Student Series

St Andrews and Halmstad take Student Tour Series prizes in Portugal

The R&A

02 Mar 25

3 mins

Lucy Jamieson from the University of St Andrews and Halmstad scholar Oscar Bjorkqvist were more than worthy winners of the women’s and men’s R&A Student Tour Series – Portugal titles (STS). Worthy because both shot under par final rounds at Troia Golf Club to emerge victorious.

Under par scores aren’t easy to come by on the Robert Trent Jone Senior-designed golf course, renowned as one of the toughest courses on mainland Europe. Jamieson’s path to victory was easier. She won her fourth STS event, and second at Troia, by five shots over teammate Judy Joo. The English player returned a closing one-under-par 71, low round of the week in the women’s event, for a two-over 218 total. Bjorkqvist required a three-hole play-off to defeat Judd Sundelson of St Andrews after the pair finished on two-over 215. The 21-year-old Swede returned a closing two-under 69 before birdieing the 18^th on the third play-off trip to the par-5 hole. Jamieson began the final round with a three-shot lead over Joo, only to see it cut to one thanks a combination of a Joo birdie on the par-5 opening hole and Jamieson dropping a shot at the par-3 2nd hole when she three putted. Rather than focusing on where she was in relation to Joo, Jamieson employed a three-hole tactic to help her focus.

Jamieson delight

“It got quite close at the start of the round,” said Jamieson, who will graduate next month after completing her master’s degree in chemistry. “I birdied four and five and that settled me down, but I was just playing the course in threes: trying to play every three holes in level par. “I use that tactic a lot, especially if I’m leading an event, because I don’t want to get too focussed on the difference between myself and my playing companion. I knew if I could shoot level every three holes then Judy was going to have to chase me, which is so hard to do around here.” Mother nature played a part in Jamieson’s victory. The Heswall Golf Club member’s chances of winning improved when it started raining while she was on the 5^th. Jamieson thrives in inclement weather. She proved that last April over the Old Course at St Andrews when she returned a level-par round in horrendous conditions to win the 2023/24 Final.

Lucy Jamieson - University of St Andrews

“I was a relatively emotional at the end with my teammates just because I was so happy to win in my last student event at Troia. To win my fourth STS tournament is so satisfying"

Better memories

She added, “I was quite happy when the rain began, because I felt it played into my hands. Rain doesn’t faze me the way it does other players.” Jamieson’s first experience of Troia resulted in rounds of 76, 81 and 87, 16 shots behind winner Lorna McClymont. She was 12-over when she triumphed in 2023. “I was a relatively emotional at the end with my teammates just because I was so happy to win in my last student event at Troia,” she continued. “To win my fourth STS tournament is so satisfying. And to finally shoot under par in my last round here is just as satisfying.”

Men’s event

Second-year student Bjorkqvist, making his STS debut this season, needed just 26 putts in the closing round. “I putted really well today, my putter saved me,” he said. He started with a double bogey on the 1^st when he thinned a shot out of a greenside bunker. He swapped three birdies for three bogeys through the next 11 holes and got back to level par for the round when he hit a 5-iron to eight feet on the par-5 14th and holed out for eagle. Birdies at the 16th and 18th ensured he was under par and going to extra holes. In the play-off, he hit a 5-iron approach to the edge of the 18th green on the third extra hole and two putted for birdie and the title. “It’s really exciting to win my first student tournament,” he said. “It’s extra special to win here because we’ve been here for a week (Halmstad had a pre-tournament training camp at Troia) so it took me seven rounds to finally play this golf course under par. That’s not easy because it’s extremely tough.” The win ensures the sports science student makes the Final at St Andrews, where the last is over the Old Course. “I’ve never been to St Andrews, he added. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed about. I’ve watched golf’s best players compete there on TV a lot. So it’s so cool to think I’m going to be following in their footsteps. I can’t wait.” Neither can Jamieson.

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