Webb weaves his magic

Oct 9 2008 by Golf North East

YOUNG North East golfer Mathew Webb is another of our talented teenagers with high hopes of making it through to the professional ranks.

And if the Bedlingtonshire Golf Club teenager's performances this year are anything to go by, it may be sooner rather than later.

His father Marcus Webb, the PGA professional at Bedlingtonshire, is justifiably proud of his son's achievements.

He said: "Mathew started the 2008 season with rounds of 71 and 72 to take 2nd place in the Northumberland County North and South Trophy held at Burgham Park. He then finished 2nd in the qualifying round of the Under 21 County Match Play Championships at Prudhoe Golf Club and then won all his matches before losing out to Niki Maddison in the final.

"Following that, Mathew had rounds of 66 and 70 to lose out by two shots in the Fenwick-Smith Trophy held at Bamburgh Castle Golf Club and then another 2nd place, this time in a club competition at Newbiggin where his gross score of 67 was beaten by a member who shot a nett 66.

"To be honest, we were beginning to wonder what he had to do to actually win a competition and to rub salt into the wounds, he was again narrowly beaten into 2nd place on Captain's Day at Bedlingtonshire Golf Club."

But Mathew stuck to his tasks and in doing so, won his club's Stroke Play Championships and followed that with victory in Bedlingtonshire's Club Match Play Championships.

Mathew, who is aged 18, only took up the game five years ago and has been coached by both his father at club level and John McKenna through the Men's County Development Programme.

Now a double club champion, Mathew has just started a golf scholarship at the Western Texas University in the United States where his run of good form is continuing.

In the first 72 hole qualifier at the Western, Mathew scored 71, 71, 66, and 75 for a winning total of 283.

His coach out there has already indicated that this young man has the potential to make it to the very top - and Golf North East will be following his progress with interest.