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Student Series
Thomas Abom and Judy Joo pick up debut Student Tour Series wins
12 Sep 24
3 mins
R&A Student Tour Series (STS) observers could have been forgiven for thinking the 2024/25 season would struggle to match the last campaign for calibre of play. The STS – Sweden at Halmstad Golf Club, the first event of the new season, put paid to that idea.
Losing proven winners like two-time Order of Merit winner and seven-time champion Lorna McClymont, Eoin Murphy, Allan Hill, Jesper Littorin, strong title contenders in the shape of Megan Ashley, Ben Brookes, David Kitt, Adam Charlton and others seemed to suggest a lull this year. Halmstad proved the STS is in great shape heading into its fifth season.Comfortable debuts
First year students Judy Joo (St Andrews) and Thomas Abom (Maynooth) certainly looked comfortable on their STS debuts with respective victories in the women’s and men’s events. Abom pipped teammate Ryan Griffin by a shot with a four-under-par total of 212 following a final round of 73. Joo took the women’s title by two shots over Halmstad’s Elice Fredriksson and Ellie Monk of St Andrews with a twp-under tally of 214 thanks to a final round of 70, two-under. “I wasn’t really expecting anything but I’m glad I’ve won with so many good players here this week,” said management and economics scholar Joo. “This was the first time in a long time I was able to collect myself and keep my composure. It was a testament to my patience the last three days that I was able to stay focused and pull through." Abom looked at ease among a strong chasing pack. Griffin is a three-time STS winner and Order of Merit champion for the last two seasons. Former STS winner George Cannon of Stirling and strong St Andrews player Judd Sundelson placed joint third, two shots off the pace.
Thomas Abom - Maynooth University
"It’s an unbelievable feeling. I won the Irish Close in a playoff and when it got tight here today I knew I had the game to pull it off because I’d done it a few weeks ago.”
In-form Abom
Abom warmed up for his first STS season by winning the Irish Amateur Close Championship. He carried that confidence with him to Sweden. “It’s a great start to my Maynooth career to get a win, especially on the back of the Irish Close,” Abom said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling. I won the Irish Close in a play-off and when it got tight here today I knew I had the game to pull it off because I’d done it a few weeks ago.” Abom and Joo move to the top of the respective Order of Merit tables with a possible chance of an Arnold Palmer Cup place after the Final event at St Andrews next April. Aside from impressive showings by the two rookies, the calibre of players on show in Sweden wasn’t to be sneered at. Abom was one of five national Amateur champions in the field along with Irish Women’s Close champion Canice Screene, Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open winner Monk and Stirling scholars Alexander Farmer and James Wood, respective Scottish Men's Amateur and Scottish Boys’ champions. Fredriksson also won The St Rule Trophy this summer.In a good place
“Lorna was a big loss but we’ve still got great calibre players competing this year,” said St Andrews student Lucy Jamieson, like Griffin a three-time STS champion. “You’ve got proven winners in Kate (Lanigan), Elice (Fredriksson), myself, and you’ve got a new player like Judy winning her first student tournament. Ellie Monk looks like a winner this year after her Helen Holm victory. Ellie Docherty and Hannah Nilsson (Stirling and Halmstad students who finished fourth and fifth respectively) have done well this week and Canice is the Irish Amateur Close champion. “It proves the Student Tour is in a good place. But look what happened in the summer: I managed to win tour finals (the STS – Final at St Andrews), Ellie won the Helen Holm, Lorna won the Scottish, and then Elice went and won the St Rule. In the space of about five weeks this summer, four players won big tournaments outside this Series. It’s hugely encouraging.”
Five national amateur champions played this week in Sweden - Ellie Monk (Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open), Alexander Farmer (Scottish Men's Amateur), James Wood (Scottish Boys' Amateur), Canice Screene (Women's Irish Amateur Close, pictured) and Thomas Abom (Men's Irish Amateur Close).