said his dad, Trevor.

“The call-up to the U16 squad gives him the chance to do some winter coaching with Neil Manchip who is the top Irish Amateur professional. In the past he has sent the likes of Shane Lowry on his way to success.

“But Luke is keeping his feet on the ground. He has no desire just yet to become a pro, he is just taking one thing at a time.

“Luke has been playing for five or six years now and the progress he has made is unbelievable - well beyond my expectations.”