Winner James challenging for the top

10:40am Wednesday 30th April 2008

SIAN James has given herself a full season to reach the top in women's golf and has set the highest possible personal target.

"I want to be chosen for England in the home internationals at Wrexham," said the confident 19-year-old Bristol and Clifton player from Nailsea.

After leaving Nailsea School with impressive A level results in PE, psychology and business studies, she has devoted herself to full-time golf.

She spent three months working, playing and practicing at the La Cala resort in Spain. She has already been back to Spain as one of 10 English girls who played in the Copa Reina at the superb but tough new La Reserva course on the Sotogrande estate close to Valderrama.

She has every right to be feeling pleased with her early season form following her winter work out in Spain based on an encouraging first tournament.

Only four of the England team qualified from the 36-hole strokeplay rounds - Knowle's Hannah Barwood was one who missed out after rounds of 79 and 80. James got through in 24th after shooting 76 and 79.

Then she managed to beat Laura Gonzalez Escallon from Belgium by one hole in the first matchplay round. She went out by 2 and 1 to home player Adriana Zwanck who progressed to the final. "It came down to a few putts in the end," she said.

James, a member of the English Women's Development squad, and Barwood, who is in the under-18 squad, continued their international careers by representing England in the French under-21 championships in Paris at Easter.

They both qualified for the matchplay stages after strong performances in the 36-hole strokeplay in the French Junior Championship at St Cloud.

James recovered well from a rocky start when she dropped four shots in the first three holes. She steadied herself with a string of eight consecutive pars and then birdied the 12th. She had another birdie on the 17th to return a two-over 73 for a share of 15th place.

The following day James suffered the inconvenience of having to finish her second round at 8am the next morning as a torrential downpour delayed the start of the round by two hours.

She was undeterred by her fragmented round and went through as England's top qualifier in 11th place after a second round 74. Barwood shot 76 and one-over-par 72 to finish 12th.

The Gloucestershire pair, plus Rachel Connor (Manchester) whose scores were not required, formed England's B team for the Vilmorin Cup, which is played over the two strokeplay qualifying rounds. They finished an outstanding third out of 22 teams behind Spain and Germany on 295.

Despite a fine front nine in her first-round match James eventually lost by two holes after her opponent, Leigh Whittaker of Germany, produced a string of birdies.

Barwood also lost in the first round to Czech player Katerina Ruzickova by 2/1.

Last season James's golf suffered because of exams. Now, with generous funding from the golf authorities, she receives financial support for travelling expenses to events around Britain. She can also afford bi-monthly coaching sessions from former Long Ashton professional Lawrence Farmer whom she has been seeing since June at his Moor Park base.

She made an outstanding start by winning the Whittington Trophy by carding 77, 75 against standard scratch of 74 and 75 to beat Somerset's Hannah Grant (Enmore Park) by one shot in the first 36-hole national Order of Merit event of the year at Whittington Heath, Staffordshire.

Barwood also started the season well and came second in The Leveret at Formby Ladies GC, carding 75, 74 against standard scratch of 74 and 75. James shot 78 and 76 to finish 10th.

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