Yorkshire golf: Brabazon Trophy holder Jamie Bower turns professional

The 23-year-old, from Meltham, helped Yorkshire retain the English Northern Counties League title and win the English men's county championship trophy this year.

He joins the stable of Georgia Golf, which also includes world No 24 Tyrrell Hatton and Bower's erstwhile county team-mate Jonathan Thomson (Rotherham), who won the Glenfarclas Open on the EuroPro Tour in his first month as a professional.

Bower, who lifted the Brabazon Trophy this summer and was a semi-finalist in the English men's amateur championship at Alwoodley last year, has represented Yorkshire from the age of 14 and England since he was 18.

He played for England at the Eisenhower Trophy in Mexico in September where he helped the Red Rose take the silver medal.

He is taught by European Tour coach Alan Thompson and quits the amateur sphere ranked No 12 in the world rankings.

Bower said: "I was approached by several management companies and chose Georgia Golf because of the combination of superb technical and commercial services, which have

seen world-class players like Tyrrell Hatton and Jamie Donaldson succeed.

"Their passion for young player development is very special and I feel very much at home with the traditional family values of the company.

"Also, I know their players very well so it's going to be awesome being part of a journey with my good friends.”

Danny Wardrop, Director of Golf at Georgia, added “We are thrilled to be working with Jamie. He's a great talent with a fantastic pedigree, but more importantly for us he possesses great

character. This is fantastic testament to his family, and Yorkshire and England Golf.

"We will work incredibly hard to further Jamie's career on and off the golf course."

Bower will play at least seven times on the Challenge Tour in 2017 as well as on the EuroPro Tour.

He will be sponsored by Tile Mountain and other companies as they come on board in 2017.