Dec. 5, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Harrison Greenberry, the No. 1 ranked men’s golfer in England for all players age 18 and under, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play golf at the University of Kentucky, UK head coach Brian Craig announced Monday.
Greenberry, a Devon, England native who plays out of Exeter Golf and Country Club, comes to Kentucky with numerous accolades, including his thrilling victory at the 85th Boys Amateur Championship held at the Burnham & Berrow Golf Club. Greenberry also won the English Golf Union Titelist/Footjoy Under-18 Order of Merit for 2011, naming him the No. 1 ranked player in all of England.
“Harrison Greenberry embodies all that we are looking for in our men’s golf program here at the University of Kentucky,” Craig said. “First and foremost, Harri is a fine young gentleman who will fit in extremely well with our team. He also takes his academics seriously and does very well in the classroom. As the current British Boys Amateur Champion and the number one ranked 18 and under player in England, Harri has proven he can play at the highest level of international junior golf. He has the ability to make a significant impact on our team’s success next year and I can’t wait for him to get started. I could not be more excited to have Harri join our Wildcat golf family. I look forward to coaching him during what I believe will be a highly successful and distinguished career at Kentucky.”
Greenberry won the 2011 Boys Amateur Championship in thrilling fashion, going to an extra hole against Patrick Kelly where he sank a par putt to win the prestigious tournament. Previous winners of the Boys Amateur Championship include Sergio García and two-time Masters champion José María Olazábal.
Greenberry was selected to the 2011-12 England national team, and was also selected to play in the Jacques Leglise Trophy, where he competed for Great Britain and Ireland vs. continental Europe. Greenberry enjoyed great success at the tournament, as Great Britain and Ireland won the trophy back from Europe and Greenberry was one of just two golfers to win all four of his matches.
Greenberry finished in a tie for seventh at the prestigious 2011 Carris Trophy, and is the course record holder at his home course of Exeter Golf and Country Club. Greenberry originally set the course record at the age of 15 when he fired a 65, but then broke his own record at Exeter, which is over 100 years old, when he carded a 62 this year.
A captain for the U18 Devon County Team and for the junior section at Exeter, Greenberry was the U18 and U16 county champion in 2010-11.
At the Faldo Series Grand Finals in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland, Greenberry finished eighth in a top-level international field. Greenberry was also the top English U16 golfer.
At the age of 15, Greenberry became the youngest-ever Devon men’s team county player, and has played for the Devon men’s first team since he was 16.
The current crop of Wildcats will begin their spring season Feb. 20 at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate in Mobile, Ala. Kentucky charted five top-10 finishes during the fall season, including a team victory at the UK Bluegrass Fall Invitational.
For all Kentucky men’s golf news, go to UKathletics.com. The men’s golf team is also on Twitter at @UKMensGolf.
