TARPORLEY teenager David Lilley is set to tee off in a career as a professional.

The 18-year-old golfer is to become assistant to Portal Premier Golf Club professional Judy Statham, as he starts a three-year diploma course, in November, to become a fully fledged PGA professional.

David, a former Abbey Gate College student, is well known to Portal members, having just retained his club championship with a 36-hole score of 152, playing off a handicap of four.

He has been playing golf since he was 10 and in 1998 he was junior captain and champion.

Since he left school two years ago he has gained a distinction in a leisure and tourism course at South Cheshire College, which was a requirement to starting his golf diploma course.

Since then he has been working in the club shop at Portal Premier, something he will continue to do as well as learning the secrets of golf club repairs and doing some teaching.

He said: 'I would like to have a go on the tour circuit, but ultimately my aim is to teach tour professionals. I won t be able to do that until I am 35 to 40 years old, so I have a lot of experience to gain before that.'

David is also a keen cricketer, having played for Winnington Park, Oak -mere and Hartford, as well as the Cheshire schools team.