Lee Westwood Official Site

LEE WESTWOOD (WORKSOP GUARDIAN) JUNIOR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS

Once, Worksop was famed for its liquorice growing, but I'm sure it will soon be known by its home-grown golfers if the Lee Westwood (Worksop Guardian) Junior Golf Championships are anything to go by.

The ninth Junior Golf Championships took place on Monday 24th July (2006) at a hot and sunny Worksop Golf Club. The event was well attended and again my sponsor, PING, produced a presentation table full of marvellous prizes.

Scratch champion Chris Keightley (70) and stableford winner Liam Pressley both produced two of the best 18 holes of their young golfing careers to lift the coveted top prizes of Ping tour golf bags. A promising future seems set for Keightley, who said, "It’s one of the big junior tournaments to win and I’m delighted."
He has just finished his GCSEs at Portland School and his home at Carlton-in-Lindrick has a driving range and a putting green in the back garden, where he plans on spending his days hitting balls until he is good enough to turn professional. He told Worksop Guardian reporters, "I’m hoping to make it. I’ve got the facilities and no excuse really. Hopefully someone spots me, but there’s not just one chance of turning pro, there’s lots of ways to get there and I’ll explore every avenue."

Joining Chris on the winners podium was 15-year-old Liam Pressley, playing off a 25 handicap, who birdied the par four opening hole, setting him on his way. Afterwards he said, "That birdie gave me a lot of confidence. It gave me a good chance to make a score and set me up for the rest of the round."

Second place in the scratch competition went to Mitchell Hadfield, who at only 13, negotiated his way around the course in 73, not bad for someone who has only been playing for three years and who began the season with a seven handicap.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the event this year as I was due to fly out to Germany the following morning and couldn’t be present, but my mum, Trish, kindly stepped in to present the prizes.

Winners Chris Keightley and Liam Pressley receive their prizes from Worksop Golf Club Captain, Bruce Bakehouse and Trish Westwood.

Photo by Worksop Guardian

All the competitors stayed behind for the prize-giving ceremony, watched by their proud families, and I understand that a third of the field went home with prizes!

It turned out to be a fantastic day, thanks to the organisers and the green staff at Worksop Golf Club and I look forward to next year!

Lee Westwood - Junior Days

It's a well known story that Lee took up golfing at thirteen years of age, when during the school holidays he became bored with his Dad's favourite pastime....fishing! So with a half set of clubs, he and his Dad took up golf. By 1988, Lee was Under 15 Golf Foundation Champion, the first of many achievements in his amateur career.
When Lee left school he attended a course on the leisure industry but decided it wasn't for him. His Dad said if he got at least 5 GCE O'levels (he actually got ten) he could play as an Amateur for two years. When he was seventeen he decided to apply to a few colleges in the US and was offered a scholarship in Augusta, but decided to turn it down as he felt that his golf would improve quicker by playing with lots of good players.

Lee remembers that at fifteen years old he played off three and by the time he was sixteen was down to two. However, by the time he played for the English Boys Team, he was down to scratch.

Some of Lee's younger fans have told us of their achievements...

See Lee's golfing achievements 1988 - 1993

See also The Bunker

Young Masters Golf

Meet The Juniors

My name is Liam Hancock.

I am10 years old and play off 24.1 at Birchall Golf Club. My Junior Organiser is Peter Cordon. I have played for Leek team this year with an unbeaten record, I have also won two competitions this year despite being moved to the back tees for the first time, having played off yellows last year.

I played in the Astbury Golf Club 36 hole Junior Open, winning the lowest Net in the morning -18 - with a level round. I also posted an 85 gross at Barlaston Open this year. I have two Huxley golf greens at home 24ft x 16ft and one 12 x 12 sloping for short game practice.

I have a very late hit, which is very very similar to yours! I would like a chance to benefit from some professional coaching and if possible enter one of your competitions.

Danyaal Spalding of Birmingham

Ronnie Spalding of Birmingham wrote to tell us..."This is my son Danyaal Spalding. He featured in one of the editions of the Lee Westwood Fan Club newsletter. He is now 8 years old and another year wiser! This year he has already won 3 medal competitions at The Belfry and came 2nd in the Junior Club Championship. On 19th August (2003) he played the back nine holes on the Brabazon Course, where he had 3 pars, including the famous tenth hole! This picture was taken in a Midland Regional Final competition, staged by the Wee Wonders, run by the PGA.
Danyaal keeps a close eye on Lee's scores and is happy to see an upturn in his form.

I was lucky enough to be a marshal at the Ryder Cup last year, where on the Friday I carried the scoreboard for the Westwood/Garcia V's Duval/Love match. This was a great vantage point to see Lee back to his best"

Ronnie adds that he and his son are both members of The Belfry and adds, "Daniel would love to invite Lee for a few holes!"

Lauren's Story
lauren

We hear from someone who truly has the will and enthusiasm to work hard and prove that they have the talent to succeed.

"Hi, my name is Lauren Oleksik, I am 11yrs old and I have been playing golf for 3 years. I am a member of Wolstanton Golf Club in Staffordshire.

I was invited to join the Staffs Junior Girls at the beginning of this year and I have played some of the top golf courses in the Midlands. I have won some competitions and lost a few.

In August this year I played at Greetham Valley Golf Course in Rutland in the Midlands Girls' Challenge, and unbeknown to me some members of the National Training Committee were there. In September 2002 (1 week before my 11th birthday) I was invited to join the England U13's Junior Squad - the Birdie Squad.There are only 4 girls that play at Wolstanton Golf Club including myself and I was the only girl to be picked from my Club.

