Rising Perthshire golf talent Connor Graham is targeting a spot at this year’s Junior Ryder Cup.
The 16-year-old, who plays off a handicap of +5 and is a Blairgowrie Golf Club member, would love to tee-up for Europe in Rome.
Six boys and six girls will take on the USA from September 26-28. Three boys and three girls will earn a place on the European Junior Ryder Cup team through a season-long ranking system.
The remaining six players will be selected by captain Stephen Gallacher, the Scottish tour professional who is dedicated to helping the next generation.
Players will earn points for the rankings based on their finishing position in selected elite amateur events across 2023 – and Graham currently sits sixth.
That is thanks to his early year performances at the Portuguese International Amateur and the Spanish International Amateur, the latter which was held earlier this month.
At the Spanish event he qualified through the stroke play stage – placing sixth – thanks to a one-under par total across two consistent rounds.
The determined Blairgowrie High student would then advance through to the last 16 of the match play tournament before being defeated by Frenchman Louis Anceaux.
“I was just trying to go out there and not give any holes away cheaply,” Graham told the Perthshire Advertiser.
“In that last-16 match, my opponent did play well but there were too many mistakes on my part and I didn’t hole enough putts.
“But it was good to know that I have shaken the rust away after not playing tournament golf for a few months and that I can still compete with some of the best in Europe.”
On his quest to make the Junior Ryder Cup team, Graham added: “There are a few order of merit events for that.
“That is a big goal for this year. It is the only year left I’ll be able to play as it is every two years so I will be too old the next time around.
“I know a few of the guys who are in the running and it is obviously tough competition. I’ll need to try and perform at these events to give me a good shot of getting in the team.
“The French International Boys Championship is the next tournament, so I think I’ll be going over to that in the April holidays.”
Graham already has plenty of experience behind him in team golf – and relishes being involved in a team environment.
“Every week you play for yourself so it is a lot of fun playing with team-mates,” he said.
“Those weeks are probably the best of the year, the likes of Home Internationals and the Jacques Leglise. You are not just playing for yourself, but for your team.”
Earlier this month Graham was crowned Young Sports Personality of the Year at the Perth and Kinross Sports Awards. The ceremony was held at Perth Art Gallery.
It is a trophy rather familiar to him, considering he also won it last year.
“It was nice to be able to win the award two years in a row,” he smiled.
“There are obviously a lot of good athletes in Perth and Kinross so winning it is really good.”
Graham went on to add: “Growing up playing and competing in Perth and Kinross has helped to better my golf and bring me to the level I’m at now.”
