By TERRY LYONS
CROMWELL (Conn) – After prepping at Hamden Hall Day School and playing the very best golf courses at every chance, Ben James decided to attend the University of Virginia to play golf. James grew up in Milford, Connecticut, developing his game at Great River Golf Club, where his grandfather, Donald James Sr., worked part-time after retirement and his father, Donald James Jr., played in his youth.
They might’ve dreamt of great things for Ben, but little did they know just how far those dreams would take their grandson/son.
James played four seasons at Virginia (2022-26), where he earned seven individual victories, tying Ben Kohles‘ school record for career wins and one of his victories included the 2024 Valero Texas Collegiate, which earned him an exemption for the 2025 Valero Texas Open on the PGA TOUR.
One outing and one experience after another, led James to the next level.
James became only the fifth collegiate golfer in history to earn four All-America First Team honors, following Gary Hallberg (1977-80 at Wake Forest University), Phil Mickelson (1989-92 at Arizona State University), David Duval (1990-93 at Georgia Tech), and Bryce Molder (1998-2001 at Georgia Tech).
James earned his PGA TOUR membership as the No. 1 player from the 2026 PGA TOUR University Ranking after those four amazing seasons four seasons in Charlottesville. Now, there’s no turning back.
Actually, this wonderful tournament at the TPC River Highlands, just south of Hartford, was James’ first rodeo. He made his PGA TOUR debut as a sponsor exemption at the 2022 Travelers Championship, playing in a field which also featured Chris Gotterup, Cole Hammer, and Michael Thorbjornsen as a few other sponsor exemptions. James was keeping good company, all along.
When James teed-off at the Travelers Championship on Thursday, he had $204,170 in winnings and a 4-for-11 record in making the cut at his events on Tour. Home course advantage would help him get a good – but not great – start today.
James shot (-2) under (68) and was tied for 30th as the “big boys,” like Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns and Tommy Fleetwood turned for home in the afternoon. Tournament defending champion, Keegan Bradley, was (-3) under after 16 holes. Gotterup was one-over as his round concluded. TPC River Highlands was kind to the morning groups after a couple days of hard rain, but a heater rising to 83-degrees and gorgeous blue skies dried up the course quickly, and it played tougher as the clock struck military time of 14:00 hundred.
James went out in (32) as par read (35) and he was on the morning leaderboard and stirring interest in the local fan base, happily following his journey. The back nine was not so kind as the course firmed-up, and James shot (36) on the par (35) to finish with his (68) on the par 70 course. The three bogeys with two birdies dotted the back nine scorecard and two of those bogeys came on No. 17 and No. 18, sending young James to the lockers with a “what might’ve been” scorecard.
The early clubhouse leader was Eric Cole who posted a healthy (63), seven under par on a course which Bradley conquered last summer with a (-15) score.
Of course, this is the same golf course where Jim Furyk (2016) and Cameron Young (2024) carded the glorious, and often untouchable “59.” But, keep in mind, in 2024, Scottie Scheffler posted a (-22) to win the tournament and it took a playoff to defeat Tom Kim that year. Bradley won in 2023 with a (-23).
That means, there’s a lot of golf to be played. There’s a cut to be made for Ben James (T-15) and then, on Saturday, maybe the hometown crowds from Milford will spur their proud Hamden Hall and Virginia Cavalier on to – possibly – his best finish as a professional at the ripe age of 23.