I have been told by Andy Dunbar, the England Girls Coach that I have the potential to go all the way to the top, and that is where I intend to go". Since emailing us in November 2002, Lauren has been given the National Uniform of navy blue trousers, white shirt and pink sweater and has been selected for the County Girls Squad receiving the yellow County sweater.

Update - September 2004
Lauren is now 13, and her handicap is 16. She still plays for her County, and she has National Coaching with Andy Dunbar at Stratford Oaks Golf Club in Warwickshire. Andy is also Lauren's own coach. She played in the English Girls' U13's this year at Harrogate and played really well, getting through to Flight 1 of the Championships. She plays for her school, St John Fisher High School in Newcastle-under-Lyme, she and 2 others (both boys) won the Sentinel Cup at the beginning of the season. She has played well this season cutting her handicap from 21 to 16 and aims to play even better next year.

Update September 2005
Lauren's Mum says Lauren is now a member at Astbury Golf Club in Cheshire, she is the only female but this does not deter her from competing. Now aged 14, her handicap is at present, 14. She still plays for her County of Staffordshire and plays for her School, St John Fisher High School, in Newcastle under Lyme. She is playing well and hopes to end the season with a lower handicap.

Update April 2007
Lauren 2007 Lauren is now 15, her Mum says she has changed completely so she sent us a new photo. This one is of Lauren with the trophy is at Astbury Golf Club, she won it last year.She is still a member of Astbury Golf Club and plays in the Ladies A team and as a junior member, she is also a member of Cheshire Junior Girls and plays for the B Squad. She had a lot of injuries last season so she didn't play much, but when she did play she played briliiantly. She won various local competitions and cut her handicap from 14 to 10. Her handicap currently stands at 9.

Lauren started this season quite well, winning at Wolstanton and slightly reducing her handicap at Astbury. She won every match for the Ladies Team, and won her first match for the Cheshire Girls. She also won best nett at the Staffordshire Schools Inter-Counties match on Friday 13th April.Lauren's handicap currently stands at 8.7, and she has been invited to play for Cheshire County Ladies B Team. By August she reduced her handicap to 7.

REGINA HENDERSON wrote.... Hi! I'm on the Perry Meridian High School girl's golf team in Indidanapolis, Indiana, U.S. This year we got new coaches and had the best season yet! Our record ended up 10-2, smashing 5-6 record from last year. We ended up 5th out of 13 teams in the County tournament and 2nd in the Conference Indiana tournament. Unfortunately we didn't score very well at Sectionals, but we couldn't be happier with the success that we had this year!

My name is JAMIE McDONALD. I am 14 years old and play off a handicap of 6.5. My junior organiser is Nick Bone.I am a member of Kendal Golf Club. It is a nice course and can pose some dificult shots to be hit with the weather being so unpredictable .

Our junior team have done well this year and we were unbeaten in the league. I have had a good year this year winning the County u14 Championship and qualifing for the Andalucian Junior Open . Also I have won quite a few of the competitions throughout the year, only losing one of my 9 games for my club !!

BOB BROWN of Llandrindod Wells Golf Club says...Last year our team won the Brecon & Radnor matchplay league and came tie 3rd in the all Wales Final. The winners of that went to Portugal. Also last year we played in the Quad league, with four teams of 8 with 6 scores to count, and we came joint first, playing at each clubs home course. We have the lowest overall handicaps in both the leagues, and 4 of our players have been in Welsh Squads. We are coached by Phil Davies, the club professional.

My name is DAVID MASON and I am the Junior Organiser at MOOR HALL GOLF CLUB, and want to thank you all for a very special time at The Belfry with Lee and dad, John. The Juniors will never forget it! It was fantastic to meet with Lee on Tuesday afternoon this week. I have attached the photograph from the day in the hope that they may make it onto Lee's website.

The photograph is of the juniors from Moor Hall Golf Club, just 3 miles from the Belfry, who did exceptionally well in our Junior Championship.

They are; Rob Bardsley, in red who is the Club Champion and Junior Champion ( the same year), and a Warwickshire County Player; Andy Bate (black sweater), who is our Junior Captain and Warwickshire Junior county player and came third in the Junior Championship; Elliott Burton, (white polo), who had the best nett score in our Junior Championship and spends more time at the Golf Club than he does at home; Melissa Nichol (standing next to Lee) who is 13 years old, playing off 13 handicap and two rounds below her handicap and Josh Budz (school uniform), who won the Colts Championship ( 8-12 years age group), but broke his wrist two days before the Junior Championship and couldn't play for the Nett prize.

On a personal note I was very impressed with Lee in the way he handled the Juniors and the manner in which he conducted himself. His parents must be very proud of his achievements but equally proud having such an exceptionally nice man as their son. (19th September 2007)

AMATEUR DAYS... (World Amateur Golf Ranking is on line - click here)

CLIVE GREAVES of Littlestone, Kent says, " I met Lee in 1992 when he was a leading amateur and I was Secretary at Royal Cinque Ports GC, Deal , Kent. Lee won our tournament that year and on the following day won at Royal St. Georges. I was very impressed by the way he handled himself. He spoke well at the prize ceremonies and unlike some of his fellow competitors obeyed, without any fuss, the requirements of both clubs by putting on jacket and tie when in the club house. He struck me as an example to other young golfers. I have followed his career since that time".