JAMES Bolton has boosted his prospects of winning a golf scholarship in the United States with a storming start to one of the region’s most demanding tournaments.

The Bury A-level student currently lies third after eight of the 25 events in the Cleveland Srixon Northern Order of Merit after playing some impressive golf in difficult conditions, including victory at Wallasey in the seventh match in the series.

Modestly, the 18-year-old, who is attached to the Formby club but is also a member at Harwood, admitted he “got lucky” when he won the Frank Stableford Open on countback from Mark Young of Longridge after the pair were deadlocked on 68 points. But his four-over total for 36 holes on a day when it was a struggle to keep a grip on the golf club was no mean feat.

He had three birdies in the first round and eagled the 531-yard fourth hole in his afternoon round, despite deteriorating conditions.

“I was lucky because I got a nice draw and got out nice and early for the morning round when the weather wasn’t so bad,”

said the Bury College student.

“The afternoon round was a bit scrappy because it was hammering down and everything was so wet. I played pretty well but by the end it was all I could do just to keep hold of the club.”

The Wallasey win put him into the top three of the Northern Order of Merit which is led by John Carroll of Huyton and Prescot, the newly-crowned Lancashire Amateur champion, and he remained third when he again picked up points finishing 10th in the eighth-round – the Calvert Trophy at Ashton Lea – on Saturday.

Bolton, who has been playing golf for six years, is fast making a name for himself on the county scene. He finished runner-up in the Lancashire Links Trophy and tied for eighth in the Lancashire Amateur Championships.

When he finishes his A-levels he intends to spend the next 12 months concentrating on golf.

“I’m taking a year out and hoping to win a golf scholarship in the States,” he said.