Fionn, who started playing golf at just six years old, inspired by his dad’s trips to the golf course, is a member of Malone Golf Club and plays off an impressive handicap of 1. Having been selected as part of the Ulster team for the Inter-Provincial Championships numerous times and having represented Ireland at the English Under 14 (Reid Trophy) in 2019, Fionn has now set his sights on becoming a professional golfer. Lady Mary Peters said: “As we all know, local golfing talent has put Northern Ireland’s sporting ability on the global stage. It’s wonderful to see new faces like Fionn recognised and rewarded for their talent. “Motivating our young athletes is crucial - the dedication they give to their sport can mean that many sacrifices are made along the way. With that in mind, I am so pleased that the funding from Hughes Insurance has allowed us to award Fionn a bursary. I congratulate him on being selected and wish him all the best in his upcoming competitions and future career.” Fionn’s career plans are already in full swing and knuckling down to do well in his GCSEs is the first step in his sporting journey. “I start Year 12 in September, so I’ll work hard to balance my golf practice and studying for my GCSEs,” he said. “I want to play college golf in the USA after my A-Levels so I know I need to keep the grades up, as well as my performance on the course. “It will take a lot as my golf practice is already quite intensive. In the summer I spend most days at the golf course, working in the short-game practice area and playing holes. As the evenings will start to get darker earlier soon, and as I’ll be back in school, winter, my practice will be at the local driving range. “I love playing golf – I’ve made lots of friends and played some fantastic courses right across Europe. “Golf is largely an individual sport so getting the opportunity to play team golf is always a lot of fun and I’ve been lucky to have been selected so many times. “However, it is a very expensive sport to play competitively with a lot of travel required to take part in competitions so being selected by Lady Mary and her Trust is really good news.”
