Teenage champion shares name and frame with superstar golfer

SUPERSTAR golfer and former child prodigy Rory McIlroy might be nicknamed Wee-Mac but now there’s another contender to the title.

Meet Rhys McIlroy, 14, who is already conquering the fairways – thanks to some tips his superstar near-namesake passed on when they met on holiday.

The seven-year-old had not long picked up a club and was trying to keep up with his dad, Robert, and older brother, Kyle, on the course when the family bumped into the four-time Major champion in Portugal.

The Northern Irish star was amused by their similar name and offered budding player, Rhys, a few tips.

Now, at the age of 14, Rhys from Paisley has a handicap of eight and is already lifting championship trophies. Last week he won the Turnberry Junior Handicap championship against stiff competition.

In the past two months he has been runner-up in his club’s junior championship, been a member of the winning team in the Lexwell Trophy for Renfrewshire juniors and won his club’s gents’ medal.

But Rhys only began to play golf seriously when his plans to become a professional footballer fell through.

He signed as a schoolboy player for Morton’s youth team.

However, an injury affected his playing and put paid to that and he was released by the Greenock club at the age of 12.

His mum, Sharon, said: “Rhys was devastated. However, he picked up his golf clubs and began practising at our local Elderslie Golf Club. He moved his focus from football to golf and we are hugely proud of him.”

Rhys said: “I was disappointed that my football career was affected by injury.

“I always enjoyed golf and people told me I had a good swing, but football was the priority.

“This year I focused on golf and with no football at all, it has helped me reduce my handicap.

“I’ll never forget meeting Rory.

“If I can get a fraction of his success, I’ll be happy.”

His dad, Robert, the captain at Elderslie, said: “As far as I know, we are not related to Rory, but he smiled when he realised we shared the same surname and encouraged the boys to keep playing golf.”