Weekend Of Glory
Sep 4 2008 The Journal
Sixteen-year old Daniel Coffey has outplayed the best golfers at Whitburn Golf Club and won the Junior and Club Championships - both in the same weekend. Another junior, Paul Robson finished second in the same competitions leaving adult members at Whitburn scratching their heads and wondering how they can compete with these talented youngsters.
Daniel who plays off a handicap of three has been playing golf for five years and receives lessons from Whitburn's Neil Whinham and Andrew Nicholson at the Wynyard Club. Although lacking in stature, this young man is deceptively long from the tee and possesses an excellent short game on and around the greens - height isn't everything, Ian Woosnam is testament to that!
He said: "It was the Junior Championship on the Saturday and 36-hole of medal competition. I scored 73 & 72 for a total of five over, winning by two shots from Paul Robson. I was behind Paul with two holes to go and finished birdie birdie. Paul dropped shots at both holes so there was a big turnaround at the end of the day - It's the first time I've won the Junior Championship."
Clearly this was a good warm up for the following day as Daniel's game took a step to another level. He said: "The next day I played in the Club Championship which was also 36-hole medal and I shot 70 & 68 for 138. Like the day before, I finished birdie birdie in the second round and won by three shots from Paul Robson."
With five birdies in his last nine holes, his two under par total equalled the lowest gross score at Whitburn and Daniel now has the distinction of being the youngest winner of their Club Championship.
In addition, this is the first time that juniors have finished 1st and 2nd and along with other recent junior achievements from our region's youngsters, a clear indication that the modern junior coaching procedures are producing a wealth of golfing talent for the future.
Earlier this year in a midweek medal, Daniel equalled the course record at Whitburn shooting a 65, a round made up with seven birdies and two bogeys.
He has now left school and hopes to enrol in a local college course to further his education with a view to progressing to a possible golf scholarship - the name Coffey could well be another to watch out for in years to come!!
