Charley Hull – winner of the first Rose Ladies Series event at Brokenhurst Manor – got to play with Somerset’s Mimi Rhodes, one of England’s top young talents. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

MIMI Rhodes made a spectacular first impression on LPGA and Solheim Cup star Charley Hull at the opening event of the Rose Ladies Series.

The 18-year England women’s squad player’S booming drive found the green at the 308-yard, first hole at Brokenhurst Manor.

Rhodes’ eagle putt from 25 feet then struck the flag – but agonisingly hopped back out the hole to leave the Somerset ace with a tap-in birdie.

No wonder Hull had a broad grin on her face. Her own aggressive style of play as an amateur was a portent of things to come on the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA where the Woburn golfer now plays.

Yet if Rhodes made a positive early impact on Hull – she also birdied the second hole to take the early tournament lead – it was nothing compared to the lasting impression the woman ranked 25th in the world made on the young England international.

Hull went on to win the event after making birdie at the first play-off hole.

The former Kettering junior pipped tournament organiser Liz Young on her home course – after the duo finished the regulation 18 holes tied with level-par 70s.

Twenty-four-year-old Hull received the trophy and a £5,000 cheque from Kate Rose, wife of England Golf ambassador Justin, on Thursday.

The couple agreed to sponsor the event, initially, before turning Young’s idea into an eight-round series over the next two months.

Rhodes was watching her every step of the way – eager to pick up any bits of advice and insight to help with her own progress in the game.

Rhodes, who played in the Junior Solheim Cup against the USA at Gleneagles, in September, was not disgraced shooting a five-over par 75 on a very tough set-up.

Mimi Rhodes – winner of the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship – at Quinta do Lago Golf Club in November. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Seventh heaven for Rhodes sisters

THE winner of last year’s Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Championship finished in a tie for seventh place in the inaugural Rose Ladies Series event in the New Forest.

As one of only three amateurs in the field of 47 players at the Brokenhurst Manor Women’s Open, her finish was highly creditable.

And she had sister Patience – who also qualified for the 2019 Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Championship finals – on the bag.

Rhodes admitted watching Hull at close proximity for 18 holes was the major positive she will take from the day.

“I desperately wanted to play well in front of Charley. My sister was on the bag and telling me to calm down,” joked Rhodes, a member at Burnham and Berrow GC.

“At the first hole I was really nervous. But I guess there was a bit of adrenaline too.

“In practice my drive at the first was close to the green.

“Then in the event I had 310 yards to the front and I boomed one – and it finished pin high.

“It was a bit awkward with players still on the green.

“My putt was from 25 feet. It hit the pin and was knocked out. Charley was laughing. The birdie settled me down.

“I had watched Charley play at the Solheim Cup last year, but never met her.

“She was obviously concentrating on her own game. But when we were walking between shots she was really friendly and the conversation felt really normal and that helped me settle.

“I was watching her play really intently. I was also listening to how her and her caddie made decisions during the round.

“My sister could have learned a lot.”

Big year ahead for America-bound Mimi

Mimi Rhodes and her sister Patience at the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championship. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

THE England international – who is bound for the USA in the autumn – is confident her first pro event will be a huge benefit in the coming months.

“I always wondered how my game would compare to these players, and playing with Charley helped me realise a few things.

“It has given me confidence that I have enough distance in my game to keep up – but the big area of difference is the short game.

“It really opened my eyes to where I need to get to in the future.

“I tightened up around the green and had five putts of around 10 feet for birdie that I didn’t take,” said Mimi.

”So I can take a lot from the experience.

“It was really good that Justin sponsored the event to give women professionals and amateurs the chance to compete in such a great event.

“For him to take such an interest in the women’s game is a real positive for our sport.

“I had time to meet his wife Kate and thank her for their support, which we all truly appreciate.”

Mimi offered golf scholarship place in North Carolina

MIMI Rhodes has decisions to make about what direction her season will now take during the summer.

She has options to play a couple more events in England – or head to America for the US Amateur.

Whatever route the England Women’s squad member takes, it does appear that her career is following an upward trajectory as she prepares for a move to America to play college golf.

Rhodes revealed: “I’m going to Wake Forest in North Carolina at the end of August. I’m really looking forward to combining studies with golf.

