A YOUNG golfing star from Worcestershire is set to take on some of the world’s best junior players at a major tournament in Scotland this summer.

Ten-year-old Lucy Walton, from Hanley Swan, near Malvern, will be representing the Worcestershire Golf Union in the girls 10 section of the US Kids Golf European Championships in June.

Walton came 10th in her age group in the 2009 tournament and will be looking to break into the top five this year.

More than 500 players from 30 countries will compete at the event, which is Europe’s premier tournament to showcase the next generation of superstars.

The competition will see some of the best young golfers from across the globe battling it out for the title of US Kids Golf European Champion, as well as coveted places in the US Kids Golf World Championships at Pinehurst Golf Club, North Carolina, later this year.

The tournament, which takes place from June 1-3, will be played on four historic courses in East Lothian — Gullane Number Two, Gullane Number Three, Craigielaw Golf Club and Longniddry Golf Club — which are modified for each age group in order to provide the same level challenge.

This means holes are progressively shorter as the age groups get younger. It ultimately allows the players to reach the greens in the same number of strokes as the top pros on the PGA tour.

The top finishers in each category will then compete in the Van Horn Cup over Gullane Number One — a showpiece event, modelled on the Ryder Cup, where the best European players are pitted against the top non-Europe golfers.

The top five finishers in each age and gender group also automatically receive an invitation to the US Kids Golf World Championships at Pinehurst.

This year’s competition has also been expanded to allow 15 to 18-year-olds to compete for the first time.

Dan Van Horn, president and founder of US Kids Golf, said: “We’re delighted to be coming back to East Lothian once again to stage the US Kids Golf European Championship.

“Last year’s event was a tightly-contested tournament and I expect the standard of play at this year’s event to be even better.

“It’s great that Lucy is representing her local golf union at this year’s tournament, which will once again be staged on some of the most stunning courses in the home of golf.”