mmg.com.au

His friends may not have believed him when he told them, but Shepparton teenager Kyle Michel joined elite company when he carded a six-under par 66 at Shepparton Golf Club on Saturday.

The score was believed to have equalled the course record for an amateur player and was the best outside of professional golfer Leighton Lyle’s round of 64.

Lyle’s older brother Jarrod, currently on the Professional Golfers’ Association Tour, also carded a 66 before he turned professional in 2004.

The 15-year-old’s effort was during an A-grade monthly medal event, which he won by three strokes playing off scratch.

Michel said it felt like a normal day, but consistent putting was probably the difference.

‘‘I played well and just made a few more putts,’’ Michel said.

‘‘The guys I was playing with kept me going, they were enjoying it.’’

The Notre Dame College student shot seven birdies in the round, with the only blemish being a bogey on the 13th.

Michel has been on a roll lately, with his record round coming on the back of his win at the City of Greater Shepparton Junior Masters last month.

The 36-hole event comprised the 18-hole Mooroopna and Shepparton Junior Opens, both of which were won by Michel.

According to Michel, he had been playing the game ‘‘ever since he could walk’’ and his career ambition was to turn professional.

Shepparton Golf Club professional David Trower said Michel was ‘‘going pretty well’’ at the moment, but still had room for improvement.

‘‘His strengths are certainly his short game and his ability to manage himself around the course,’’ Trower said.

‘‘We’re just working on him having a better position at impact (with the ball) and some stuff with his technique.’’

Trower said he saw no reason Michel could not go on and make a career out of the sport.

‘‘He’s a great young lad, he enjoys his golf and works hard; most of the members he plays with here would agree he has a nice attitude towards his golf and that’s really important,’’ he said.

‘‘You can have all the ability in the world, but unless you approach the game in the right way it doesn’t mean anything.’’