Sunningdale prospect Ellis Keenan accepts offer to join UNLV next autumn

Sunningdale's 18-year-old prosect Ellis Keenan will join UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) next autumn. She paid a visit to the campus this past weekend and coach Missy Ringler offered her a place.

She is also the sister of Farren Keenan who attended the University of Texas and played on the US men's college circuit for four years.

Ellis has had a good year of golf results in 2008. In April she won the Surrey Junior Championship by 16 shots, beating Hannah Lovelock, now a freshman student at the University of Missouri.

Ellis finished seventh in the qualifying for the English Ladies Close Amateur Championship in May 2008.

She has also won two English Ladies Order of Merit counting events while still a Junior golfer.

Miss Keenan, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, won the prestigious Hampshire Rose tournament by five strokes at North Hants in April, when she equalled the course record with a 67 (6 under par and scoring a 30 on the back nine).

In July she gave herself an early 18th birthday present by winning the Bridget Jackson Bowl at Handsworth Golf Club by six shots.

She is also England Ladies South East Champion. The format was 36-hole stroke-play followed by match-play contested by the leading 16 qualifiers. She won the final by 2 and 1.