Josh is going places

YORKSHIRE may have uncovered another golfing gem in 12- year-old Josh Berry.

The Doncaster Golf Club member already plays off a handicap of 2.1 and is heading to the IMG Academy Junior World Championships in San Diego in July after winning the Spanish qualifying event by a massive 20 shots.

Josh, who only took up the game three years ago, shot an impressive total of two under par over 54 holes of the tough Asia course at La Cala Resort in Mijas on the Costa Del Sol.

And he is hoping it will be third time lucky in Southern California having qualified for the biggest international junior golf event in the world for the past two years.

The tournament has grown to attract 1,200 participants representing 56 countries and is unique for its international representation and cultural diversity.

He gave up a promising career as a footballer at Rotherham’s Academy and hasn’t looked back since, making it into the Yorkshire Under-16 and England regional squads under the expert eye of coach Steve Robinson at Sandburn Hall.

Unbeaten in matchplay for the Doncaster scratch team in the Sheffield union games, he has picked up trophies like other kids collect Lego.

Last year he won the Adidas Wee Wonders British Championship for an unprecedented second time.

His 65 at Strathyrum in Scotland was a course record and bettered that of previous contestants Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt Fitzpatrick, to name but a few who have gone on to win on the European Tour.

He added the US Kids Golf British Championship, the Loretto Scottish Championship, the North of England Under- 12s Championship to his haul, and his latest triumph came in the European Junior Golf Tour event at Hesketh last month where he won with an impressive gross score of 72 in winds gusting to over 30mph.

Father Scott said: “As soon as he picked up a club he packed in his football. His attitude and desire to learn are both first class and his success is all down to him.

“We had to travel to Spain to get through to the World Championships again as the English qualifier is played at the same time as the Reid Trophy, and we are looking forward to heading over to San Diego again this summer. “

Josh’s ambition is to follow in the footsteps of his golfing idol Jordan Spieth and win an Open Championship and play in the Masters. Watch this space, as they say.