Golf Monthly news digest

Welsh amateur makes US Open

Rhys Davies, became the latest surprise qualifier for next week's US Open at Oakmont. The former British Boys champion from the University of East Tennessee put in superb performance in Maryland. His rounds of 72 and 65 were good enough for the top qualifying spot.

Davies, 22 (pictured), finished ahead of PGA Tour players Joey Sindelar and Fred Funk who also qualified. Young Spanish star Pablo Martin (see below) also made it through but former Major winners Tom Lehman, Mark Calcavecchia, Mark O'Meara and Bob Tway all missed out.

British Blind Golf Open comes to Yorkshire

The English Blind Golf Association is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. As part of that celebration it is hosting the British Blind Open Championship and for the first time in its history the tournament will be held in Yorkshire.

The Championships, a 36-hole medal competition, will be held on August 7-8 at Fulford Golf Club. On August 6 there will be a pro-celebrity golf day and on the same day the Association is planning to hold a junior blind golf academy morning for the visually impaired children of Yorkshire.

For more information you can visit www.blindgolf.co.uk and if you are interested in sponsoring or helping in any way, please contact Malcolm Elrick, Neil Baxter or Derrick Sheridan through the website.

Pablo Martin turns professional

Following a highly-successful amateur career, rising Spanish star Pablo Martin has announced he is turning professional.

Martin, 21, from Malaga makes his pro debut at this week?s Stanford St Jude Championship on the PGA TOUR.

In April this year Martin became the first amateur to win on the European Tour when he claimed the Estoril Open de Portugal. The historic victory earned him an exemption on the European Tour that will commence when he establishes membership on Tour and will last through the 2009 season.

The Spaniard, who intends to compete on both the European Tour and the PGA TOUR via sponsor exemptions for the remainder of 2007, will be managed by sports, entertainment and media company IMG.

Royal Liverpool presented with three awards

The Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake is celebrating the winning of three prestigious awards.

The club, which last year hosted the 135th Open Championship, has been honoured for its contribution to tourism and the sporting life of Merseyside.

The Wirral Tourism Awards for Excellence gave Royal Liverpool the Wirral Tourism Ambassador Award; the Mersey Partnership Tourism Awards named the Open Championship as the Best Tourism Experience of the Year; while BBC Radio Merseyside delighted the historic Club with its coveted Scouseology Award for Sport.