TWO sisters from the district are making a name for themselves in junior golf.

Zara Naughton shot to prominence last summer, when she won the British Wee Wonders Championships at St Andrews in Scotland.

Now the Ponteland Middle School pupil, who has just turned 13, is aiming to further reduce her handicap, which currently stands at a remarkable 3.7, to two or below.

Her sister Charlotte (10) is also making her mark on the junior golf scene, and both sisters were successful at the recent Northumberland Schools Golf Series event, which took place at at Matfen Hall, where they are both members, and are coached by Matfen Hall professional JJ Vallely.

Ambitious Zara has big plans for the season ahead, after a successful 2018 saw her qualify for the European Junior Championships in Spain, where she finished fourth.

She was also selected for the North of England regional U18 squad, and won the Durham Mixed Foursomes event alongside playing partner Will Marshall.

Zara said: “I want to perform well in the national events that I am competing in, especially at U14 level. I am aiming to qualify to compete in Spain again, and hopefully challenge for the title.”

Despite her tender years, younger sister Charlotte reduced her handicap to 17 last year, and was part of the Matfen Hall junior team which finished second in a county championship, and also qualified for regional finals last season.

She also competed at the British Wee Wonders at St Andrews, after winning both area and regional qualifiers, and won numerous events on the Northumberland Junior Tour. She also represented Northumberland in the inter-counties golf championships.

A member of the North Region Futures Golf Squad, Charlotte is looking to perform well in national events this year, and finish highly at the Kids European Golf Championships.

As well as Matfen Hall, both sisters play golf at Heworth Golf Club in Gateshead.

Away from golf, the girls have ponies, which they ride and compete on when they have no golfing commitments.

They both represent their school at cross country, athletics, netball and football, and also run for Newcastle-based Elswick Harriers.

l In the Northumberland Golf Series event at Matfen Hall, Zara was the overall girls’ gross score winner, while Charlotte won the Key Stage 2 (age 9-11) gross score prize. The nett prize in the category went to Jasmine Lee of Cullercoats Primary School.

Overall girls’ nett winner was Haylie Phillips, of Dame Allan’s School in Newcastle.

Jasmine Lee, of Cullercoats Primary School in North Tyneside, was the Key Stage 2 nett score winner.

The Key Stage 3 (age 11-14) gross category was won by Junior Dobson, of Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham. The nett prize went to Cameron Thoburn of Ponteland High School.

Alex Buchanan, of QEHS, was the gross score winner in the Key Stage 4/5 (age 15-18 category), with Daniel Bell of Dame Allan’s School taking the nett prize.

The competition attracted 72 competitors from 24 schools across Northumberland, and took place in spring-like conditions.