A SCHOOLGIRL golfer from Eltham, nicknamed Tippi, is tipped for the top after winning her category in the Kent International Junior Open.

Tippi Parnell won the girls' silver division, which is her handicap category, in Folkestone.

The tournament attracted around 100 competitors from countries including the Czech Republic, Italy, France and Zimbabwe.

Tippi said: “I was very nervous on the morning of the competition. I didn't think I would do so well, so to win was a nice surprise.

She plays off a 16 handicap, which should go down after her tournament success, and plays golf for Sundridge Park Golf Club, in Bromley. She regularly enters, and wins, inter-club events at Sundridge Park Club, but this was her first major tournament victory.

Tippi added: “Golf is a good social game. I enjoy it and it's good to meet lots of different people. There are a lot of good women golfers but we need even more in the game.”

Her Christian name is Toni, but everyone calls her by the childhood nickname of Tippi, which she thinks evolved from her initials TP.

She has been playing golf for four years and her mother Christine explains how she first became interested in playing the game.

She said: “A few years ago, when Tippi was in her last year of primary school, the family went to Sundridge Park Golf Club for a fun game of pitch-and-putt.

“We noticed that Tippi enjoyed it a lot and was very accurate with her shots. Her dad then got her to join the club's junior section, where she has been ever since.”

But Christine doesn't want her going off to become a professional golfer just yet.

She said: “She goes to St Ursula's School, in Blackheath, and this year I want her to get her GCSE exams out of the way.

“Being part of the golf club has benefited her a lot. She has been able to mix with a lot of different people of all ages and from varying backgrounds.

“I want her to ease off a bit on the golf, but it would be nice if she was able to earn a good living out of it in a few years time.

Tippi added: “I want to try and get my handicap down to single figures by the end of the year and then concentrate on my exams.

“After that, who knows? But I would love to play professional golf like Laura Davies.