'Development years' key to Rusbridge ambition

Charlie Rusbridge recently played in the R&A Amateur Championship at Moortown

Teenage golfer Charlie Rusbridge believes a professional career is a realistic possibility as long as he continues to make the most of his "development years".

The 16-year-old from Earls Colne, Essex won the English Amateur Under-18 title following a three-way play-off in Southport last month after finishing the championship on 11 under par.

And he will be back in West Lancashire this week, representing Great Britain and Ireland against Europe in the annual Jacques Leglise Trophy match.

"I treat it as pretty much a full-time job now but as long as I keep progressing there's not a massive jump from the level I'm at now, it's just slowly increasing (my skills) and as long as I keep doing that, I should be alright," he told BBC Essex Sport.

"It's been an absolutely manic year but to have some success is really cool. I started the year out in Portugal and won the Faldo Series. I went to the French boys' (championship) in late March and reached the semi-final and from there it's been pretty full on."

He continued: "These years are great, having fun and success, but it's really all development years for when I'm 22 or 23 and hoping to be ready to take my game to that (professional) level."

Rusbridge cites joint Open runner-up Justin Rose and Olympic silver medallist Tommy Fleetwood as players he looks up to - but also Essex tour pros Matt Southgate and Richard McEvoy.

"To see the pathways they've been on, it's not too far from the pathway I could be on," he said.

He first picked up a club aged three or four but football was his main sporting interest until the Covid pandemic in 2020.

"Golf really started for me then and since then I've been pretty obsessed with it. I started playing tournaments nationally, then internationally, last couple of years.

"It can definitely be lonely at times, it's all on you really, but I definitely enjoy the team element with England or GB and Ireland."

Rusbridge is coached by his father Scott, who says of his son's hopes of becoming a professional: "You've got to take one step at a time and if you're successful at each of those steps on the ladder, there's a good chance you are going to make a career out of it."

He added: "I'm a golf professional by trade but unfortunately had to forego the mantle of being the best golfer in the family probably about 18 months ago - it was a tough moment!"