James Ashfield is looking to build on one of the best starts to a professional golf career by any Welshman as he competes for full DP World Tour playing rights next season.
The Wales international and Walker Cup player earned an invite to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship immediately after turning professional and was on the leaderboard for much of the star-studded event, finishing tied 25th after a level par final round with a first pay cheque of around £30,000.
The invitation followed turning professional after one of the most successful amateur careers for a Wales golfer, including winning the European Nations Cup individual title and helping the Wales team to third place against the best amateur players in Europe.
That was along with rising as high as fourth on the Global Amateur Pathway, with plenty of top three finishes in amateur events in Europe, including a second place at the Lytham Trophy after calling a penalty against himself on the 18th and finishing up in a play-off.
He started his professional career with a 64 at St Andrews in the Dunhill Links, the sort of start even Ian Woosnam, Phil Price, Jamie Donaldson and co could only have dreamed of. North Wales’ Becky Brewerton enjoyed a tied 20th finish in her first Ladies European Tour event as a professional.
“I felt like it could have been better after the way I was playing. I was partnered with Jamie Redknapp, I am a big football fan so I was pretty happy with my partner – I could not have asked for anyone better,” said 23-year-old Ashfield.
“He made it feel like a round with your mates rather than playing on the DP World Tour – I just need to have him on the bag in future!
“We were chatting the whole way round, but when it came to hitting a shot then it was back to the pre-shot routine and focus.
“The final round felt far more intense, it was a different experience being out near the final group, you could sense the atmosphere around you.
“It was a great experience playing with Tommy (Fleetwood) and Haotong (Li) who both have a few years on tour, I was able to pick their brains when I could.”
The Delamere Forest player has come up through the ranks of the Wales Golf high performance programme and credits that for helping him to where he is today.
“I played for Wales from boys’ level and as a kid you dream about getting to this stage,” he said.
“Wales Golf definitely gave me loads of opportunities as a kid, took me into the squads, took me to all those events which helped me develop and mature.
“Going to big events when I was young definitely helped, also the coaching helped me become the player I am today. I still work with Gareth (James) and Neil (Matthews), who worked with me from early on through Wales Golf.
“Hopefully I will play on the main tour again. I know I am playing well at the moment so I just want to play every week.
“The team around me is a big part of helping to where I was as an amateur. I would have liked to win a bit more, but I did pretty much everything I would have liked to achieve in my amateur career.
“Now I have got to step up a bit more, all the hard work we have done as an amateur has led to doing well in my first pro event. You need people around you as you can’t do everything by yourself.”
Ashfield starts his professional career with the help of the springboard provided by the Wales Golf squads system.
“James joined us in 2013/14 via the Nursery Squad aged 12 and has moved up through the Academy, Regional and National system,” explained Wales Golf Director of Performance and Pathways, Gareth Jenkins.
“At every level he has shown outstanding commitment, attitude and a desire to improve.
“We talk a lot about cultural architects who not only improve themselves but bring others along with them to create high level performance cultures. James is one of those and has represented Wales Golf with passion and quality.
“We wish him well for his career as a professional golfer.”
The next step for Ashfield will be the second stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School, hoping to earn playing rights on the main tour for next year, or a place on the Challenge Tour.
“I am in Spain getting some practice before Q School,” he said.
“I was waiting for the right moment to turn professional; I did not want to wait until October, and my management company were advising me to go now so I could hopefully get that invite before Q School.
“A top 10 would have got me into the following week as well, but Q School is my priority.
“It was a shame about the score in the final round but I can learn from that and just work on it. It was good to see how everyone has their own routine and to see how they go about it.
“Even if I did not finish as well as I could have, I was still learning, playing golf and getting a decent pay cheque, so it was quite a nice feeling.”
Ashfield was exempt from the first stage of Qualifying due to his position on the Global Amateur Pathway, retaining his exemption after turning professional. The second stage starts in Spain on October 31, with Final Qualifying in November.
