MY SWOT AT GLORY
Flyin’ Ryan celebrates his US Open slot by driving all night to an accounts exam
SCOTS rookie Ryan Lumsden snatched a dream US Open spot – then drove through the night to be home in time to sit an accounting exam the next morning.
The 21-year-old came through the toughest school of the USGA’s 12 sectional qualifiers – surrounded by superstar PGA Tour players – and passed with flying colours to secure his Major debut next week.
But an even sterner test of golf awaits when the North Berwick Golf Club member arrives at Shinnecock Hills for his first taste of what is widely regarded the most demanding Major of them all.
First though, he has other business to attend to having made a mad dash straight back from the qualifying event in Columbus, Ohio, to Chicago’s Northwestern University in time for his exam yesterday.
Today it’s economics and tomorrow it will be Latin in a stark reminder that the demands of a college golf scholarship is judged in more than just birdies and bogeys.
Lumsden said: “Balancing the golf with exams basically means you study in the car, you stay up late at night and do anything you can to find an extra half hour to hit the books.
“Straight after I made it through on Monday I was back in the car revising all of my accounting stuff on the drive home from Columbus. I got home about 2am and managed a few hours’ sleep before the exam – but it’s worth it to have my first US Open to look forward to now.”
Cynics might suggest those accounting skills that were put to the test at Northwestern University in Chicago yesterday will be put to good use again a week tomorrow when he tallies up his scorecard.
But they’d be selling short an amateur ace who is rated by his college coach David Inglis – another Scot – as one of the hottest emerging properties from a university that produced former world No.1 Luke Donald.
It’s one thing to shoot six under to snatch one of 14 US Open spots on offer.
But it’s more impressive when you consider the company he’s keeping includes Adam Scott, Keegan Bradley, Shane Lowry, Brian Gay, Aaron Baddeley and fellow US-based Scotsman Russell Knox.
That fearsome mix of Major winners and seasoned pros had headed straight from the conclusion of the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament to the nearest qualifying event at Brookside Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, where Lumsden was waiting for them.
He said: “When I first entered I was doing it for the experience to see how my game stacks up against these guys.
“I chose Columbus because I knew there would be so many great players coming to that one straight from the Memorial Tournament.
“But to have been in that kind of company and actually compete only boosts my belief going to the US Open.
“The main thing is to enjoy the experience.”
Lumsden is one of four Scots in the field after Knox, Richie Ramsay and another product of the US college circuit Calum Hill all claimed places through the sectional qualifiers.
Born and raised in London, Lumsden dosn’t sound like your average Scot – until he starts speaking passionately about his proud heritage.
He said: “I am a proud Scot. My grandparents were Scottish, so is my dad and my parents met at Edinburgh University.
“I grew up playing North Berwick in the summer, even though I lived in England.”
A runner-up in the 2014 Scottish Boys’ Championship and defeated finalist at last year’s Scottish Amateur Championship, Lumsden is no stranger to the domestic circuit.
But he admits it’s his scholarship at Northwestern that has propelled him to the next level.
He said: “I came out to college as an average junior golfer. I put in the work and went through a rough patch. Now I’m looking forward to my first Major.”
I got home about 2am but it’s worth it to have my first Open RYAN LUMSDEN