Young Lewis wins leading golf tournament after he agrees to cut in handicap

Apr 30 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

Young Lewis wins leading golf tournament after he agrees to cut in handicap

HAMILTON teenager Lewis Preston won the handicap section of the annual Boys’ Spring Meeting at Carnwath Golf Club on Sunday – despite having to drop his handicap by three.

Lewis (13) plays off an 18 handicap at Hamilton Golf Club but was told there was a ceiling of 15 for the prestigious Lanarkshire Golf Association competition.

The youngster was up against much older opposition, making his round of 67 all the more impressive as he won by a shot.

His grandfather and caddy on the day, Matt Preston (57), was delighted with Lewis’ performance.

He said: “I’m over the moon for Lewis. He has the potential to be a good golfer, but to do what he did was just remarkable.

“He plays off 18, but the ceiling was 15 and he was asked to cut it down to that.

“He was up against several Scottish junior internationalists and a lot of them arrived in their own cars for the tournament.

“That didn’t faze him. He just loves playing golf.”

Matt, whose son Hugh (34) and daughter-in-law Lisa (34) are Lewis’s parents, added: “Riccarton’s committee asked him if he wanted to take part in the tournament alongside a few other boys.

“He has now been asked to take part in two or three different tournaments in the summer.

“Because of this win, Lewis’s handicap will be cut from 18 to 16 and that means he’s eligible to take part in the Scottish boys under-14s.

“Lewis just loves playing golf. He started at eight but that was just playing about on the parks.

“He joined Larkhall Golf Club at 10 and when I got in at Riccarton I took him with me.”