A TALENTED Tavistock golfer who has represented England at junior level, has been awarded a grant to help with coaching, travel, subsistence and accommodation costs.

James Ruth was awarded the £350 grant as a result of a partnership between the Rotary Club of Tavistock and the charity SportsAid South West.

SportsAid South West, in association with the English Golf Union, identified the 17-year old scratch player as a worthy recipient of sponsorship.

Yesterday (Wednesday), James teed off on the first hole of Tavistock Golf Course to play a 100-holes-in-a-day marathon, his own initiative to raise further funds to meet the great expense of competing on the amateur golf circuit.

James set off at dawn with a team of volunteer caddies including his parents, to notch up the golfing century.

James said he had been preparing for the challenge by playing 36 holes a day for the past week, representing the Devon County team at a competition in Bournemouth.

Before this, James had been playing in Wales.

James said the money raised from the golf marathon would help him to play in more national and international events. He said he hoped to go to college in America to work on his golf game, before ultimately joining the professional circuit.

James, who began playing golf at the age of eight, is a member of the England under-18 golf team and was placed 19th in the European Young Masters U16 group in 2001. He was also placed second in the South West boys under-18 last year.

He hopes to represent the England U18 squad at the European boys tournament in Iceland later this year.

SportsAid South West works to help talented young sportspersons compete at the highest level in their chosen sport. Awards are given to competitors aged 11-19 who are currently ranked in the top ten nationally or are regular members of national age group squads.

Many youngsters have the talent and potential to make it to the top of their sport, but all too often face considerable financial costs which their families simply cannot afford.

The cheque for £350 from Tavistock Rotary Club and SportsAid South West will be presented to James by the president of Tavistock Rotary Club, Alan Jones, at 11am next Wednesday, June 26, at Tavistock Golf Club.