RISING stars Olivia Hamilton and Megan Clarke are aiming to use the experience of playing in the 2015 Telegraph BMW Junior Championship in Portugal to take their golfing careers to new levels.

The teenagers, both members at Cleckheaton, struggled to find their best form at Quinta do Lago's re-designed North Course, returning 250 to finish well down the elite field, 40 shots behind runaway winner Olivia Mehaffey.

Olivia, who is the newly-appointed Cleckheaton junior girls' captain and won the Yorkshire girls' title aged 12 three years ago, returned 86, 84 and 80, while current Yorkshire junior champion Megan, 16, shot 81, 82 and 87.

Like the rest of the field, Hamilton and Clarke had no answer to the impressive exploits of Northern Ireland ace Mehaffey as she romped to victory by 16 strokes, but they are determined to use the lessons learned to help them.

Hamilton, from Bradford, said: “It was a quite amazing week. I had never played abroad before and to gain the experience of playing a course like Quinta do Lago was brilliant.

“The pins were in really challenging positions but that just added to the tournament and how strong the field was.

"Playing with Megan on the final day was great. We started playing together as seven-year-olds and we have come on so far in that time.”

Clarke, from Heckmondwike, added: “Playing the event, it just showed us what it could be like playing in a professional event and play in general.

“It shows you how good people really are at this level. I just really enjoyed the whole week and I definitely want to try and qualify again.”

Hamilton and Clarke were among nine girls and 12 boys to reach the final, which was hosted by Quinta do Lago for the third year in a row.

This year’s tournament featured a record number of entries, with an estimated 18,750 participating, with the number of boys taking part increasing by 95 per cent and the numbers of girls going up by an amazing 215 per cent.

Meanwhile, it was a closer affair in the boys’ finale as England international Jamie Li, from Bath, won a thrilling 18-hole battle with John Gough to make it third time lucky in the event.