Jonathan Hewett was Clacton Golf Club junior champion in 2012 and club champion in 2013 and 2015. He joined the club as a junior at the age of 11.

For the past four years he has been studying for an economics degree whilst on a golfing scholarship at De Paul University in Chicago.

Now he is embarking on a career in professional golf on the West-Florida Golf Tour.

Before leaving for his scholarship in the United States he was a finalist at the 2012 Champions of England Golf’s National Skills Challenge.

Whilst studying for his A-levels at the Colchester Sixth Form College he was a two-time finalist at the British College Championship and took third place at the European Junior Open.

Looking back Jonathan said: “I did really quite well in my A-levels but was also very keen to progress a career as a golfer.”

The DePaul University golf team is called the Blue Demons. As a freshman in year one Jonathan helped the Nike-sponsored Blue Demons to the golf academic national. He has captained the team in the past year.

“My ambition has always been to join the US PGA tour and I am going to work very hard to achieve that. If I don’t make it I now have a really good degree to fall back on,” said Jonathan.

The world of professional golf is an exciting new chapter.

He said: “Breaking into the world of any professional sport is filled with uncertainty. There is always going to be expense attached to it.

“That is why being able to secure the support of corporate partners, such as Thompson Smith and Puxon (TSP) Solicitors, is vital to my chance of future success.

“I am very grateful to the directors at TSP, who are supporting me now, but who have also supported me in the past. I sincerely hope that I will be able to repay their faith in me with some success.”

His first “solo” event of the summer, whilst still an amateur, was the Cook County Amateur in Chicago, at the end of June, in which he lost in a play-off.

Hewett added: “It was not the first place I was after but I was still really pleased with my performance. Three days of 36 holes each day was a gruelling test. It was good to get the experience under my belt.”

At the end of July he moved to Tampa in Florida and is now practising in preparation for the West Florida Golf Tour. He already has six tournaments scheduled before the end of September.

He is relying on the support of corporate partners and private individuals (via his GoFundMe page).

- There is a bumper entry for the Suffolk Senior Championship at Bungay and Waveney Valley today.

There are eight former champions in the field include holder, Trevor Golton of Stowmarket.

The others are Phil Platten, Jon Marks (six times), Roger Taylor, Mark Jackson, Richard Newton, Dick Barton and Andy Whittaker.

There could well be another new name on the trophy. Stephen Whymark (Woodbridge), when fit, is the most consistent of the current Suffolk senior players.

Steve Crosby, winner of the Logan Trophy at Princes in 2002, is in this event for the first time. Trevor Hellyer, Nigel Fosker, Steve Mann and Graham Shillings will all fancy their chances.

Aldeburgh’s Mick Jones, winner of this year’s Seaton Robson Trophy, is also likely to be a strong challenger.

Home advantage often plays a part. The presence of two-handicap Paul Whiting may come as a surprise to the other front runners.

Whiting was a member at Bungay before moving house and joining Sheringham and Great Yarmouth.

During that time he won the Norfolk Senior Championship and represented their senior team.

Now he has rejoined Bungay. He will hope to add the Suffolk Senior title to his career successes.

- Suffolk under 16s play the final league match of the season against Essex and Norfolk on Saturday at Diss (1pm). Suffolk and Essex go into the match all square on points. A win for Suffolk against Essex and Norfolk will guarantee a place in the final in October.

The Suffolk squad is: Conal Downing, Oli Page (captain), Taylor Crisp, James Iron, Jack Butcher, Will Garland, Reegan Marshall, Ben Hembling.

- The final of the Stenson Shield between Aldeburgh and Woodbridge, the holders, will be at Bury St Edmunds on Saturday, September 9 (tee-off 9.30).

Bury St Edmunds will play Cretingham in the semi-final of the Beaumont Trophy at Felixstowe Ferry on August 22. The other semi-final between St Audrys and Cretingham will be hosted by Fynn Valley on the same day.

Quarter-final results: Gorleston 0 St Audrys 2, Haverhill 0 Bury S Edmunds 2, Stowmarket (holders) 0 Cretingham 4, The Suffolk 0 Brett Vale 6.