9:55am Friday 20th June 2008
By Gary York
DEFENDING Harold Ryden Trophy champion Steven McGlynn admits he would love to follow in the footsteps of fellow Lancastrian Nick Dougherty.
The Blackburn teenager begins the defence of his Harold Ryden title tomorrow on the back of a whirlwind last 12 months that has seen him take America by storm.
After landing the prestigious ELGA trophy last June, the 19-year-old started a two-year scholarship at the highly-regarded Indian Hills Community College in Iowa.
And across the Atlantic, Rishton-based McGlynn has gone from strength to strength, winning a string of tournaments and being ranked by the sport's top coaches as one of the country's best college golfers.
The former St Augustine's RC High School student has now set his sights on three more years in America, before hopefully earning a European Tour card.
Dougherty, who rose through the ranks at Shaw Hill in Chorley, turned professional at 19 after an outstanding junior career, and McGlynn is aiming to reach similar heights.
"When I was younger, I used to watch Nick Dougherty at Shaw Hill and I spoke to him a couple of times," he said. "It would be great to do what he has done.
"Once I've finished college in Iowa, then I'd go to one of the universities in America for another two years. Then I'd look to get on the European professional circuit.
"It would be great to have the opportunity of being on the circuit, but it will only come if I'm playing well enough. I also need a little bit of backing, and a bit of fortune too."
A handful of leading US universities are monitoring McGlynn's progress Stateside, most notably the University of Florida, whose golf alumni includes current PGA Tour aces Chris DiMarco and Columbian Camilo Villegas.
Their heads were turned after the teenager's streak of tournament victories - the William Jewell Invite and Indian Hills Invite - earned McGlynn Ping All-American honours.
"It's been great in America," he added. "I've enjoyed my time and my golf is improving, which is the main thing.
"My short game needed strengthening and I've been working a lot on that to lower my scores."
Back in Lancashire, McGlynn is determined to augment his burgeoning reputation by defending his Harold Ryden Trophy title at Burnley.
He clinched the coveted silverware 12 months ago at Pleasington, defeating Mark Ashworth 2 & 1 in an impressive shoot-out final.
Helped by his caddie father Mark, McGlynn must see off a 46-strong field that includes previous champions Andy Westwell, Craig Fort and Michael Hunt to hold onto his title.
He said: "It was great to win last year.
"The Harold Ryden Trophy is something I'd wanted to win ever since I was a junior.
"Consistency is the key, but the most important thing is qualifying for the quarter-finals.
"But it's going to be difficult. There's a lot of good talent in the area."
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