GOLF: SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD Will Reid has left school to follow his dream of making it as a professional golfer.

The five-handicap former Tarporley High School pupil began his A-Level studies in September but quickly realised his heart lay on the fairways of Sandiway Golf Club and not in the classroom.

Now he hopes the big decision pays off as he practises and plays full-time.

Will, from Winsford, only started playing three years ago when his dad Mike, also a member at Sandiway, introduced him to the game.

The modest Liverpool football fan, who also has membership at Portal Premier, said: 'Ever since I started playing I have always wanted to be a professional. It is too soon to say whether I'll make it as a playing professional but I certainly hope to have some involvement in golf as a career.'

Will was playing off an eight handicap 12 months ago and he hopes this will have dropped down to three by the end of the 2006 season.

In March he jets off to the Middle East when he will spend three weeks teaching Physical Education to pupils at the English Academy School as well as playing golf at Sahara Golf & Country Club, in Kuwait.

'My auntie and uncle live out there,' explained Will. 'They helped set it all up for me. It should be a great experience. I don't really know what to expect, but I'm really excited,' he said.

Early indications are that the decision to leave school may have been a good one.

Last month he bagged his first hole-in-one when he aced Sandiway's third hole while playing with club professional Gareth Jones.

Will said: 'I hit a five-iron but didn't see it go in because we were playing directly into the sun. When we got up to the green I saw my pitch mark just behind the hole. I thought it must have run through the back. Gareth went running up to the hole and started shouting that the ball had gone in. It was a great feeling.'

He has also just been selected for the Cheshire junior team.

Will gets dropped off by his mum Alison at the Cheshire club each morning and spends up until lunchtime on the practice ground. He then plays each afternoon.

He is heavily involved in the junior section at Sandiway and was last month named junior captain.

'It feels good to be the captain. I am now part of the junior committee too,' Will said. He added: 'People at the club have been very supportive, particularly the junior organiser Chris Mitchell. She has given me a lot of encouragement and has helped me to enter a number of competitions for the coming year.'

Will, who has a 12-year-old sister Faye, has been fortunate to play the region's top courses already. He lists Royal Liverpool and Royal Birkdale as two of his favourites.

'Royal Liverpool was wet and windy which made it very, very tough. Birk-dale was lovely and it would be amazing to try and qualify for the Open Championship when it is there in 2008,' he said.

With former European Tour star Paul Affleck, who once led the Open Championship after nine holes, as his coach, he could not be in better hands.