TALENTED young East Lothian golfers will have to wait until 2022 to make the trip of a lifetime to the USA.

A link between the county and North Carolina’s junior golfers was formed four years ago.

Golfers aged between 13 and 18 head from East Lothian to Pinehurst, North Carolina, to take on some of the best junior golfers in the world.

However, next year’s trip has been shelved due to the coronavirus pandemic.

David Warren, secretary of East Lothian Junior Golf League, said it was a hard decision to make.

He said: “I have had to make the decision not to bring any East Lothian Juniors from Scotland to Pinehurst in February due to the Covid-19 crisis in both of our countries.

“The juniors who would have been coming will be bitterly disappointed, I know.

“The parents and myself both think that such a commitment at this stage would be foolhardy and only in the advent of mass vaccinations, and a return to normal air travel schedules, could we try to plan another trip.

“However, most of the juniors will still be young enough to venture to Pinehurst in February 2022, forming quite a strong team.”

East Lothian golfers are invited to travel to the US based on their participation and performance in the East Lothian Junior Golf League.

Last year, 10 boys and four girls made the trip to the world-famous Pinehurst Golf Resort, site of several previous Men’s and Ladies’ US Open Championships and the Ryder Cup in 1951.

Warren said: “The prospect of being invited on such a trip is a great incentive to our players and those who have been to Pinehurst have had many wonderful experiences, including our matches against Pinecrest High School.”

He said the junior golf season had been hit hard by the virus but there were plans being drawn up to see youngsters take to the course.

It is hoped the County Cup, strokeplay and county’s championships can take place. At the same time, the juniors are planning to head to Royal Dornoch in the Highlands at the beginning of October to take part in the Donald Ross Junior Open, named after the man who designed courses at Pinehurst.

For more information, go to eastlothianjuniorgolf.org.uk