Katie-Jane is in the swing

Young golfer Katie-Jane Stanley, joint winner of X Factor contest.

NINE-year-old Katie-Jane Stanley wowed the judges to finish joint winner of an X-Factor style golf talent competition.

Head judge Peter McEvoy, the Walker Cup legend, was impressed with the youngster from Failsworth during the ‘Talent Hunt’ event at Playgolf Manchester, which attracted an entry of more than 600 children.

Katie-Jane, who is a member at Brookdale and Manchester Hopwood where she is coached by professional Scott Connor, celebrated her victory by performing a trick shot.

The St Mary’s RC Primary School pupil stuck two balls on top of each other with a raisin.

She hit the bottom ball with a nine-iron while the top one flew into the air which she then caught.

Grandfather Peter, who watched Katie-Jane throughout the competition, said: “She assumed she would have to do a trick shot and she had learned this from her father Lee.

“It was not needed in the competition, but she performed it after the result had been declared. She achieved it at the first attempt in front of the judges.”

Katie-Jane, who earlier this year finished ninth in her age group at the US Kids Golf European Championships in Scotland, was among hundreds of children, aged between seven and 14 years, who set out in the event at Trafford Quays.

Katie-Jane’s smooth swing impressed the judges, and she won a place in the next phase when 66 youngsters attended a ‘boot camp’ which involved intensive coaching held over four weekends.

They were reduced to 13 semi-finalists and later the same day they were whittled down to six, which included Katie-Jane and 12-year-old Jake Williams, from Lymm, who were declared joint winners.

And the exploits of Katie-Jane and the other finalists impressed the judges, who included former England footballer Les Ferdinand.

“You could see how much it meant to them. They were incredibly brave to stand up and hit three shots in front of the judges. Rather them than me!,” declared Ferdinand.

McEvoy, who will monitor Katie-Jane and Jake’s progress during 2009, added: “It was the most thrilling demonstration of junior golf I have seen in over 40 years in the game.”

As her prize Katie-Jane wins a year’s scholarship at Playgolf Manchester which involves lessons and provision of equipment.

She took up golf at the age of five and next year she will be working towards gaining her first handicap. This would enable her to represent Lancashire at junior level.