A PAIR of young Wiltshire golfers are set to take on some of the world’s best junior players at a major tournament in Scotland this summer.

Swindon brothers Matthew and Connor Hibbs will represent the Wiltshire Golf Union at the 2010 U.S. Kids Golf European Championships in June.

More than 500 players from 30 countries will compete at Europe’s premier tournament to showcase the next generation of golfing superstars.

Eleven-year-old Matthew came 26th in his age group last year and will be competing in the boys 11 category at the 2010 event.

Younger brother Connor came 16th in his age group in the 2009 championship, and will be competing in the boys 9 section this year.

The event, now in its third year, has been organised by U.S. Kids Golf Foundation, which provides opportunities for children across the world to learn and play golf.

Children as young as five and up to the age of 18 will be challenging across four historic courses in East Lothian for the various age group European Champion titles at the event, which also aims to promote the sport among children and families, as well as giving young players the chance to forge lifelong friendships through the game of golf.

Dan Van Horn, President and founder of U.S. Kids Golf, said: “We’re delighted to be coming back to East Lothian once again to stage the U.S. Kids Golf European Championship.

“Last year’s event was a tightly-contested tournament and I expect the standard of play at this year’s event to be even better.

“I am sure that many of these youngsters will go on to become at the very least competent golfers, but possibly even the Rory McIlroy’s of tomorrow.

“It’s great that we will have players from Wiltshire representing their local golf union at this year’s tournament, which will once again be staged on some of the most stunning courses in the home of golf.”

The tournament, scheduled to take place between June 1 and 3, will take place on four historic courses - Gullane No. 2, Gullane No. 3, Craigielaw Golf Club and Longniddry Golf Club – which are modified for each age group in order to provide the same level challenge, meaning holes are progressively shorter as the age groups get younger.

The top finishers in each category will then compete in the Van Horn Cup over Gullane No 1 – a showpiece event, modelled on the Ryder Cup, where the best European players are pitted against the top non-Europe golfers.

The top five finishers in each age and gender group also automatically receive an invitation to the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships at Pinehurst Golf Club, North Carolina, in August.

  • Broome Manor Golf Club held the much-delayed Captain’s Farewell Cup last Saturday.

The top three were all decided on countback and the winner was Ted Senescall with a nett score of 67.

The success was Senescall’s first for many years and the club were keen to congratulate him.

In second place was Lewis De Maio and in third was Phil Lenehan (76-9=67).

The best gross score on the day went to Iain Blood for his 71. At the outgoing captain’s request most players wore trilby hats to celebrate captain Mick Gregorace’s final event.

Incoming captain Gerry Hall’s charity for the year is Starlight Children’s Charity which helps seriously and terminally ill children and their families to make memories that can last forever. Starlight receives no Government or Lottery funding, and out of each £1 received 91p goes directly to the work of helping children.

The new skipper is also focusing on Help for the Heroes and a fundraiser will be held in July towards this good cause.

On Sunday, the April monthly medal took place. In Division One, the winner was new junior captain, Yoshio Takeuchi, witha nett 67, and the runner-up was Richard Palmer (69).

In Division Two, the winner was Mick Milsom (71), with runner-up Paul Harris (72) while in Division Three another junior, Lee Gillett, had a great round of 66, the runner-up being Dan Cooke on countback.

  • BOWOOD Golf Club results: April Stableford Division One 1, Miles Taylor 36pts; 2, Steve Whittaker 33pts; 3, John Furness 33pts Division Two 1, Alan Levine 32pts; 2, Steven Evans 32pts; 3, Geoff Meakin 32pts