Rhys Pugh first came to our notice back in 2005.

He was then just 12-years-old and, along with Tim Harry from Dinas Powis, became the first Welsh junior to win the HSBC Wee Wonders Championship.

Earlier in the year he had already claimed the Welsh Under 13s Championship and was attracting the attention of then Welsh coach David Llewellyn.

Since those early heady days Rhys has gone from strength to strength. During 2007 he celebrated he 14th birthday but, from a golfing perspective, his achievements during the year have been quite spectacular.

In April he won the Glamorgan Under 18 Spring Meeting, claiming the Easter Trophy, came second in the South Wales Boys Spring Meeting and was selected for the Welsh Under 16 side. He duly won his match against his opponent from Yorkshire.

May saw more success. He won the South Wales Boys Under 15 Championship and also the Clwyd Amateur Championship becoming, at 13 years of age, the youngest player ever to win an Order of Merit event. In July he was again selected for the Welsh Under 16 side and also for the Welsh Under 18 team for the European Boys Championship in Denmark.

In August Rhys played for the Under 18 side in the Boys Home Internationals and despite a poor showing by the team he produced highly creditable performances in his matches over the Machynys course. That same month he won the Junior Welsh Open (Under 15s) at the Celtic Manor and qualified for the Faldo Series final.

At the Faldo Series Under 15 final in October Rhys finished in third place after a count back.

He was also part of the Glamorgan Under 18 team that won the Channel League final.

A member at the Vale of Glamorgan Rhys started the year with a handicap of 4.1. By the close of the season this was down to 1.3. Clearly Rhys Pugh is a young man with a great future ahead of him in the golfing world. 2007 has been a wonderful year for him - let's hope that 2008 is even better.

9:39am Thursday 3rd January 2008

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