Top South West pro golfer James Ruth has just returned from competing for the GB and Ireland team against the US in the PGA Cup, Oregon. Although the team lost 8.5 to 17.5, James is proud of having played for his country.

The Tavistock Golf Club member and Whitchurch resident said: “It was a great experience and makes me proud playing for my country. It’s special. They looked after us so well. I had a really friendly American caddy called Bevan. The greens were the fastest I’ve played on, which made it very tough.”

James, who coaches at My Golf, near, Exeter, and China Fleet, Saltash, took his wife Jade, a teacher at Tavistock Primary: They couldn’t have looked after her better. She had a great time.”

James, who started playing golf at Tavistock Golf Club putting green aged four and played for Devon aged 13, will soon be bidding to qualify for the DP World Tour by passing three stages - first by playing first in Denmark and then hopefully twice in Spain, alongside an initial 2,000 hopefuls. He played on the European tour in 2010.

He won the West Region order of merit in 2022 and 2023, meaning he was the best golfer in the South West. He has won the English PGA Championships twice in 2022/23. and finished second in the British Championships this year, allowing him to enter the DP World Tour qualifying rounds where the top 25 can play in the world tour.