The recipients of the inaugural Mayor’s Junior Golf Development scholarship were officially announced today at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast.

Teenagers Conrad Rafferty, Peter Lyon and Blaze Chapman received the inaugural scholarship which was presented to them by Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate.

The trio will now join the who’s who of golf at this year’s Open Championship at St Andrews.

"I’m really excited. Going to the home of golf St Andrews where the game first started is a one in a life time amazing experience," Conrad Rafferty said.

Rafferty took up golf at the age of 12 after being inspired by his father and in the space of 18 months dropped his handicap from 33 to 11 and now sits at 1.8.

In 2014 he represented Gold Coast Country Club in the men’s pennants and also finished well in the Adam Scott junior classic.

Peter Lyon has lived and breathed the game of golf since he was six and has been a member of the Gold Coast District Golf Association high performance squad.

In 2014 he represented the city in the Greg Norman Junior Masters, finished 37th at the Australian Amateur Championships and third in the Queensland Boys Championships.

Blaze Chapman, who averages 270 metres off the tee, is a member of the Surfers Paradise Men’s Pennant Team and has been an avid golfer since pre-school.

In 2013/14, Chapman captained a victorious Surfers Paradise Junior Team in the Gold Coast Districts Interclub Championship.

"I always dream of turning Professional, this is a great stepping stone for that," said Chapman

Thanks to the City of Gold Coast, Emirates and the PGA of Australia, each scholarship recipient will receive international flights and accommodation, together with tickets to the 2015 Open Championship and six one-on-one mentoring sessions with PGA Professional and PGA Chairman, Mark Gibson, who will also travel to Scotland with the winners.

"It’s going to be a great experience especially after all the Pro’s have just been through and to be going with a guy like Mark Gibson who’s been there and experienced it for a long time it’s going to be a great experience," said Peter Lyon.

The Mayor’s Junior Golf Development scholarship aims to nurture local sporting excellence and create positive ambassadors for the Gold Coast.

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