11-year-old golf prodigy Paul Ross shows he can swing with the best

Eleven-year-old Paul Ross is a rising star in the world of golf. He has won numerous tournaments and has been invited to play in several international games, including Brazil, Kenya, Ireland, and Germany.

Ross, who is homeschooled, started playing golf as a toddler. He watched his parents play the game and was immediately hooked.

"I saw my parents playing it, and I wanted to play it too," Ross said. "I have been playing since 2 or 3, as far as I could remember."

Ross, a talented golfer with a natural swing and a keen eye for the game, has quickly developed into a force to be reckoned with. He has won several titles, including the US Kids Greenville Tour Championship Tournament and three others in the Spring.

"I am really excited to play in these upcoming tournaments," Ross said. "I especially want to play in Britain. That is a place I have always wanted to play."

Adria Jervay, Ross's mother, says he grew up on the golf course, and she was not surprised at how good he became in the sport.

"I was pretty sure he was going to fall in love with the sport; he has been on the golf course since he was a baby," Jervay said. "His car seat was strapped to the golf cart. So (he has) grown up on the golf course running around."

Jervay says she knew her son had a special talent for golf and was excited about going to Brazil when they first received an invitation to South America. However, it did not stop there; the invitations kept coming.

"I was over the moon with all the invitations, but I knew well before a title he was gifted," Jervay said. "He had the most natural swing, and he watched my swing and created his own."

Ross says he enjoys golfing because the main responsibilities of the sport are all on him.

"I like that I'm in control of my own game," Ross said. "I don't have to rely on anyone else to make a good shot."

Ross, whose favorite player is Tiger Woods, says he also enjoys the challenge of the sport and, under pressure, has learned to "stay focused and keep cool."

Outside of the sport, Ross enjoys games with his family like Monopoly, UNO and playing outside with his friends.

"Paul's future is going to be interesting," said Jervay. "The one thing that is amazing about Paul is he is not just one thing because everything he does he is incredible at."

She says seeing her son gearing up to travel the world doing what he loves is an "amazing experience."

Ross squared off against NC State basketball legend Derek Whittenburg in a 9-hole challenge at Lonnie Poole Golf Course Thursday. The purpose of the match was to raise funds to help Ross compete in as many golf tournaments as he has been invited to around the world. Ross won the 9-hole match play by 3 holes.

He hopes to use the funds raised from the match to help him travel to Brazil, Kenya, Ireland and Germany.

"We are doing everything we can to make that happen for him as much as possible," Jervay said.

You can follow Ross's journey on Instagram at the handle @paulrossgolf.