MORE than 100 golfers teed off to make Graeme Storm’s inaugural golf day a success at Hartlepool Golf Club.

Boys and girls from across the country competed for fantastic prizes and helped raise £2,500 for the Finlay Cooper Fund at The Graeme Storm Junior Open in association with Dyke House College.

Ben Brown, Angus Buchanan and Rio Jones won the three age categories as European Tour pro Storm and former Middlesbrough defender Colin Cooper looked on along with hundreds of spectators.

Storm said: “It was an unbelievable day, the weather could have ruined it, but everything has been superb, particularly the support from everyone who has come.

“Everything has run really well. We will do it again, 100 per cent. The standard of golf has been unbelievable, we have seen some great swings, real talent and the scoring has proved it.”

Cooper enjoyed watching the action unfold from start to finish and thanked Storm for choosing to raise money for the charity he set up ten years ago following the death of his son.

He said: “When you are a charity like we are, which is small and self-funding, every single penny that we receive goes straight out to the cause we support.

“Anything that was raised today, plus the kudos of Graeme wanting to use our charity, is brilliant. I have a lot of respect for him as a talented athlete, to team up with him for this is just an honour and privilege.

“Whatever the end figure happened to be I would have been just delighted he chose us and the people who know the Finlay Cooper Fund will know we will put this straight into helping other children. There have been some really talented boys and girls on show.”

Andrew Jordon, the executive principal of Dyke House College backing the event, said: “We are delighted to be involved with the patronage of the Graeme Storm Junior Open and pleased to see the phenomenal turnout from the young golfing talent of the north.”