Ruth hoping for an inaction replay on the road to Bowood

05/06/2021

New dad James Ruth is hoping his path to the PGA English Championship final is injury-free after winning the qualifying event for a second time.

Ruth finished joint top of the leaderboard with China Fleet Golf & Country Club colleague Joe Yorke and Bath Golf Club’s James Hannan in the PGA West region qualifier at Minchinhampton Golf Club.

They negotiated the Gloucestershire course with four under par rounds of 67 and will join 11 other qualifiers from the event in the £30,000 final next month.

The final will be contested on the PGA-branded course at Bowood Golf Club, Calne, Wiltshire, and Ruth had an added incentive to qualify for it this year.

He won the qualifier at the same course two years ago with a score of six under par but was unable to play in the final.

“I couldn’t play after injuring my abdominals,” explained Ruth, who recently became a father. “I spent nine weeks out so I’m really looking forward to playing the final this time.

“There’s an extra incentive to play at Bowood - I’ll be trying not to get injured this time.

“This event wasn’t played last year due to Covid, but the lockdown months were made easier with Jacob arriving around 17 weeks ago.

“It meant I was able to spend time with him which was nice. He’s been good as gold and I’m getting more sleep than I was expecting. But I perhaps wouldn’t have had that time with him had it not been for lockdown.”

Yorke also made it a one-two for the China Fleet club, based in Saltash, Cornwall - despite recovering from a back injury.

There was also drama from Richard Woods of Newton Abbott’s Dainton Park Golf Club, who holed a 30-foot putt at the 18th hole for the birdie that saw him book his place in the final.

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