University of St Andrews team retain national championship title
The University of St Andrews Performance Golf Team has won the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) National Final for the second year in a row. The Saints Golf performance scholars were crowned champions last week (Thursday 13 April) at Woodhall Spa National Golf Centre, the home of England Golf, in Lincolnshire.
The Saints Golf players kept their nerve to swing an exhilarating and closely fought Match Play Team Golf Championship final in their favour despite stiff competition from the University of Stirling.
The Scottish rivals met in the 36-hole final following a St Andrews 8.5:3.5 semi-final win over Exeter University earlier in the championship (Wednesday 12 April), and a win for the University of Stirling over the University of Bath in the other side of the draw.
The final was played over four matches of morning foursomes followed by eight singles encounters in the afternoon. The two teams were tied with two points each after the morning’s foursomes matches, with strong performances across the board. The afternoon’s eight singles matches produced significant drama, with five games requiring all 18 holes to determine a victor. The match finished with a closing par from team Captain Roddy McAuley on the 18th to secure the win. In the end, St Andrews’ 6.5 points to Stirling’s 5.5 saw the team retain the BUCS title and finish a successful season.
Captain Roddy McAuley said: “Winning the BUCS national championship is a really special achievement, and something that we have worked so hard throughout the year to achieve. Being the first St Andrews team to win it two years in a row makes it all the sweeter.
“I am so proud of the full team for their hard work and dedication throughout the year, despite our hectic academic schedules. We will continue to work hard for the rest of the year and aim to come back bigger and stronger, with our eyes fully set on winning a third championship in a row.”
Saints Sport at the University of St Andrews aims to provide a comprehensive and world-class supported programme for its performance golfers through golf scholarships, which provide all the resources needed for players to take their games to the next level whilst studying at St Andrews. The scholarships are supported and funded through the 600 Club, a community of donors and supporters around the world, alongside Saints Sport, The R&A, and the St Andrews Links Trust.
Saints Golf performance scholars represent the University in tournament golf around the world, competing domestically within the BUCS calendar and across Europe as part of the R&A Elite Student Tour. Additional competitive opportunities include invites to high-level tournaments in North and South America.
University of St Andrews Director of Golf, Ian Muir, said: “I am absolutely thrilled and proud of the team for their exceptional performance in building upon their previous success and winning the BUCS golf national title back-to-back. It’s a remarkable feat, and what makes it even more amazing is that this is the first time in our institution’s history that we have won the title in two consecutive years.
“The team’s dedication, hard work and teamwork have truly paid off, and they have set an inspiring example for future generations of golf scholars.”