Draft:Frank Kennedy (golfer)

Frank Kennedy (born 2 October 2005) is an English professional golfer who currently plays on the DP World Tour as an affiliate member. He won the 2022 Portuguese International Amateur Championship as the youngest winner in the tournament's history aged 16 and won the 2023 the Lytham Trophy as the joint youngest winner in the tournament's history aged 17. He gained 3rd place in The Amateur Championship in 2023 losing to the eventual winner. In 2021, aged 15, he became the youngest ever player from GB&I to make the cut on a European Tour event at the Hero Open at the Fairmont St Andrews course.

Amateur Career
Kennedy started playing golf at the age of 7. His first significant victory came in the 2016 Doral Publix Junior Classic in the 10/11 age group at Trump National Doral, in Miami, Florida (also won by Rory McIlroy in 1998 ). He also won the US Kids Golf British Championship on consecutive years in 2016 and 2017. He further won the Wee WondersGrand Final at St Andrews Scotland in 2018. In 2019, aged 13, he won the Irish U14 Open Championship and was runner up in the Irish U16 Open Championship in the same year. In 2020, he won the Junior Honda Classic at PGA National Resort in Florida. He became a member of the England Golf Boys Squad and within 12 months the Men’s squad aged 15 years. In 2021 he won the George Henriques Salver award for the highest placed GB&I player under the age of 20 in the Brabazon Trophy age 15 at Ganton Golf Club. In 2022, he became the youngest ever winner of the Portuguese International Amateur Championship at Montado Golf Resort near Lisbon with a then Championship record score of 19 under and a course record of 8 under par on one of his rounds. In 2022, he was a member of the England Golf Boys Squad that took the silver medal in the European Boys' Team Championship at Golf Club St. Leon-Rot, Germany and later that year represented Great Britain & Ireland in the Jacques Léglise Trophy at Blairgowrie Golf Club, Scotland.

In 2023, his final year as an amateur golfer, he won the Lytham Trophy, becoming the joint youngest winner in the tournament’s history age 17. Later the same year he competed in The Amateur Championship, taking third place after losing to the eventual winner in a close fought semi-final. He turned professional ranked 41st in the World age 17 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking(WAGR) - the 3rd highest ranked player 18 and under in the World and the Number 1 Junior player in Europe and North America.

Professional Career
He made his professional debut at the 2023 British Masters held at The Belfry Resort and made the cut finishing in 65th place. He had major winning caddy, Fanny Sunesson, on his bag for his debut professional event as he had when he had won the Lytham Trophy earlier the same year. During 2023, while establishing himself as a professional golfer, he played on the Challenge Tour, the European Tour and the Asian Tour gaining valuable career experience. At the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane, he achieved his first top 10 finish when he placed 7th at Royal Queensland Golf Club aged 18 years.

Coaches and Mentors
Kennedy spends a lot of time in Florida at his Jupiter base where he is coached by putting Guru, Brad Faxon, as well as Hall of Fame instructor, Jim McLean.