JUNIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Gregor’s given chance to mix with the elite
Scots call means he’ll meet Super Spieth
Gregor (below inset) is set to meet Open winner Jordan Spieth Young Perthshire golfer Gregor Graham has been selected to represent Scotland and play in the Junior Open Championship this summer.
And the Blairgowrie member, aged 14, will get the chance to meet current world number three and major winner Jordan Spieth.
The Junior Open Championship is a biennial event with all golfing nations affiliated to The R&A invited to enter one under-16 boy and girl.
With close links to The Open, this year being held at Carnoustie, the event is a big one on the junior calendar.
It will be played over the Eden Course, St Andrews from July 16-18, the same week as the Open Championship.
“Gregor got an email just after winning the Barrie Douglas Scottish Junior Masters,” dad Stuart explained.
“There is only one selection, for a player who is in current form — and Gregor got the shout to represent Scotland at St Andrews.
“He is away Saturday to Saturday, with 144 players from 80 countries competing in it. They will stay at St Andrews University.
“He will also get two days away at The Open on the Thursday and Friday, within that time, he will get to meet current Open champion Jordan Spieth.
“Jordan is one of Gregor’s favourite players, so he will be delighted to meet him. “Patrick Reed is a past winner, top players like Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy have also played in the event.”
Gregor’s early season form saw him win the inaugural Barrie Douglas Scottish Junior Masters at home course Lansdowne last month.
That was on the back of finishing second best U16 at the Scottish Strokeplay Championship, played over Montrose.
He is currently sitting sixth in the under-18s Scottish Boys’ Order of Merit at the age of 14.
“It will be a special few days for him representing his country, and well deserved, as he’s been working really hard on his game,” Stuart added.
“We had already booked to play in the English under-16s in Derby, so we had to cancel that when he was selected.
“He is a quietly confident young man, but he doesn’t go shouting from the rooftops.
“The biggest improvement this year is that he’s now learning to score, without playing his best, which is the secret to golf.
“At the start of the year he was playing off a handicap of 3.7. But after the Barrie Douglas Scottish Junior Masters he went down to 1.4.”
The Blairgowrie High School student has a busy schedule coming up which tees-off with the Paul Lawrie Junior Jug at Gleneagles this weekend.
Then it’s on to the US Kids European Championships before representing Perth and Kinross under-18s in the Scottish Area Team Championships.
Stuart said: “Gregor is golf daft and loves it. He is up in the morning before school practising and playing, then after school for more of the same. As long as he is enjoying it, myself and my wife June don’t mind trailing him about!”