FIVE golf clubs from across the North-East have been given a chance to get involved in one of the biggest tournaments to have ever graced the region.

When Close House, on the outskirts of Newcastle, hosts the British Masters in September the warm up events will have already been well underway.

And it has emerged that Close House and resident European and PGA Tour golfer Lee Westwood will host a Junior Masters during the build-up.

Just two days before Westwood and Co tee up for the first round of the British Masters on the Colt Course, some of the most promising golfers around will have already competed for their own crown.

The Junior Masters will take place on September 26 in a bid to showcase the youngsters with the potential to go on and become European Tour stars in their own right.

To try to get more young people playing, the Junior Masters will be reaching out to the seven clubs from across the north – five of them from the County Durham and Northumberland – to host qualifiers for the event.

Seahouses will host the first qualifier on April 12 when it will double up as the Northumberland County Spring meeting; on the same day as the US Masters begins at Augusta.

After Close House’s Junior Open provides its own qualifier on May 30, the third of them will be held at Middlesbrough on July 28.

There will then be further qualifiers, both Junior Opens, held at Westwood’s hometown Worksop course and in Carlisle on July 31.

The qualifier calendar will then return to County Durham for the final two qualifiers to take place at Durham City on August 21 and then Seaton Carew on August 30.

Westwood said: “The Junior Masters is a great way to involve youngsters in the tournament and promote golf in the north of England.

“Both myself and Close House want to see kids getting excited about the game, and what better way to do this than offer them a chance to actually be a part of the tournament and play with some of the best golfers in the world?”

There will be three age sections for qualification to the final Junior Masters at Under-12s, Under-15s and Under-18s level.

Two boys and one girl will qualify from each section to the main event and the plan will be to see 70 players participate in the Junior Masters Final on September 26 at Close House, where Westwood will be on hand to present the prizes himself.

The overall winner will also be awarded a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play alongside international tour stars in the British Masters Pro-Am the next day. All junior entrants will also be invited to watch the Hero Challenge floodlit event on the Tuesday evening.

“This is a huge opportunity to have a positive impact on junior golf within the region for years to come,” said Graham Wylie, owner of Close House, and a huge golf fan.

“We want to establish the Junior Masters as an annual event going forward and continue working to promote the game throughout the north even after the British Masters has moved on from Close House.”

Close House has already established itself as a force within the golfing world, showing their commitment to supporting players’ progress in the game by offering free junior coaching to 37 schools in the local area, and playing host to The Looker Championship EuroPro Tour event later this July.

The qualifiers contacts: Seahouses: Ian Harrison – 0191 2363465, harrison821@btinternet.com; Close House: Kerry Watson - Kerry.watson@closehouse.co.uk; Middlesbrough: Kath Neely – 07576406620, prneely@btinternet.com; Worksop: thesecretary@worksopgolfclub.com – 01909 477731 (option 1); Durham City: Jeff Shield – 0191 378 0069, enquiries@durhamcitygolf.co.uk; Seaton Carew: Dave Westmoreland - davewesty62@gmail.com.