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Royal Golf Club junior members Dhari Al Borshaid and Sam Hobday will be flying out to the United States in two months time after successfully securing places in the 2010 Callaway Junior World Championships.
The annual four-round tournament had featured a number of golf legends over the years including Eldrick Tont 'Tiger' Woods.
The championship, which begins on July 12 in San Diego, will feature competitors from Europe, Asia and Latin America playing in different age categories from 17 and under.
Bahraini Al Borshaid, 17, and Hobday, 16, a Brit, are both familiar with the pressures of competing at the highest club level having both won local and regional events.
Friends on and off the course, the youngsters play together once a week at the Royal Golf Club at Riffa Views. Hobday said: "I am very excited - it promises to be a great experience. This is one of the best courses in America and many big names have won titles there so if I play well hopefully I will get my name recognised.
"I am ambitious and like to compete with people better than me. I like a good challenge. I am inspired by the likes of Rory Mcllroy who has recently won the US PGA Tour in the Quail Hollow Championship ... and he just turned 21!"
The St. Christopher's School student who lives in Saar had been playing golf since the age of two after his dad Barry bought him a set of plastic clubs.
When his family moved to Bahrain in 1997 he started training with the Royal Golf Club's head PGA teaching professional and GulfWeekly sports columnist Chris Kelby. Now he plays with a handicap of 5 and has won a number of competitions such as the Arcapita Seniors Tour Pro-Am winner and the 2010 Overall Royal Golf Club Junior Winner.
"My goal is to be a professional in the PGA Tour in either Europe or America," he said.
Al Borshaid, a keen supporter of junior golf, is also geared up for the tournament.
He developed an interest for golf at the age of 13 and currently plays off a handicap of 11. He is a proficient player on both sand and grass courses.
He also has been involved in many school activities through the Abdul Rahman Kanoo International School and worked alongside the Royal Golf Club's golf operations team in the academy and bag store as a course ranger last summer.
In 2009, Al Borshaid represented the Bahrain National Junior Golf Team in various competitions nationally and abroad. He said: "At first I didn't enjoy the game but my father, Isa, encouraged me to play. Now I'm looking forward to representing the Royal Golf Club and Bahrain in this tournament. It will be great to be involved in an internationally-acclaimed competition and represent my kingdom. I aspire to be like Bahraini golfer Nasser Yacoub. I hope one day to also play for the senior Bahrain National Team."
Royal Golf Club director, Phil Jones, said: "I have seen both youngsters perform to a very high standard this year and this international event will be their biggest test to date by far.
"Sam and Dhari are currently working hard on perfecting their games and I wish them both the very best of luck."
The young lads need BD3,500 to cover their expenses for the tournament. To help raise funds, the Royal Golf Club will host a fundraising event on June 4 when Dhari and Sam will take on all-comers in a betterball format.
l If readers wish to support the duo contact the club by emailing p.jones@theroyalgolfclub.com
