YOUNG golfer Nicola Ford is on course for a place in the final of the prestigious Daily Telegraph/Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Junior Golf Championships at Sun City, South Africa.

Nicola, who is just 17, currently lies third in the girls rankings but with almost three months of qualifiers still to go, she faces an anxious wait to see if she will make the final nine.

Clubs from all over the country hold qualifying events and the top 12 boys and nine girls go through to the final, which has previously been won by Justin Rose and Andrew Coltart, both of whom will be flying out to South Africa in October to support the final.

More than 38,000 boys and girls took part in the qualifiers last year, with just 21 going through to the final, which was played at Sea Island, Georgia.

Burnley's Anthony Keenan qualified last year.

Nicola, who lives in Clayton-le-Moors and is a member at Shaw Hill, shot a five over par 80 at the qualifiers at Lancaster Golf Club.

Last year, a five over par score was enough to secure a place in the girls' final.

Other local winners of qualifiers have been Blackburn 16-year-old Corisande Lee, who shot an eight over par 79 at The Park Golf Club. She currently lies fifth in the girls rankings.

Darwen's Ben Main shot 77 to win the Wilpshire qualifiers, but it is not thought that a 77 would be low enough to qualify in the boys section.

Ben, 17, also won a qualifying round last year, but didn't make it to the final.