LAUREN TAYLOR IS BBC YOUNG SPORTS PERSONALITY OF YEAR

LAUREN TAYLOR with the BBC Trophy that caps her wonderful year. Image courtesy of BBC/Guy Levy

FROM THE BBC SPORTS.COM WEBSITE

Lauren Taylor has been named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year. The English teenager became the youngest winner of the Ladies' British Open Amateur Championship when she took the title at Royal Portrush GC, Northern Ireland, last June, aged only 16.

Taylor's historic victory earned her a place in the Carnoustie field for the Ricoh Women's British Open. The girl from Rugby also represented Europe in the Junior Solheim Cup match and is ranked 20th in the women's amateur world rankings.

Now 17, Taylor, a member of  Woburn Golf Club, beat cyclist Lucy Garner and swimmer Eleanor Simmonds to the award.

The decision was made by a panel chaired by BBC Sport presenter John Inverdale. The youngster made a memorable debut on the Ladies European Tour, qualifying for the Slovak Open and then hitting a hole in one during the first round.

Taylor helped England win a silver medal at the European Girls Team Championships and was also a member of England's winning Ladies' Home Internationals team at Hillside.
Lauren, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency studying her putt on the first green of the final at Royal Portrush,  has been now been signed by Baylor University at Waco, Texas, on a four-year golf scholarship, starting next August.
 Speaking about her achievements, Ryder Cup player and world number 25 Ian Poulter said: "She is not only a great golfer but an extremely well-rounded young woman. Lauren is a deserving winner of the award and has my full support as she moves forward with her golfing career."
Steve Robinson, English Women's Golf Association national coach, added: "Lauren has always impressed me with her work-rate, attitude and ambition along with her desire to compete - the attributes all top-class athletes require.

"Lauren is a very talented, down to earth sportsperson and has a very bright future ahead of her."
In addition to Taylor, Garner and Simmonds, the original shortlist of 10 also included: Liam Broady (tennis), Sally Brown (athletics), Tom Daley (diving), Jack Laugher (diving), Pat McCormack (boxing), Laura Robson (tennis) and Anthony Watson (rugby union).
The award is made to the outstanding young sportsperson aged 16 or under on 1 January 2011. Previous winners include Andy Murray, Wayne Rooney, Simmonds and Theo Walcott.
+Picture of Lauren and her caddie-dad Martin after her historic win at Royal Portush GC last June. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

FROM THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION NEWS RELEASE

In the BBC TV audience was Open champion Darren Clarke – who was runner-up in the Sports Personality of the Year Award behind the winner, racing cyclist Mark Cavendish, world number one Luke Donald , US Open champion Rory McIlroy and Europe’s winning Solheim Cup captain Alison Nicholas, together with members of her team.
Lauren Taylor told the audience: “It is such an honour to win this award. My thanks firstly to the English Women’s Golf Association for all their support, secondly to my special supporters at Woburn Golf Club – I wouldn’t be here without your help. Next my coach, Andy Dunbar, for all the hard work we put in – it got me that trophy.
“Then to my family and friends, especially my dad who caddied for me – it was a special moment when I won. Finally to the LGU for putting on a fantastic event.”
+Lauren Taylor is a near-certainty to be in the Great Britain and Ireland team for the Curtis Cup match against the United States at Nairn Golf Club from June 8 to 10, next year. Eight days later she will begin the defence of her British title at Carnoustie.