Lower Sixth student Bel is celebrating an above par performance after achieving a Top 10 finish in Canada at the World Junior Girls Golf Championship.
The top England player on the leaderboard, coming 8th out of 48 young golfers, Bel was selected to play in the U19s competition after a strong performance all season. She also came 5th out of 16 countries in the team competition alongside fellow golfers Sophie and Emily.
She said: “I’ve been working hard and knew I had potential to do well so just tried my best. It’s the biggest competition I’ve played in and doesn’t get much bigger at this point so there was pressure, but I’m confident I can compete at this level.”
Bel, whose ambition is to turn pro after being accepted onto a scholarship programme in the USA says taking part in the competition at Mississaugua Golf & Country Club was a great chance to play in front of scouts from universities.
“It was my first time in Canada and I’ve never been to that side of the world before so hopefully I’ll get to spend more time playing over there in future. It was good experience.”
Showing Resilience, Bel also faced a struggle with adverse weather and sickness; “It was a battle all the way really. On one of the days it rained so hard my shoes were squelching with water, and I didn’t feel 100% picking up a bug whilst I was out there… I just did what I could and was really pleased with my final placing.”
During her week abroad, there was even time to take in the sights, with a day away from the golf course, visiting Niagara Falls. “It was nice to get away and have a break from the pressure of the course for a bit and it was amazing to get right up to the edge of the falls, I didn’t realise you could get that close,” she said.
Bel, whose local golf club is Prestbury, will compete in her next professional golf event this weekend after being selected to take up one of just 15 spots to represent England in the Ladies European Tour Access Event’s WPGA International Challenge at Stoke by Nayland. Good luck Bel!
