A WELSH international golfer has high hopes of playing in some of the top women’s tours in the world upon turning professional.

Lea-Anne Bramwell, 20, from Abergele, added the Denbighshire and Flintshire County Ladies Championship to her long list of amateur trophies but has loftier ambitions as she looks to build a full-time career in the sport.

In 2019, she played the Junior European Open Championships in Cadiz, Spain as the only lady playing against men and won by nine shots. Last year she stuck it out amongst the professionals during the lockdown Clutch Tour, where she came 20th out of 400.

Lea-Anne, a member of both Abergele and Wrexham Golf Club, will submit an application for her own professional status to the R&A in Scotland, with her eyes set on the European Ladies Tour and the ultimate goal of elite US championships such as the LPGA. It would continue the globe-trotting success she has already had across the world in amateur competitions in Ireland, Chile, Italy, South Africa and Australia.

Dad Jason said: “It has been a major year for Lea-Anne. She wanted to tick the [Denbighshire and Flintshire] competition off before she turns professional as she has been playing in other places and couldn’t come back for this one.

“It was a season opener so technically there was no pressure on it, but there was because she was expected to win and wanted to.”

Lea-Anne put all her time into golf after suffering a horse-riding accident at the age of 14, when she had to undergo a hip operation and remained in a wheelchair for more than a year. While she is not playing golf she volunteers at Gwyrch Castle and has a part-time job at The Veg Shop in Abergele.

She is known as Brammers among fellow Wales Golf players and for her aggressive, attacking style of play in which she is not afraid of going all out from the tee.

“Qualifying for the European Ladies Tour is not expected on the first time of asking but that is Lea-Anne’s first objective when she turns pro,” said Jason.

“She works her socks off and she is as strong as an ox with a never-give-up attitude.”

As a member of the Wales Golf High Performance Squad, Lea-Anne receives fitness and psychology coaching, as well as technical coaching from Paul Williams at Wrexham Golf Club.

“She is getting guidance from her coaches and is following it to the letter,” Jason said.

“Lea-Anne’s handicap is two under at the moment which is good enough to be looked at for professional status. We would expect two or three years before thinking, ‘right, I need to be qualifying now’.

“She has done very well and we all as a family are all behind her.”