THE past 12 months have provided eight year old Cameron Hughes with many exciting sporting experiences, not least when he was privileged to represent Ross Golf Club in a Grand Final on the Balgove Links course based at St Andrews, recognised world-wide as the ’Home of Golf.

Cameron, an all round athlete, lives in Monmouth and is a pupil at The Grange Preparatory School and having been born in New Zealand, it was entirely understandable that his 2016/17 Rugby Season should be enjoyed and valued as a member of Monmouth Rugby Football Club’s Young Rugby where he was part of the Under 10’s Dragons squad.

After joining Ross Golf Club’s Junior section 12 months ago with a 46 handicap, Cameron’s 2017 golf season saw him playing his first competition in the Ping Junior Tour of Wales at Parc Golf Club and subsequently qualifying for the U.S. Kids Golf British Championships at Celtic Manor, when he achieved a top 10 finish on the highly technical Roman Road course. However Cam really made his mark when he won the Welsh Regional Final (7-8 boys) at the Adidas/Taylormade Wee Wonders Open Golf Championships. This being the sole PGA backed foundation formed in 1995 with fully national coverage for children age five to 12 years with their 2017 events competed for by 2252 entrants involving 56 Qualifying events and 9 Regional Finals.

Oli Leett of the Tim Hall School of Golf based at Ross Golf Club, where Cameron is coached, told our reporter, ’After three rounds on the nine holes Balgove Course, Cameron’s +22 finish was not only a great performance but playing against boys who were in their 4th year of competition will have improved his mental resilience considerably’. Now playing off an improved 37 handicap, Cameron is aiming to finish his season on a high at the Ping Junior Tour of Wales Grand Final at St Pierre Golf Club in October. Clearly more memorable sporting occasions await this highly talented youngster.