AFTER spending the last 12 consecutive years competing at the top table of European golf, Graeme Storm is taking a step in a new direction and wants young golfers from across the north to join him.

Storm, who will play the second round of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters today, has decided to put his name to his own competition for promising players to get a taste of competitive golf.

The Hartlepool Tour pro has officially launched The Graeme Storm Junior Open in association with Dyke House College and it will take place on Thursday, April 7, 2016 to coincide with the first day of the US Masters.

The 37-year-old hopes it will be a huge success and that it will become an annual event on the golfing calendar in the area for those between 7-18 years of age for an entry fee of £10.

“This is not to make me money, it’s to try to put something back in,” said Storm. “All the money raised will be going to the Finlay Cooper Fund charity and this is the next step in me doing more with junior golf.

“I would have loved something like this when I was younger. I was lucky enough to have been coached by Malcolm Cole at Hartlepool Golf Club until 1999 after my grandfather, Bill Trueman, had introduced me to golf.

“Malcolm had played in the Open and was a really good golfer, which helped, but after that I never really had the chance to speak with established Tour players about their experiences, to get advice really. That’s what I would like to do more of really.”

Storm, who is also a golf consultant at Hartlepool’s Dyke House College, thinks the North-East golf scene is developing nicely on the professional stage, but believes more can be done to nurture the talent of the future.

“It’s not about taking kids away from their coaches, I don’t want to do that, but I think I could help with a talented golfer’s development by offering them advice,” said Storm.

“Players are getting fitter, stronger and faster. I was brought up around good people, a good family but I was never brought up around fabulous golfers.

“I have been offering advice to the likes of young England golfer Jack Ainscough through my links with the College and hopefully that will play some part in him fulfilling his potential over the next few years.

“I have experienced what it’s like on the European Tour for more than a decade, the highs and the lows, so it would be great for me to be able to pass on more of those experiences – and hopefully my golf competition gives the young golfers of Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland and North Yorkshire an occasion to enjoy.”

Storm, who has had the support of Ryder Cup stars Justin Rose and Darren Clarke, has lined up TaylorMade and Druh Belts & Buckles to offer fantastic prizes. It will be an 18-hole tournament (nine holes for 7-10 year-olds) at Hartlepool Golf Club across three different age categories.

And by the time his Junior Open comes around in April the Rockliffe Hall attached Tour pro hopes to have made progress up the Race to Dubai rankings.

“I’ve missed two cuts out of three to start the year, which is disappointing,” said Storm, who will stay in the Middle East for the Omega Dubai Desert Classic next week. “I’m not shooting really low and I’m not shooting really high, but it’s not been a great start to the year.

“I am playing with a bit of rustiness. My golf swing is a little bit off at the minute, so it’s a case of ironing a few things out to get going again.

“I’m not trying to kid myself, for some reason it is the same every year with me. I keep starting slowly, hopefully it will just click into place sooner than normal and I can kick on from there.”

* For further information on the Graeme Storm Junior Open email graemestormjunioropen@gmail.com. There is a £10 entry fee, but is open to a wide range of young golfers.