Teen golfer Wan eyes new heights with college move

Nottinghamshire teenager Amelia Wan hopes to take her golf game to new heights with a move to college in the United States.

The 18-year-old, whose run of recent successes includes winning the Welsh Women's Stroke Play Championship by seven shots in May, will relocate her booming young career to Baylor University in Texas.

On a cold, grey and wet summer's day playing a round at Coxmoor Golf Club in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Wan explained why she sees the move as "exciting".

"It's good weather and a chance to play more golf," Wan smiled in between practice holes with BBC East Midlands Today.

But the move to Texas from the Nottinghamshire market town of Newark is more than just about sunshine, with a place at Baylor University exposing her to the highest level of college golf in America.

"I hope it pushes me, playing with better players from across the world," Wan said.

"This year I've got a better understanding of my swing, so I think going out there I will be able to play and know what I'm looking out for if I drop into any bad habits with my swing."

But before crossing the Atlantic to start her college career, Wan still has much to play for at home.

She is still aiming to make the cut in the European Ladies' Amateur Championship in Frankfurt this week, and remains in with a chance of reaching the Women's Open Championship.

When Wan flies back from Germany, the England Golf women's squad player will go directly to Pyle and Kenfig in Bridgend, Wales, for the final qualifying tournament for the Open at Royal Porthcawl, starting on 30 July.

"I'm going there wanting to make the top three to get into The Open, but I'm there for the experience and trying to play by best," Wan said.