BMW PGA showcases Future Champions

Thursday, 30 April 2015

As the build-up to this month’s much anticipated BMW PGA Championship continues apace, this week Wentworth Club hosted a unique match-up featuring a Ryder Cup captain, a global ladies golfing star and two hugely promising junior up-and-comers.

(L-R): Paul McGinley, Daniel Stafford, India Clyburn and Charley Hull all smiles on the 18th on the West Course at Wentworth Club ahead of the BMW PGA Championship

On Tuesday, the iconic Surrey venue welcomed triumphant 2014 Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley and 19 year old Ladies European Tour winner Charley Hull, who were joined for a special, celebratory jaunt down the West Course’s distinctive closing 18th hole by BMW Junior champion India Clyburn and Wentworth scholar Daniel Stafford.

With just weeks remaining before The European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship takes centre stage from May 21-24, Irishman McGinley and Woburn member Hull were all warmth and smiles in greeting the somewhat star-struck youngsters to Wentworth on a sun-soaked spring morning.

With the West Course looking resplendent and already in championship condition ahead of the showpiece tournament, the world-famous 539-yard closing hole provided a fitting set on which to glimpse some of the game’s brightest burgeoning talents.

McGinley, of course, is no stranger to the golfing limelight having led his 12-strong European side to a comprehensive victory in the biennial Ryder Cup at Gleneagles last autumn. The 45 year old, who lives close to Wentworth, has also had a number of close shaves at the revered golf complex in the past, finishing runner-up to Angel Cabrera ten years ago.

And now, three weeks to the day until the BMW PGA Championship kicks off, McGinley was at Wentworth to highlight the importance of promoting golf from the ground up.

“Developing the game is something we are all very passionate about – including myself with the Paul McGinley Academy, Wentworth, BMW and The European Tour,” said McGinley. “For both boys and girls it is more important than ever to grow the sport from grass root levels.

“This was a lot of fun, though. You could see they were nervous at the start but they definitely enjoyed it and we got to see an awful lot of promising talent here today. Charley is obviously already a superstar, while in India and Daniel we absolutely have a couple of future champions.

“I’ve had a lot of great memories playing here at Wentworth and the BMW PGA Championship – it’s always a fantastic event with incredible fans on an outstanding course and certainly one of the most special weeks on the golfing calendar.”

It was another chance to experience a hint of the big time for Woodhall Spa member Clyburn, who in August will jet off for a full golfing scholarship at North Carolina State University in the United States.

The 18 year old, who plays off a handicap of plus three, has spent much of her amateur career lodged inside the top 100 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking, with one of her golfing highlights coming with victory at the Telegraph BMW Junior Championship at Quinta do Lago in 2014 – a victory which also earned her a spot in the BMW PGA Championship Celebrity Pro-Am.

We got to see an awful lot of promising talent here today!
Paul McGinley

Stafford, meanwhile, has all the hallmarks of becoming a golfer at the highest level, having already dropped to a handicap of just 8.5 since joining in April 2014.

Emboldened by a dream of one day competing on The European Tour, the 13 year old is already fiercely competitive and captured Wentworth’s coveted Bernard Gallacher Junior Trophy last August after garnering a superb score of 39 points on the East Course.

And after ramming home a short par putt to take the spoils on the 18th in this entertaining exhibition encounter, the young Wentworth scholar showed he already has a fist-pump celebration comparable to some of the sport’s brightest luminaries.

Ones to watch – and no mistake.