Jamie Rutherford is relishing the opportunity to showcase his skillset on home soil as he prepares to tee it up in this week’s British Challenge presented by Modest! Golf Management.
The Englishman will have his girlfriend and parents in attendance at St. Mellion Estate this week as the Road to Mallorca arrives for the first of back-to-back events in England before the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A.
The 30-year-old will be hoping to use all his experience of playing in English conditions to his advantage and believes the Nicklaus Signature Course at St. Mellion Estate is well suited to his game.
“It’s great to be back playing on English soil,” he said. “I think being at home definitely gives me an advantage because I am more accustomed to the conditions we are expecting this week, including high winds and low temperatures. I also have my girlfriend and my mum and dad coming down to watch me so it’s always nice to have home support because we spend a lot of time out here on our own.
“It’s my first time at this venue and it’s a very challenging golf course. You have to be very strategic off the tee because it is very narrow with lots of hazards and out-of-bounds. I think this course will suit me because I’m usually pretty accurate off the tee and I’m excited for the challenge. I will be happy if the conditions are difficult this week.”
Rutherford, who graduated to the Challenge Tour last season, is currently sitting in 47th position on the Road to Mallorca Rankings and is looking for a strong finish to the season to move into the top 45 and secure his place at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final.
“I’m sitting just outside the top 45 so it is an important two weeks ahead to try and get myself into the Rolex Grand Final,” he said. “I’m going to concentrate on playing good golf and hopefully I can finish the season strongly.”
The Englishman will be joined in Cornwall by Road to Mallorca Number One Alexander Knappe, who is targeting automatic promotion to the DP World Tour with his third victory of the season, and last week’s Hopps Open de Provence winner Joel Sjöholm.
Round one will get under way at 7:45am local time, with Rutherford teeing it up alongside South African Deon Germishuys and Spaniard Scott Fernandez at 12:45pm.
