Talented golfer Amy Sutheran has secured a vital sponsorship deal ahead of the English Amateur Championship arriving in the North-East next week.
Amy Sutherhan teeing off at Seaton Carew Golf Club.
Playing in competitions across the country can be a bit of a strain inside and outside the pro ranks, so having the opportunity to appear in the biggest England Golf event of the year on her doorstep is an unusual boost.
Last weekend she warmed up for the English Amateur, which is being held at Seaton Carew Golf Club and Hartlepool Golf Club for the first time from July 28-August 4, by appearing at the Walton Heath Trophy this week.
She played in the English Strokeplay Championship last year and appeared at the Wales Amateur.
And Amy, who is a member at The Wynyard Club and Seaton Carew, is grateful to have received financial support for the season from Plastic Processing Limited and is excited to be part of the town’s big week in the sporting spotlight.
“I am really looking forward to playing in it, it will be the biggest tournament I have played in so far,” said the 24-year-old, a former English Martyrs pupil.
“It is brilliant that it is being held locally because it rarely comes north. It’s so exciting to be part of and I’m focused on taking every round as it comes.”
Amy Sutheran in action.
More than 300 golfers, men and women, from around the world, will competing next week. As well as Amy, Wynyard and Seaton Carew’s Amy Burton and Hartlepool’s Brittany Hill are the locals due to tee off in the female competition.
Amy will initially hope to emerge from the qualifiers on Tuesday and Wednesday, played at Hartlepool and Seaton Carew, and then will focus on four rounds of knock-out match-play at Seaton Carew until the final on August 4.
The graduate from Colorado State University Pueblo, where she helped the golf team win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, will be cheered on by her family, including dad David, mum Patricia and grandma Mary.
She said: “Ultimately everyone wants to be playing on the Tour and that’s the goal. I am being realistic of where I am and how I am trying to get there. If I can do it, then I’ll do it.
“I am so grateful for the help I have received from Patrick and Frances Connolly's Plastic Processing (who also founded the Hartlepool based charity The PFC Trust). It’s so nice to be able to focus on practice.
“My family have helped so much over the years with my university golf scholarship in the United States and now I am back here as an amateur, it’s nice to be able to treat golf properly as an amateur without needing a full-time job.”
Amy Sutherhan teeing off at Seaton Carew Golf Club.
Patrick Connolly, the co-owner of Plastic Processing, said: “Amy was overwhelmed when we approached her, she didn’t come to us.
"We are incredibly proud to sponsor and support Amy on her journey through women's golf. We believe in supporting young talent, and we see Amy's dedication and passion over the years as an inspiration.
“We're excited to be a part of that journey and look forward to seeing her achieve her goals in the sport."
Amy, who is heading to the Olympics this summer to watch the golf, is supported by performance coach Stuart Parnaby, golf coach Alex Wrigley and everyone at Wynyard Golf Club. She has played since heading to the former Mayfair driving range Hartlepool with her dad during her primary school days.
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