Sunday 24 November 2019 17:14, UK
One of the young stars of English golf, Josh Berry, is defending his Junior European Open title in Spain this week, with highlights on Sky Sports Golf.
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Berry, who won as a 13-year-old last November, travelled from his home in Doncaster to London back in March to make sure he qualified early for this year's event.
Since then, Berry has been starring for the England U16s team throughout the summer and autumn and as defending champion, hit the first shot on the first day of this year's tournament.
He goes into this week's finals at Alcaidesa on Spain's Costa del Sol as a joint favourite with 15-year-old Archie Wyatt from Loretto school in Edinburgh, who plays off +0.5 and won his qualifier at Newburgh, Aberdeenshire, by eight shots.
In the girls' event, a strong favourite has emerged in Evanna Hynd, who plays at Lundin Golf Club in Fife and qualified at Alloa. The 17-year-old has the lowest-ever handicap in the girls competition at +0.2 and she has high hopes of following in the footsteps of last year's girls winner Holly Haslam, who is at the finals this year but only as an over-age player.
Hynd is one of 45 girls who qualified for the finals along with 108 boys, with the level of competition stronger than ever as a result of the tournament being granted World Golf Amateur Ranking status earlier this year.
With world rankings becoming increasingly important for young golfers trying to win places in American University programmes, entries from Australia and Canada were among the 23 different nationalities represented in the qualifying process.
English brothers Max and Tyler Weaver have their dad Jason, the former jockey, now television presenter and commentator, with them for the finals. Max, 17, qualified at Bedford and Tyler, 14, booked his place in the finals with a good performance, appropriately enough for a racing family, at Lingfield Park.
Great news for the tournament is that Sky Sports Golf presenter Nick Dougherty, a former finalist himself, is on hand to introduce the event and stage a clinic for the young stars trying to emulate his success.
Tournament play started on Saturday with four qualifying rounds, with the final round of the girls tournament being held on Wednesday. For the boys, the final day is Thursday after a cut is made on Wednesday evening.
Daily scores will be available on the Junior European Open website and highlights will be shown on Sky Sports Golf in December.
