Last updated 11:28, Wednesday, 14 January 2009

WHEN Brad Hannah was first introduced to golf at the age of nine, he instantly dismissed it as a boring game for fuddie-duddies.

Fast forward eight years, and Brad is one of Britain’s most promising young golfers, who quit his sixth form studies at Christmas so he could focus on achieving his dream of one day playing on the European Tour.

The 17-year-old from Whitehaven underlined his potential last summer when he finished ninth in the Daily Telegraph Open in Abu Dhabi – a competition which attracted 43,000 hopefuls.

He marked his arrival on the Cumbrian scene by being crowned Cumbria Junior Master golfer after victories in competitions at Windermere, Carlisle and Penrith.

And this year he will captain both Cumbria and the North of England junior teams aiming to continue the progress he hopes will carry him all the way on to the European Tour like his idol Sergio Garcia.

Brad said: “My aim in 2009 is to get into the England team as well as the North of England team.

“I’ve been having coaching with England over the winter, which has been great.

“I want to get my handicap down to scratch or even plus one or two this year. It’s a big year for me.”

Brad’s passion for game is a far cry from his first taste of golf when his golfing granny Marisa Arrighi introduced him to the game at Workington.

He said: “I thought it was boring and I wasn’t very good at it. I couldn’t see the point of walking round hitting a ball with a stick, but I got a bit better at it and started to enjoy it. In the end, I was hooked.

“My ambition is to be a professional. I’d love to play on the European Tour. I’ve taken a year out of school and my dad has given me a target to get to plus two and get into the England team.

“I know it’s very competitive and there are thousands of youngsters who want to do it, but I believe I can do it if I give it my best shot.

“Playing out in Abu Dhabi was a great experience. There were qualifying tournaments all over Britain and only 12 got through.

“It was awesome as I got to play against the best young golfers in Britain and had the experience of travelling abroad for a tournament.”

ALittle@cngroup.co.uk