R&A Scholars tournament at St Andrews

Sian James leads after 67 over Eden

Course in wind and rain

FROM THE R&A WEBSITE

Birmingham University student Sian James from Gloucestershire leads the women’s side of the R&A Foundation Scholars 54-hole tournament after carding a six under-par second-round 67 over the Eden Course at St Andrews today.

The 20-year-old Bristol & Clifton Golf Club member made five birdies to come back in 31 to complete what was a near faultless performance. Added to her first-round score of 75, James heads the female field with a 36-hole total of 142. The tournament ends with a Tuesday round over the Old Course.

“I just managed to keep it together on the front-nine and then I started putting my irons a bit closer and just couldn’t really miss with the putter. My ambition is to get on the Ladies European Tour so to win the Scholars event and win the prize of a place in the field for an LET event would be brilliant.”

James, who has just started at the University of Birmingham, is in her first year as an R&A Scholar and is already using the grant to play as much competitive golf as possible.

“The funding has been very beneficial in enabling me to play more tournaments. I went to Spain earlier in the year for the Spanish Amateur and without the funding I wouldn’t have been able to play in that. On that occasion I was pipped by one of the French girls who is here, Rosanna Crepiat. Hopefully I might be able to pip her tomorrow but we’ll see.”

On the men’s side of the draw, Milan student Leonardo Motta heads the field by one after two outstanding rounds of golf in testing conditions over 36-holes at the Eden course. Motta produced consistent rounds of 69 and 71 to take the overnight lead on a total of 140.

Three back on 143 is the University of St Andrews’ Mike Gray who posted the lowest men’s round with a three under-par 67. Gray overcame wet and windy conditions in registering four birdies and only one bogey during his second eighteen holes.

“Conditions were hard but fair,” explained the final-year student. “It was windy, but it was fairly consistent through the day until it died a bit late in the second round. It was tough but it wasn’t too bad.”

+Image above of Sian James is by courtesy of leaderboardphotography.com