FREDDIE McKenna is a ten-year-old golfer with a pedigree background.

His dad John is the PGA professional at Northumberland club Tynemouth, mum Kim is a former England international and his uncle, Steve McKenna, is the pro at the City of Newcastle club.

Freddie is competing in the North of England Under-14 Open which starts tomorrow at the South Moor club in Stanley, County Durham.

A pupil at King’s Priory School in Tynemouth, he plays in midfield for the North Shields Juniors football team.

He’s already an 18-handicap golfer and Kim said: “Freddie loves his golf and spends all his holidays at our club at Tynemouth with his friends.”

John said: "I cannot see anything of Kim or myself in how Freddie plays golf, he’s very much got his own style and he gets a lot of fun out of the sport.

“He enjoys his football as well and we had a great time this year going to watch North Shields win the FA Vase at Wembley.”

Freddie is playing in the Under-12 section of the 54-hole tournament at South Moor, which has attracted entries from Hong Kong, South Africa and Spain.

Also on the tee is Hexham’s Northumberland Under-14 Champion, Joe Robson, grandson of former Newcastle, Sunderland and West Ham footballer Pop Robson.

Eaglescliffe’s Will Skip is Durham’s main hope, having won their Under-14 title two years running.

The youngest player in the field is Freddie Bremner, a nine-year-old from the Warkworth club.

Favourite for the Under-14 title is England Boys player Barclay Brown, the defending champion from the Hallamshire club in Sheffield.

Last month Brown, competing at Under-16 level, finished fourth in the England Boys Open, one shot behind three players who went into a play-off.

Beamish Park’s Alex Stevenson, returning to her former club, is a strong contender to lift the girls’ trophy.