The Northern Junior Golf Tour (NJGT) hosted its grand final at Thonock Park last week, with 100 juniors teeing it up to compete for season-ending accolades.

The PING-sponsored tour has been hosting events across the north of England throughout the year where young golfers of all levels have taken part and gained points to climb up the order of merit.

The winners this year were; Austin Eastwood (U12 Boys Gross & Net), Thomas Suggitt (U14 Boys Gross), James Powell (U14 Boys Net), Ethan Jeff  (U16 Boys Gross), Charles Calvert (U16 Boys Net), Joe Mulroy (U18 Boys Gross), Thomas Black (U18 Boys Net), Scarlette Richardson (U14 Girls Gross), Ella Wilson (U14 Girls Net), Antonia Emmerson (U18 Girls Gross), Sophia Rudd (U18 Girls Net), Ethan Harris (Intermediate Boys Gross), Ernest Booth (Intermediate Boys Net), Evie Goodman (Intermediate Girls Gross), Scarlett Crossley (Intermediate Girls Net), Jake Smith (Beginner Boys 6-7 years), Tom Prytherch (Beginner Boys 8-9 years), Kobi Moss (Beginner Boys 10-12 years), Nixie Corcoran (Beginner Girls 6-9 years), Niamh Carruthers (Beginner Girls 10-12 years).

The Northern Junior Tour was established in 2009 in County Durham and has grown into one of the leading junior tours in the UK. The NJGT, in association with PING, prides itself on delivering high quality, professional events for junior golfers aged 6-18, who can compete for honours while having fun and making new friends.

Jason Budd, the director of the tour, commented on how important PING’s support has been and the opportunity it provides for budding golfers. “We launched the tour in 2009 to provide fun and competitive opportunities for young golfers,” he said. “PING has been in association with the tour as the Headline Sponsor for four years now and it’s so encouraging to know that you have the backing of such a prestigious global brand.

“The support we have from PING means everything and they are really helping us make strides to becoming the biggest junior tour in the UK. We find the biggest reward of the NJGT is seeing the players creating new friendships, developing skills for life, and increasing their confidence on and off the course.”

The tour is divided into mini tours dependant on ability. The Rookies’ Tour is designed for juniors between the ages of 6-14 years old looking for an introduction to competitive golf, with the Masters Tour as the next step for those aged 18 and under with a WHS handicap of 28.4 or below – offering a full 18-hole tournament experience.

“We’re proud to once again support such an inclusive event that is helping to bring through the next generation of golfers. At PING, we know how important it is to continue to grow the game and the Northern Junior Golf Tour is doing exactly that,” comments Dave Fanning, PING European Marketing Director.

As well as PING, support was provided by national governing body England Golf on finals day, with chief executive Jeremy Tomlinson in attendance. “It was fantastic to see so much talent from the young golfers participating in the grand final and we’re delighted to continue our involvement with such a brilliant event,” commented Tomlinson.

The NJGT is close to announcing the 2024 schedule which will include 15 qualifying events as well as a junior/adult team event, national girls’ championship and another grand final as it celebrates 15 years of running successful junior events.

For more information about the grand final results and the tour visit, www.northernjuniorgolftour.co.uk.

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