The eight-year-old Bridlington golfer said he had “more penalties than Ronaldo” but still emerged the winner of the Wee Wonders Championship in Scotland
George Rowell competing in the Wee Wonders Championship in Scotland(Image: Submitted)
An eight-year-old golfer from Bridlington has won his second junior title in the Wee Wonders Championship, closely beating his main rival – who is also one of his good friends off the course. George Rowell did not let a little drama put him off and even managed to triumph after taking a one-shot penalty at the championship final in East Lothian, Scotland.
George, who is also a keen swimmer, is a member at Bridlington Golf Club and this victory means he has qualified for the world finals at Pinehurst, North Carolina. He went to the states last year to compete in the tournament, finishing second and meeting fellow young golfers from all over the world. This time, he hopes to go one better. Having won his first Wee Wonders title in 2024 and then tied for the lead in 2025, only to finish second on countback, George was again competing in the Boys 7/8 category.
Dad Craig Rowell said: “He tries very hard for this competition. It’s more about the effort that he puts in, it’s about the dedication. George plays lots of sports, he started playing golf when he was three years old. From the age of three we used to go Bridlington Golf Club, to the little chipping green. He loved being outside.”
George Rowell won the Wee Wonders Championship despite taking a one-point penalty(Image: Submitted)
This year’s championship started with a little drama for George. On the second hold, it was pointed out that George may have infringed a rule while putting. Adjudicators agreed to make a final decision at the end of the round, leaving an understandably shaken George to continue without knowing his fate.
After a discussion with the rules official, it was suggested that George should do “what he felt was the right thing”. George decided to take the one-shot penalty. That meant he finished the first round on 36, one over par, one shot behind the leader Louis Gavin from Northern Ireland.
This penalty made George more determined than ever to play well on the final day. True to its reputation, the Scottish weather threw strong winds and heavy rain at the finalists. However, George is used to playing golf at Bridlington Golf Club, so a bit of wind and rain wasn’t a problem. George and Louis – who seem to find themselves as the leading players in a lot of junior competitions – are good friends, despite both being extremely competitive. They found themselves neck and neck going into the final round.
In the end, George won the championship by three shots. During his speech, he made light of his first-round drama saying he had “more penalties than Ronaldo”. This second Wee Wonders title for George leaves him just one behind US PGA champion Aaron Rai’s record of three. He hopes to head back to America where he can try to go one better than last year and emerge victorious at the World Finals.
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