USA: GOLF - Junior golfers dream of playing like U.S. Open Champion Rory McIlroy

Record ID: 526746

  • Title: USA: GOLF - Junior golfers dream of playing like U.S. Open Champion Rory McIlroy
  • Date: 14th July 2011
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) RAMON FABREGA, FATHER OF PANAMANIAN PLAYER CARLOS FABREGA, SAYING: "Well, definitely starting young is an advantage. When you start at a young age, like all these pros or my kids started at age six, you learn everything. At that age it's a lot easier and that stays with you the rest of your life." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISABEL LUETKEMEYER, MOTHER OF GERMAN PLAYER HENRY LUETKEMEYER, SAYING: "It's a lot of time to bring them to the training, and to work with them to do mental coaching with them, and maintain the fact that they have fun with the golf so it doesn't become an obligation and that it stays fun." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CARLOS VAZQUEZ, SR., FATHER OF MEXICAN PLAYER CARLOS VAZQUEZ, JR., SAYING: "99 percent that maybe a good university or good college can see them and maybe they can meet with them. Right?" (SOUNDBITE) (English) VARADAN SUBRAMANIAN, FATHER OF MALAYSIAN PLAYER KHAVISH VARMAN VARADAN, SAYING: "We already started from the age of two. And every day, like six days a week, we practice. Three days weekends from Friday until Sunday it will be with the pro. The rest of the weekdays are maybe 3 or 4 hours for the short games. We really want him to become the best player in the world." MALAYSIAN PLAYER KHAVISH VARMAN VARADAN HITTING AN APPROACH SHOT
  • Embargoed: 29th July 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAORX8ZMALIR63SX7IMWSMMXW7
  • Story Text: A contingent of serious young golfers hailing from across the globe are playing to win at a world championship tournament being held in San Diego this week.
    The Callaway Junior World Golf Championship is taking place at several golf courses in the local area. The 9 to 10-year-old boys are playing at the Fountains Golf Course at the Welk Resort in Escondido, in San Diego County. The three-day eventon Thursday (July 14, 2011), the same day the British Open begins.
    American player Ricky Castillo of Yorba Linda, California, and Wo Cheng Ye of China, both ten, ended the second day of play tied for first place in their division. Both boys are under by 7 shots.
    Castillo talked about what it takes to be at the top of his game.
    "I practice a lot of places. I don't just practice in one place. And I practice three or four hours a day."
    In addition to putting in a lot of time on the green, parents agreed that getting into the game early is also a key component to achieving success.
    "Well, definitely starting young is an advantage," shared Ramon Fabrega, father of Panamanian player Carlos Fabrega. "When you start at a young age, like all these pros or my kids started at age six, you learn everything. At that age it's a lot easier and that stays with you the rest of your life."
    Isabel Luetkemeyer, mother of German player Henry Luetkemeyer, talked about the time and effort spent by parents of the young athletes in helping them get to the top.
    "It's a lot of time to bring them to the training, and to work with them to do mental coaching with them, and maintain the fact that they have fun with the golf so it doesn't become an obligation and that it stays fun."
    Carlos Vazquez, Sr., pointed to what he believes is the main reason many families get their children into golf.
    "99 per cent that maybe a good university or good college can see them and maybe they can meet with them. Right?"
    Universities in the United States begin handing out college golf scholarships before players are even in high school. Twelve is the average age these boys and girls begin to get the offers and sign contracts.
    Flying 20 hours from Kuala Lumpur to Southern California is just one way one man shows his commitment to his son's budding golf career.
    "We already started from the age of two," explained Malaysian Varadan Subramanian. "And every day, like six days a week, we practice. Three days weekends from Friday until Sunday it will be with the pro. The rest of the weekdays are maybe 3 or 4 hours for the short games. We really want him to become the best player in the world."
    Subramanian's 10-year-old son Khavish started the second day of the tournament in second place for his age group.
    Pro golfer Rory McIlroy is inspiring many of these young golfers to excel. At a similar age he was winning similar international tournaments.
    Vazquez, Jr., said McIlroy's youth makes him stand out.
    "Rory McIlroy because he is so young and he's playing with the best players in the world. He's so young and that's my motivation.
    "I like him because he admits when he makes a mistake," noted Castillo. "And he came back like blowing up at the Masters and won the U.S. Open by like six shots."
    "He's very outstanding," stated Varadan. "He just won the U.S. Open by a zillion shots. So, I think he's going to be a good golfer, too."
    McIlroy, the 22-year-old Northern Irishman who just took the U.S. Open by storm, is the current favorite to take the title at the British Open this week.
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