“It’s an exciting time. Hopefully I can make progress toward my goal of eventually becoming a professional.”

The post Mimi ready to take the right Rhodes to top via Hull and back – and then Wake Forest appeared first on Golf North.

Justin Rose (right) wants to put something back into the game by sponsoring the Telegraph Junior Championship. Picture by ANDREW GRIFFIN / AMG PICTURES

HAMPSHIRE’S Justin Rose has lent his name to the competition that helped him on his way to stardom – The Telegraph Junior Championship.

And record-breaker Ben Schmidt is earning similar plaudits that followed the North Hants GC junior in the mid 1990s.

The Yorkshire teenager, who broke two big records earlier this summer by becoming the youngest player to land the English Strokeplay double, is the hot favourite for the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Championship, which gets under way at Portugal’s Quinta de Lago, today (Wednesday).

Olympic Champion Rose won the Hampshire Hog at his home club as a 14 year old, in 1995 before adding the McGregor and Carris Trophies at the English U16 and U18 Strokeplay Championships – a feat not matched since.

But Schmidt not only became the youngest-ever winner of the Brabazon Trophy at just 16 when he won the English Amateur Strokeplay at Alwoodley GC, in May, he then added the Carris a few weeks later at the English Boys Amateur Strokeplay’s spiritual home at Hertfordshire’s Moor Park.

In both instances, Schmidt broke records held since 1974 by Sandy Lyle, who won both the Brabazon and Carris as a 17-year-old.

Rotherham GC’s Ben Schmidt won the Brabazon, Carris and Sir Henry Cooper Masters in 2019

Having been named as a reserve for the Walker Cup, which Great Britain and Ireland lost to the USA at Royal Liverpool in September, Schmidt’s chance to break Fisher’s record has gone for good.

Now 17, the Rotherham GC member has been tipped for the top by Green Jacket winner Danny Willett, who hails from the same club.

Willett said of Schmidt, who also won Kent’s top Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters event at Nizels, in June, said: “This kid is destined for the big time.”

Willett’s caddy Samy Haywood was bemused by the R&A’s decision to not pick Schmidt in August, while another 16-year-old – Stoke Park’s Conor Gough – got the nod after winning the English Amateur at Hankley Common, the week before the team was picked.

Rose came through the same Hampshire junior programme that produced its first two Amateur Champions for the county in Harry Ellis and Scott Gregory in 2016 and 2017, and both players have looked up to Rose and his win at the 2013 US Open for inspiration.

Justin believes winning the Telegraph in 1997 put him firmly on the path to success in the professional game.

It was his first victory overseas and followed having become the youngest-ever Walker Cup player after his 17^th birthday that summer.

Justin Rose (right) won the Daily Telegraph Junior Championship in 1997

Rose revealed: “When I won this tournament it acted as springboard to me realising my dreams.

“This is an unofficial major in junior golf and you can see that by the quality of those who have previously won.

“In front of the TV cameras, this is their chance to put their marker down. People will take notice.”

Schmidt, who started the year some 5,000 places below his current World Amateur Golf Ranking of No. 8, has had some time to reflect on his success in 2019.

“It’s been crazy looking back on it, and, if I’m being honest, the amount of success I enjoyed this year has been unexpected.

“It all just clicked over the summer and everything changed for me in a matter of weeks.

“I just got on a roll. I came out of winter training and made a decent start to the season, despite not having played competitively for a few months.

“I won the Yorkshire Boys in May, which was a real boost and it progressed from there.

“Once I won that first event, I started every tournament thinking only about the win. I just had so much confidence,” added Schmidt, who is favourite to follow Rose by winning the Telegraph Junior Championship title this week.

Rose, who now lives in the Bahamas, knows that feeling after his first golden season in 1995 which saw him win two national championships as well as the famous Hampshire Hog.

Rose said: “This is a nod to where I’ve come from. I have done lots of charitable work in the US.

“But this is my first way of trying to give back to golf in the UK – and its really important to me.

“The championship is 35 years old and – as well as me – there have been some other winners who have gone on to big things.”

