Golf: Sport is still Jane’s addiction

SCOTTISH Championship runner-up Jane Turner has rubbished reports that she doesn’t have ambitions to take a crack at professional golf.It may not be on her radar at the moment, especially after she’s just landed her first job with an Edinburgh-based design company.

But the 22-year-old from Penicuik is certainly not ruling out a visit to the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School in the future.

“I never said that at all,” replied Craigielaw member Turner when asked about a report in the aftermath of last week’s Scottish Championship at Tain that claimed she didn’t want to turn professional at any stage.

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“I certainly don’t have any plans to do that this year but that’s not to say it’s something I won’t think about in the future.

“If I can get a few steady years under my belt in the amateur ranks, then I might well think about it then.”

Turner, pictured below left, was the leading qualifier at Tain and made an impressive march through the knock-out phase to the final, where she lost on the last green to Alford’s Laura Murray, below right.

“Even though I’m still a bit disappointed to have fallen at the final hurdle, it was definitely a good week for me,” she added.

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“Indeed, as a result of it, I’ve made the Scottish teams for the forthcoming St Rule Trophy and British Amateur for the first time.

“I produced some really strong performances throughout the week at Tain and I definitely feel as though a big win could be just around the corner. I’ve got the Munross Trophy, a Scottish Order of Merit event, at Montrose this week and a good performance there will set me up nicely for the St Rule Trophy at St Andrews, then the British Amateur at Carnoustie.

“In the St Rule Trophy in the past, I’ve normally managed to have two good rounds on the Old Course but they have always followed a disappointing opening round on the New. Hopefully I can string three good rounds together this time and I’ll certainly be heading up there feeling confident as I feel my game is very consistent at the moment.”

If Turner does decide to visit the Q-School at some stage in the future, she could try and follow in the spikemarks of her Scotland team-mate Pamela Pretswell. The sole Scot playing in next month’s Curtis Cup at Nairn, Pretswell has been playing as an amateur this season on the LET’s Access Series and won one of them in Sweden last week.

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“Pammy is being really sensible and that’s understandable as it’s about trying to get your game ready as you take the step up to the next level,” said Turner.

“You need to go about things the right way and if I do decide to turn professional then I want to know I am completely ready.”

In the meantime, Turner is perfectly happy to combine her golf with a career in graphic design, having recently landed a job with a company called The Fourth Crew, where she did a placement for her degree at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. “I feel as though I’ve got the best of both worlds at the moment,” she said.

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