A 15-year-old golf prodigy from Croydon has set his sights on beating Tiger Woods - once he has got his GCSEs out of the way.

Gurdit Dhanjal is preparing for a big year in his fledgling career, when he hopes to add the English U16 title to his already impressive medal collection.

But he has the small matter of his GSCEs to contend with before his career can really take off.

"It has been really tough," said Gurdit. "GCSEs are more at important at the moment, I'm trying to find as much time as possible to practice after school.

"I have been averaging three hours a day, so my life is quite busy at the moment."

His dedication to schoolwork is reflected in his game. He currently has a handicap of one and is looking to play off scratch by the turn of the year.

The ambition of the youngster is frightening, as his target is to topple the world's number one golfer, Tiger Woods.

"My ambition is huge," he said. "I want to become the best player in the world.

"Vijay Singh is my favourite player, I have followed his progress for years. But Tiger is the person I want to beat when I am older - I look at him as my rival."

Gurdit got into the sport at the age of four when his father bought him a set of plastic golf clubs which he played to death in his garden.

The starlet progressed from hitting clothes pegs to notching up a number of acolades on both sides of the Atlantic.

He won the Surrey U16 title at the age of 13 in 2003 and finshed ninth in the U13 World Championships in Virginia in the same year.

He shot 69 in the Nick Faldo Series in America a year later and claimed the men's and junior titles at his home club, Woodcote Park Golf Club, in Coulsdon, last year.

So what is it about golf he loves so much?

"I like the way you have to work at all aspects of your game to be the best and that type of dedication is what I get a kick out of," he said.

Gurdit is hoping to increase the profile of golf to British Asians in a similar fashion to what Amir Khan and Monty Panesar have achieved in boxing and cricket respectively.

He says young British Asians need to have role models to encourage them to forge a career in sport.

"I would like to see a few more coming through," Gurdit added.

"It would help. There is a couple about on the circuit who have done well this year, but it would be great if we saw more British Asians in other sports, not just golf."

q If you are interested in sponsoring Gurdit, call the Guardian sports desk on 020 8330 9579.