GOLF: Hannah lands BBC award (From This Is Wiltshire)

GOLF: Hannah lands BBC award

2:12pm Monday 14th December 2009

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WILTSHIRE'S rising young golf star Hannah Turland has won the prestigious BBC West Young Sports Personality of the Year Award for 2009.

Turland, a member of the Tidworth Garrison club on the Wiltshire/Hampshire border, was nominated for the award by her local radio station, BBC Wiltshire, and only learned that she had been shortlisted when she returned from competing in the Daily Telegraph Junior Championship in Abu Dhabi late last month.

The awards ceremony was held at the University of Bath and Turland was among 250 special guests who included the contenders, all elite in their fields, for the other 11 categories in the annual BBC West awards list.

Tockenham showjumper Jessica Mendoza, 13, was also in the running for the award, alongside Swindon Town football youngster Alex Henshall.

Turland, presented with her award by Yeovil Town footballer Scott Murray, said: “I was a bit nervous, but it was a lovely evening and I was very relieved that I didn’t have to make a speech.”

The award marks the end of a spectacularly successful year for the 15 year old, who plays at Tidworth with a handicap of plus two.

She was just one shot short of winning the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship at Royal Aberdeen in August – a performance which brought her to number two in the English Girls’ Order of Merit. She is also 14th in the overall Women’s Order of Merit ranking.

As well as claiming the county champion’s title for the second year running, her other achievements this year include her major contribution towards England’s win at the Girls Home Internationals at Fairhaven in August, where Turland was unbeaten in all of her matches.

She was runner-up in her age group in the English Girls’ championships in July.

But for now she added: “I am off to Spain to relax with some friends and then get in some practice for the Andalucian Junior Open in Spain in January.''

MORE SPORTS NEWS IN THURSDAY'S GAZETTE & HERALD

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