Student Series

Le Golf National set for Student Tour special

The R&A

25 Oct 22

3 mins

There’s a familiar dynamic at the top of the women’s leaderboard in the R&A Student Tour Series – France at Le Golf National. The same can’t be said for the men’s event: it looks all set for a thrilling finale over the 2018 Ryder Cup course. Scottish international Lorna McClymont leads Europe’s best female student golfers by five shots heading into the final round. The University of Stirling student is looking for her second straight win in this year’s series. Not many would bet against the 2021/22 Order of Merit winner.

Tough to pick a winner

Wagering on the men’s champion is much tougher. There are six players under par, all separated by just four shots. It looks like a straight shootout between the best of the University of Maynooth and Halmstad University. Three players from each of those institutions hold the top six places. First year Maynooth student Liam Abom holds a two-shot lead on four-under 139 after a five-under 66 around Le Golf National’s Aigle course, to go with an opening 73 around the Ryder Cup Albatros layout. He leads by two shots over Maynooth teammate Ryan Griffin, and the Halmstad trio of Hugo Stark, Jesper Littorin and William Leu. Maynooth player Eoin Murphy is the only other player under par. He’s on one-under.

Pressure-free golf

Nineteen-year-old Arts student Abom is making just his second appearance in the Student Tour Series. He didn’t look like a first year student the way he plotted his way around the Aigle course, dropping just one shot, at the par-3, 13th hole, to go with six birdies. “I didn’t really put myself under too much pressure,” said Abom, a member of Edmondstown Golf Club, Dublin. “I didn’t have to have a great putting day. I was just cruising along hitting fairways and greens.”

Patience is the key

That tactic is key to playing final round over the Ryder Cup venue. “I’m looking forward to playing the Ryder Cup course again,” Abom said. “I know I just have to stay patient, keep it in play and take your chances when they come.” Stark, also a first year student, would be closer to the lead if not for a dropped shot on the Aigle course’s driveable final hole. The first round leader hit his tee shot left of the green and had no chance of getting close to the left hand pin position. He returned a one-under 70.

The students will play their final round on the Albatros course.

Fairways and greens

Like Abom, Stark has a simple game plan to play the course he first witnessed as a 15-year-old fan attending the 2018 Ryder Cup. “Hit the greens, make the putts, but first hit the fairways,” he said. Littorin looked like being on the outside looking in through 15 holes. He was one-over for his round but reeled off three straight birdies to get into contention. He’s looking to begin his final year with a win after finishing second in the 2021/22 Student Tour Series Final at St Andrews in April. Leu would also be closer to Abom’s lead if he could have kept bogeys off his card. He made four in a three-under 68.

The player to watch?

Griffin might just be the player to watch: he’s already won a Student Tour Series event over a tough course. He was joint winner with Maynooth teammate Jordan Boles at Trioa in February after darkness forced a halt to the playoff. He's also the highest ranked player at the top of the leaderboard at 1,038th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. “Troia gave me a lot of confidence, and I’ll be drawing on that tomorrow,” Griffin said.

A wealth of experience

McClymont has a wealth of experience to draw on heading into the final round. At number 157 on the WAGR table, she’s the strongest player in the women’s field. Her level par 71 over the Aigle was about the worst score she could have shot. “I feel like I left a lot of shots out there today,” McClymont said. “It was just one of those rounds where I started to get it going and then I fell back a wee bit. I hit a ball out of bounds at eight and it wasn’t even a bad drive. It just kicked on the left side of the fairway and shot off out of bounds. “Then I just sort of played steady and nothing really happened. No putts dropped. Back nine I’d get a birdie, and then a bogey.”

Local knowledge

The 22-year-old can also draw on her experience of finishing 28th in the elite-field World Amateur Team Championship in August, a result she highlights as arguably the best of her amateur career so far. “I’d take level par (around the Ryder Cup course) I’m just going to try hit fairway and greens, keep it in play and just enjoy it. It’s not often you get a chance to play here. It’s pretty special.” The final day’s play at Le Golf National should be too.