Karate kid to fight for Portugal place

Karate champion Graeme Lennie is aiming to fight his way into the final of the Lombard Trophy in Portugal just twelve months after returning to the golf course.

Lennie, 25 from Newburgh, has fought for Scotland at numerous world and European championships since getting his first belt aged six.

A keen golfer as a child, he was forced to give up the sport to focus on his karate as he moved up through the ranks.

But he admitted that after watching major golf tournaments on TV he once again got bitten by the bug and signed up to Ladybank, where his father plays, choosing to undertake regular tuition with PGA Professional Sandy Smith, above.

He and Smith will now represent the club in the regional final at Crieff on June 16 after Lennie progressed from his club qualifier earlier in the summer.

The aim will be to secure a place in the £41,500 grand final, which will be held in association with Coca-Cola at Pestana Golf Resort in Vila Sol in September.

“It’s going to be a really good experience,” enthused Lennie, who works as an engineer and plays off a handicap of 18.

“I get on really well with Sandy. He taught my dad too so I’ve known him a long time. It will be really good to play alongside him at Crieff.

“I’ve really been enjoying getting back into my golf over the last year – I’m playing every weekend at the moment.

“I just got to the stage where I was watching it on TV and wanted to get back out there. I was on the waiting list at Ladybank for two years so I’m really happy to just be back playing again.”

Lennie admitted that playing in a national golf event will be a fresh experience for him.

“I’ve never really experienced anything like this before and I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

“I’ve had a few lessons in the run-up to it but I just want to go out there and enjoy it really.

“Obviously, though, it would be really nice to win.”

Other players competing in the regional final at Crieff include: Michael Rae and Darren Laing (a) (Drumoig), Graham King and Michael McKenna (a) (Easter Moffat), Keil Beveridge and Mark Stuart (a) (Kippie Lodge), David Torrance and Peter McGillivray (a) (Nairn Dunbar) and Alan Reid and Revie Thomson (a) (West Lothian).