Golf: Blaney is flying the flags for both Liberton and Scotland

The 16-year-old, who was introduced to the game at the Capital club five years ago and has managed to reduce his handicap to 2.8 in that short time, has been selected in the Scottish Under-16 team for a Boys' Quadrangular Development Series against Holland, Ireland and Wales in The Netherlands next month.

While Blaney, a fifth-year pupil at Holy Rood High School, is also a member at Gullane, he insists Liberton will always be his home club and is determined to do his best to put it on the golfing map.

"I am very proud of my Liberton membership and will be staying there, no matter what," he said. "They accepted me right from the beginning and people like Robert Ross, the club's junior convenor, have given me great encouragement.

"I will be doing everything I can to try and get the club some recognition."

Blaney's selection for the event in Holland on 13-15 April is certainly a feather in the club's cap and the player is determined to give a good account of himself.

"I wasn't expecting to be selected, so it was a nice surprise," he added before revealing that much of the credit for his emergence as one of the brightest young talents in Scotland goes to Colin Brooks.

The man who coaches the Scottish Junior Academy players in the East has worked with Blaney for the last two years and has helped him come on leaps and bounds.

"The first coaching I received was from John Murray through the Lothians and now I'm with Colin, who has been great," said Blaney. "He's spent a lot of time with me and given me some great advice."

Before the trip to Holland – Tantallon's Callum Hill is also in the Scottish side – Blaney will be heading through to West Kilbride for the Scottish Boys' Championship. He's also got some Scottish Junior Tour events coming up and, looking a little further ahead, the Scottish Under-16 Championship and Lothians Junior Championship are two events he's keen to do well in this year.

"I went out in the second round in the Scottish Boys last year, so it would be nice if I could progress a bit further this time," he said.

"It would also be great if I could be right up there in the Scottish Under-16s Championship later in the year, while I also want to do well in the Lothians event up at the Braids.

"Last year, I finished second in the qualifying but then lost to Grant Forrest in the first round."

Looking even further ahead, Blaney says he's keen to go to the United States on a golf scholarship but, in the meantime, he'll be concentrating on doing his bit for Liberton.

Scotland Under-16 team: Ewan Scott (St Andrews, captain), Greig Marchbank (Thornhill), Lawrence Allan (Alva), Craig Howie (Peebles), Calum Hill (Tantallon), Daniel Flannery (Peebles), Anthony Blaney (Liberton), Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie). Non-travelling reserve: Blair Carnegie (Dunblane New).