The 17-year-old Bicester Community College pupil was named in the Welsh girls squad following a strong showing in their under 18 championship.

Watkins also won the ladies and junior titles at Bicester, finished second to Katherine O'Connor (Frilford Heath) in the Oxon girls' championship and cut her handicap from six to 4.9.

For good measure, she teamed up with clubmate Vicky Shepherd to finish second in the Ping Ladies Tournament of England grand final at Forest of Arden.

Watkins said: "I want to turn pro, but I need to go to a golf college in the UK first and hopefully then one in America.

"I have been playing for four-and-a-half years, but I didn't really think about turning pro when I first started.

"I am quite surprised at my progress, but it is down to hard work really.

"I have lessons with my coach Andy Charlton at Studley Wood once a week. I have training with the county and the Welsh squad once a month."

Watkins was a keen footballer, but took up golf at the same time as her dad Mark, who is also a Bicester member.

Next year she will be Oxfordshire girls captain, but for the moment she is practising as much as possible while studying for her A-Levels.

Watkins added: "I have a Welsh training session this week and then in February we are off to Desert Springs in Spain for warm weather traing, which should be nice."

By Ed Mezzetti (Oxford Mail)