A SEASON that started off on a sour note for rising golf star Luke Burrows has been capped with a debut England appearance this week.

The 16-year-old's form, despite his £1,000 clubs being stolen in April, gained him a spot in the England Schoolboys team as one of the top eight under 18s players in the country.

His reward was a place in the team against Scotland in an international that has been taking place at Glasgow Gailes this week.

Luke's mother Donna said: "He's determined that golf is what he wants to do in life - he breathes, lives and sleeps golf. So it was a setback when he had his clubs stolen from outside of the golf club, and he had to beg and borrow clubs for his next competition.

"It's not just a case of going into a shop and buying a new set. They have to be specific and custom-made, but he is sorted out now and he has been busy with his golf all year.

"He has achieved a lot to gain his place in the England team and who knows what could happen from there for him?"

His route to the England team included his fourth place in the Lancashire South West Region Championships at Grange Park in April, fourth place at Trentham Golf Club's event in June and third in the England Schools Championships at Fairhaven Golf Club on the Fylde coast in July.

Luke, who has been representing Culcheth High School in the Lancashire Schools Golf Association during 2005, is a member of the Legh Golf Club in Culcheth as well as Poulton Park Golf Club.

He has been swinging clubs since he was 10 years old, when he became enthused by his father's participation in the sport.