Successful young Yorkshire golfer, Gabriel Ridgeway, aged seven, is one step closer to competing in the World Championships in USA in August after a donation from The Parklane Foundation, the charity set up by the Parklane Group, owners of Leeds Golf Centre, to support and improve the lives of others.

Following a successful year competing in various youth tournaments, Gabriel has been invited to North Carolina for the prestigious World Championships. The opportunity, although extraordinary, is extremely costly and unexpected by Gabriel’s family, who support his dream whole-heartedly but do not have boundless funds. Just this year, Gabriel’s golfing talent has taken him far: he was named champion at the European Junior Tour; he set a new Wee Wonders course record of shooting a 1 over par 28 at the qualifier event at Leeds Golf Centre; and played at the US Kids European Championships.

Leeds Golf Centre, where Gabriel has been learning the game with the Leadbetter Academy, has decided to donate £500 towards getting Gabriel to North Carolina for the tournament, as well as supporting his development with lessons to polish up his irons before the Championships.

Gabriel and his family have set up a GoFundMe page where they are looking to raise £2,500 for the trip.

Mareli and James Ridgeway, Gabriel’s parents, said: “We want to say a huge thank you to Leeds Golf Centre for all the support they have given Gabriel, getting him one step closer to realising his dream of being a professional golfer. It requires a huge financial and time commitment from us, so any support is greatly appreciated in order to make his dream possible. Gabriel has worked so hard over the last two years training and competing when and wherever possible, which has all led to his invitation to the World Championships in North Carolina, USA. He is very excited about the opportunity to compete against the world’s best 70 golfers and I am sure that he will do us all proud”.

Joe Feather, Academy Manager and PGA Professional at Leeds Golf Centre, added: “Gabriel is an incredibly talented young golfer, his technique and ability are very impressive. However, the thing that impresses us the most is Gabriel’s love and enjoyment of the game and his attitude towards his personal development, which is brilliant to see. He is an incredibly competitive young player, always wanting to better himself. He’s a pleasure to have up at Leeds Golf Centre and we’re committed to helping facilitate his path up through the ranks. With his parents James and Mareli working tirelessly to support him, and a forward-thinking Club behind him, we look forward to seeing how far he can go. We wish Gabriel and the family all the best for the tournament in USA and are delighted to chip in to help them get there!”