Will is in the hunt for honours at Gleneagles

Saunton Golf Club’s Will Hunt aims to make the most of playing Gleneagles before the world’s top golf stars converge on it for the Ryder Cup next year.

The Barnstaple-based amateur teams up with experienced head PGA Professional Albert MacKenzie in the £43,600 grand final from September 3-4 with the Devon duo competing over 36 holes on the PGA Centenary Course where the likes of Woods, Poulter and McIlroy will do battle next year.

And 19-year-old Hunt (pictured on right), who plays off a handicap of 19, cannot wait to take on the course.

He said: “It’s very exciting; it’ll be interesting to see the Ryder Cup teams play the same holes next year.

“And if we get birdies where they get pars then I can say I did better at that particular hole.

“That will all be part of the experience for me.”

Hunt knows he will be in safe hands with MacKenzie (left) who he has nicknamed ‘Oscar’ after Brighton & Hove’s new manager Oscar Garcia.

He added: “My family are all from Sussex so I’m a huge Brighton fan.

“I travel to games from Devon and got back at 5am after the play-off semi-final against Crystal Palace.

“Albert’s my ‘manager’ at Gleneagles so I’m calling him Oscar now!”

MacKenzie believes Hunt’s all-round sporting ability will put the pair in with a chance in Scotland.

He said: “It’s a real blend of youth and experience. But Will’s a good lad and he could have been a decent tennis player if he’d chosen that route.

“For me, this is an event that’s been on my ‘bucket list’ for some time.

“Early in my professional career, I used to travel back home to Scotland and must have passed Gleneagles in my car maybe 50 times. But I never played there.

“This is going to be a real thrill for me.”