Those past champions include Sheffield Ryder Cup player Matt Fitzpatrick and Essex’s Oliver Fisher – who broke Rose’s record as the youngest Walker Cup player in 2005, in Chicago.

Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood finished second when he reached the Daily Telegraph finals.

In the women’s game, Ladies European Tour winner Carly Booth, Solheim Cup winner Jodi Ewart-Shadoff and former England Girls Champion Melissa Reid, who has played in three Solheim Cups, are past winners of the Daily Telegraph Girls’ Championship,

Yorkshire’s Rebecca Hudson, who dominated English amateur golf in the 1990s and early 2000s, claimed the trophy three times in four years.

Rose, who announced his sponsorship of the event back in March added: “The quality of those champions shows it is run incredibly well, and I wanted to get behind a well-oiled machine.

“But I would still love to help to grow it. We’ve added some players and some spots to the field this year, and my aim is to see different categories going forward – and to broaden its reach.”

Other names to watch this week in the Algarve are Worcestershire’s 2018 Reid Trophy winner Hugh Adams, from Hagley GC, and Bishop’s Stortford’s Max Hopkins, the Telegraph Champion in 2017.

The increase to 12 finalist spots for 2019 is not the only first – Somerset sisters Mimi and Patience Rhodes, who are members at Burnham and Berrow, will become the first siblings to play in the final – of either sex.

They will be watched by grandmother Susan, who has been recovering from cancer treatment, but was well enough to see them play for Europe in the Ping Junior Solheim Cup, at Gleneagles, in September.

England junior international Mimi was fifth in qualifying at the Women’s Amateur, at Royal County Down, in June, and third in qualifying for the Girls Amateur Championship at Panmure, in August.

Rhodes sisters, Banday and Scanlon all write history in girls’ event

THE increase to 12 finalist spots for 2019 is not the only first – Somerset sisters Mimi and Patience Rhodes, who are members at Burnham and Berrow, will become the first siblings to play in the final – of either sex.

They will be watched by grandmother Susan, who has been recovering from cancer treatment, but was well enough to see them play for Europe in the Ping Junior Solheim Cup, at Gleneagles, in September.

England junior international Mimi was fifth in qualifying at the Women’s Amateur, at Royal County Down, in June, and third in qualifying for the Girls Amateur Championship at Panmure, in August

Surrey’s Rafiah Banday is sure to attract the Sky TV cameras over three rounds on Quinta do Lago’s North Course, as the Wembley-raised teenager, who is a member at Royal Mid-Surrey, will play in a hijab, confirming the growing diversity of golf in the UK.

Huddersfield’s Charlotte Heath won the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters in 2018

England junior internationals Charlotte Heath, Rosie Belsham and Banday will have their eyes firmly on the prize this week, while Welsh international Darcey Harry will have similar ideas.

But it is The Buckinghamshire’s Roisin Scanlon, who makes history after becoming the youngest finalist in the Telegraph’s history at the age of just 12.

Scanlon has a reputation for enjoying competing against the older girls at county events and junior opens despite not even being a teenager.

All the players have come through a number of qualifying events across the country this summer, with the lowest 12 scores against par booking their seats on the plane to Portugal.

Finalists: BOYS – Ben Schmidt (Rotherham), Hugh Adams (Hagley), Aaron Marshall (Lisburn), Rhys Wallace (Handsworth), Cameron Adam (Royal Burgess), Miles Gray (Etching Hill), Jack Kelso (Kings Hill), Craig Passmore (Torquay), Henry Hayward (Kedleston Park), Oscar Fuentes (Bearwood Lakes), Calvin Holmes (Quinta do Lago).

GIRLS – Charlotte Heath (Huddersfield), Rosie Belsham (Whitley Bay), Rafia Banday (Royal Mid-Surrey) Evanna Hyde (Lundin Links), Carmen Hall (Aboyne), Darcey Harry (Vale Resort), Chloe Haesler (Broadstone), Lily Hirst (Woodsome Hall), Roisin Scanlon (The Buckinghamshire), Grace Rigby-Walden (Gerrards Cross).

Last year’s Telegraph Junior Championship winners Barclay Brown (Hallamshire GC) and Enville’s Sophie Johnson. Picture courtesy of DAILY TELEGRAPH

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