WHEN Trefloyne’s eight-year-old Liliwen Thomas won her age category at the internationally- renowned Faldo Futures Tour last week at Swansea Bay, it brought her an immediate invitation to the Regional Final on May 25th at Bradford upon Avon.

That’s now the only event standing between Liliwen and the Grand Finals at The Belfry at the end of August, where alongside his prestigious European Junior Tour, Sir Nick Faldo hosts the UK Masters.

To qualify she carded a fantastic 46 gross for the 9-hole course, not only winning the 8-and-unders outright, but also finishing in the top third of the whole field of players, up to age 12.

But Liliwen has decided she’s not going to the Faldo Futures Regionals in May.

It’s not she’s not up to it; it’s because she’s already got a game booked on that date

That’s when she’s off to the USKidsGolf European Championship Finals at Longriddry Golf Course outside Edinburgh, which she qualified for with a series of wins last year at courses across South Wales.

Liliwen certainly wasn’t going to miss the chance of playing in such a prestigious event, and when she told the Faldo Futures Tour they wanted to make sure she plays in their event as well, and offered her other venues.

So she is going to the Faldo ball – in Castle Royle Golf Club in Reading, on June 14th.

Liliwen’s Great-grandfather, Mel Neale, would be so proud. He was a great character – a much-loved Captain at Trefloyne, who supported junior golf and gave the trophy that bears his name, played for at the Trefloyne Junior Open in August.