(L-R) Ross Oliver (Director of Golf Galgorm Castle), Brendan Mulgrew, Cole Henderson, Adam Doherty, Aimee Watt, Mollie Blair, Cora Nicholl, Libby Henry (Assistant Junior Convenor), Leigh Heggarty (Business Development Manager Galgorm Collection), Patricia Blaney (Lady Captain) and Brian Watt (Men’s Captain).
(Missing from picture – Rory Brown, Harris Fleming and Zaack Kane)
The Junior Golf Scholarship at Galgorm announces its second intake as Northern Ireland’s standout tournament venue continues to provide support and development for local junior male and female golfers.
Now in its second year, scholarships have been awarded to five junior boys and three junior girls from the golf club as Galgorm’s Junior Golf Scholarship programme continues to provide real and tangible support for the next generation of golfers.
The junior players are aged between 12-16 and include; Rory Brown (12), Adam Doherty (13), Cole Henderson (14), Harris Fleming (14), Zaack Kane (14), Brendan Mulgrew (15), Aimee Watt (13), Mollie Blair (15) and Cora Nicholl (16). All eight players are existing members of the junior section at Galgorm Castle.
“After launching the initiative in 2022, we are delighted to continue into our second year, where we formally support some of our junior golfers, both financially and through dedicated coaching. This programme is the first of its kind in Northern Ireland,” explained Ross Oliver, Director of Golf at Galgorm Castle.
The Junior Golf Scholarship lasts for one year and includes complimentary membership at Galgorm; group coaching sessions by the PGA team at Galgorm; venue branded clothing plus funding towards travel expenses to compete in junior events around the country.
The Championship Galgorm Castle Course
(Image: Kevin Markham)
“We are fortunate to have a vibrant junior section at Galgorm and through the Junior Golf Scholarship, we have identified golfers of all ability, boys and girls, to take part in the scheme with the aim of improving and getting the most out of their games,” added Oliver.
The scholarship will help support golfers at an earlier stage of their development in the hope that they maximise their potential and have the best chance of going on to compete at an elite level.
Galgorm has produced many fine young players over the past 25 years, many of whom have represented Galgorm at national and international level. At the end of the summer, current Irish international and Galgorm member Joshua Hill crossed the pond to begin a scholarship at the University of South Alabama and won his first event at the Badger Invitational in Wisconsin last month.
Fellow members Tara Laverty and Kaedan Anderson also began scholarships in the US over the summer at Lindsey Wilson College (Kentucky) and Hawkeye Community College (Iowa) respectively – Anderson got his first win stateside in the Fall Statesmen Invitational at the end of August.
Through the Junior Golf Scholarship there is a new pathway for young golfers to aspire and emulate these elite Galgorm players.
“We are delighted to be part of the Junior Golf Scholarship and have the ability to give something back by supporting the next generation of golfers here at Galgorm,” explained Leigh Heggarty, Group Business Development Manager for Galgorm Collection.
“It is great to see so many juniors taking up the game. For us at Galgorm, it’s important we make the game accessible to all but also provide support along the way. We look forward to seeing the scholarship programme evolve at Galgorm as we help the next generation of players.”
Galgorm has supported golfers at all levels for years.
Northern Ireland’s premier golf and spa destination continues to support Touring Professionals Stephanie Meadow and Tom McKibbin, who compete on the LPGA Tour and DP World Tour respectively.