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Loretto Golfer, Michael Hirmer, has achieved the remarkable feat of becoming runner-up in the prestigious Boys Amateur Championship.
The talented 16 year old, a member of Loretto School's Golf Academy, faced Euan Ferguson from Bearsden Golf Club on a blustery day marred by intermittent showers.
The historic links of Hoylake and Wallasey Golf Club played host to the 87th Boys Amateur Championship. Both courses presented some of the world’s finest golfers aged 18 or under with a stern test of traditational British links golf.
Royal Liverpool, known as one of Britain's finest links challenges, has a long history of hosting top amateur events. It has hosted The Open Championship 11 times with golf's oldest Major set to return in 2014.
Today's (Sunday, 18th August) 36-hole final had a distinctly Scottish tinge to it because Hirmer is currently at Europe's leading Golf Academy at Loretto School and he plays a lot of golf on the East Lothian links.
“To be honest I can’t quite believe I’ve made it all the way to the final,” said Hirmer. “When I shot 81 at Wallasey on Monday I thought I’d be going home before the match play, but my 69 here on Tuesday gave me a lot of confidence and I’ve been playing pretty well ever since."
Jonathan Hewat, Loretto's Director of External Affairs, added, "This is a tremendous achievement by Michael. He is a golf scholar at Loretto where he has been developing his golf and academics at the school for the last year. Michael has represented Loretto on many occasions including the schools National Finals in both the ISGA Championships and HMC Foursomes. Michael has developed his game in conjunction with his academic studies using the coaching at Loretto and the practice facilities at our host clubs Craigielaw and Archerfield."