An American dream for Richard Mansell

The 20-year-old rising star from Beau Desert Golf Club, near Cannock, is celebrating after helping his university, the Nova Sharks, to national title glory in the United States.

Mansell was part of a six-man team who clinched the NCAA Division II crown last month, saying: "It was fantastic. An unbelievable experience."

The past few days have been spent showing off the trophy around the club after returning home from America last week.

But Mansell was not resting long, heading up to Scotland last week to play in the St Andrews Links Trophy.

The first day went well, very well. Mansell was right in with a shout at three under par, but then the wind blew.

He tweeted: "The front nine was brutal, I've never seen anything like." Shooting 85 in his second round put him out of contention.

However, he fought back with a level-par 72 in the third round, adding: "Fight is the best word to use. Two bad holes in the morning but it was brutal in that wind."

He finished tied 42nd out of 144 of the world's top amateurs. No shame there.

But St Andrews Links was just the first of many big amateur tournaments he plans to enter this summer before heading back to America in August for the new term.

Mansell, you see, is a man with a plan. He said: "I'm due to graduate in 2017 and that's when I want to turn professional.

"My ultimate aim is to play in America – having lived over there and seen the quality of life, it's what I want.

"But the competition is much fiercer and it will be hard straight away.

"So I'm looking to qualify for the European Tour and play a couple of years on that, take it from there."

Mansell may sound bullish but it is important to note he possesses strong self-awareness and knows exactly what he has learned over the past two years.

Life in the States has not always been so smooth. His first year across the pond at Newbury University in South Carolina after earning a scholarship was, he admits, nothing short of a disaster.

He said: "I knew, from the moment I got there, it was a mistake. It was in the middle of nowhere and I never settled, I just couldn't wait to get home."

A move to Florida and Nova brought the right results, but Mansell insists anyone who thinks he lives the life of luxury is very much mistaken.

He said: "It sounds a great life and, don't get me wrong, it is a great place to live but it's not so brilliant when you are getting up at 4.30am every morning to be on the course at six.

"It's not just about playing golf either, as I'm also studying for a degree in sports management. I play for around 12 hours a day and then have to go and do my studies."

The National Championship was just Nova's second in its 51-year history and arrived thanks to victory over rivals Lynn University in the final at Rock Barn in North Carolina.

Mansell suffered defeat in the final matchplay pairing against Lynn's Elliot Whitley, but his team triumphed 3-2 overall.

He said: "Since the turn of the year my form has been strong and the week at the national championships is probably the worst I had played all year.

"After nine holes, we were down and I was really worried I'd be the reason we lost.

"I ended up shooting four or five-over but when it was finished and we'd won, my coach came up to me and said 'don't worry, without you we wouldn't have got here'. My team-mates really stepped up."

Mansell admits he is still very much learning on the job, saying: "I'm not ashamed to admit that, before I went to America, my parents did everything for me.

"But I've learned so much these past two years and grown up a lot. A lot of people have doubted me when I've had these big ambitions. I'm determined to see them through."