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Student Series

St Andrews duo out in front in Student Tour Series in Portugal

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The R&A
01 Mar 25
3 mins
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University of St Andrews students Lucy Jamieson and Ethan Mangum have done better than most over two rounds in the R&A Student Tour Series – Portugal (STS). They’ve only made one of the dreaded double bogeys between them over 36 holes.

It explains why they sit atop the leaderboards in the men’s and women’s events. Jamieson sits on three-over-par 147, three shots better than teammate Judy Joo. Halmstad’s Elice Fredriksson lies third with Eliza Dana from St Andrews on eight-over. Mangum added a one-under-par 70 to his opening level-par 71. He is the only player under par. His one-under-par 141-total is two shots better than University of Stirling scholar George Cannon and William Leu of Halmstad University, winner of the recent STS – Spain.  There are ten players within five shots of Mangum’s lead. Five shots is nothing around one of the toughest courses in mainland Europe. 

Course suiting Mangum

“This is my type of golf course; I’ve said that all week.” said Mangum, who hasn’t made a double bogey over the two days. The Atlanta, Georgia native is playing in just his fourth STS event after starting a Master’s degree in International business in September.  “I’m from the South of the USA  and have played a lot of courses like this back home – places like Pinehurst where there is a lot of sandy scrub off the fairways, so this feel a bit like home.” The 26-year-old was drawn to St Andrews partly because of the history of the town and its courses, and because the STS gives him a chance to travel. “Playing the Student Tour Series has been fantastic because I’m experiencing new types of golf,” he added. “I’d never really played in the wind before so it’s been a gradual learning curve. I’ve tried to learn as much as possible and keep a positive attitude, and I’ve done that well the last two days.  “I play well on courses where you have to keep the ball on the fairway, hit greens and don’t make many mistakes. I’m going to try and do more of the same tomorrow: fairways and greens and make a few putts and hopefully make history.”
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Lucy Jamieson is three shots ahead of University of St Andrews teammate Judy Joo going into Sunday's final round.

Leu in contention

Leu continued the same form he showed in winning at La Sella a month ago. He returned a two-under-par 69 to get into contention. Cannon, winner of the 2022 STS–Scotland on his debut, went 24 holes between the 3rd hole in round one and the 11th in round two without making a bogey. When the Glenbervie Golf Club member stood on the 11th tee, he was on five-under par and leading the field by five shots. More impressively, he’d gone 24 holes without dropping a shot. That’s when Troia go its own back. Cannon went bogey, par, double bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey to drop seven shots in as many holes. A birdie at the last brought him in with a four-over 75 and in contention for his second victory. Jamieson has made just one double bogey over the opening 36 holes, a six at the par-4 15th hole in the opening round. She came off the golf course in round two frustrated after a three-over 75. Given the average score in the women’s field was 78.25, Jamieson was for all intents and purposes three under for her round. 

Jamieson battling

That 75 might have been 73 if not for two horrendous lies. She was less than a club length off the fifth fairway, but her ball was in a cuppy lie in the sandy scrub. With no chance of reaching the green, the masters (chemistry) student did well to limit the damage to just one dropped shot.  She was just four paces from the flag at the par-3 17th but plugged in the greenside bunker. “It was a horrendous lie,” Jamieson said. “That was a good bogey. “I didn’t play as well as yesterday. If you’d told me I’d have a three-shot lead going into the final round I’d have been happy.” First year student Joo is the in-form player. She leads the order of merit thanks to victories in Sweden and last month’s event in Spain. However, she’s making her debut at Troia. Jamieson is playing her third event here. She won the second of her three STS victories at Troia in February 2023. 
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Student Series