TEENAGER Lily Downs will be targeting international glory next week when she heads to Quinta do Lago in Portugal to compete in the final of the Telegraph BMW Junior Golf Championship – the world’s largest junior golf event.

The North Yorkshire golfer, who qualified after recording a three-under-par round at Pannal in a competition in August, will line-up against the cream of Britain's top up-and coming golfers for the chance to lift the title at the prestigious resort.

2014 European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley will take time out from his preparations for next year’s event at Gleneagles to greet the 21 finalists who willgather at Quinta do Lago for the climax to this year’s championship from October 9-11.

Previous winners have included the likes of the US Open champion Justin Rose and stars of the men’s and ladies’ tours in Europe, Oliver Fisher, Melissa Reid and Carly Booth. Every year, thousands of youngsters take part in the competition to vie for final places – 12 for boys and nine for girls.

Downs, 16, is one of only nine girls from England to have qualified for the finals. In April she won England Golf’s ladies silver rose spoon for the best nett differential score when she recorded 68 in a Junior monthly medal. This followed in July when she broke the Ladies course record at Romanby with a gross 72.

She has played for Yorkshire Ladies second team and her latest achievement is becoming the Ladies Gross Champion at Romanby for the second year running.

EIGHT boys and eight girls have been named in the England Golf North Region squad after impressing in trials at Matfen Hall.

The squad, to be coached by reputable Scotland coach Kendal McWade and assisted by North Region manager Bryan Ross, is heavily laden with Durham golfers.

Bishop Auckland's Jessica Hall is joined by Alex Stevenson (Beamish), Natasha Slater (Furness), Kitana Hollins (Ramside), Briony Bayles (Bishop Auckland), Aimee Goodlad (Castle Eden), Caitlin Whitehead (Kendal) and Niamh Lendrum (Parklands).

In the boys team Hartlepool's Jack Ainscough and Cameron Wallace – who has won Seaton Carew’s Order of Merit in his first season in senior club golf - will be attending alongside Hexham's Matty Lamb, Boldon's Ricky Lamb, Appleby's Nick Sowerby, Close House's James Wilson, Wynyard's Ben Bailey and Eaglescliffe's Williams Skipp.