Thomson makes his mark in Alfred Dunhill Schools Challenge at

Fairmont St Andrews

Mark Thomson, a pupil at Dundee’s Grove Academy, celebrated his magnificent win in the Alfred Dunhill Schools Challenge with a high speed dash from Fairmont St Andrews to pack for the golf trip of a lifetime.

Thomson, 17, shot a 75 in difficult, breezy conditions, o sd the challenging Devlin Course, to win the overall scratch prize.

Then he rushed away for a 2am departure as one of a 10-strong team heading to New Orleans on a very special golf exchange. Ten members of Lake Charles Golf Club, near New Orleans, a city still suffering from the ravages of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, came to Angus last year to watch the Open Championship at Carnoustie and stayed with the families of junior members of the Grange Golf Club at Monifieth.

Now the Scottish youngsters are to pay a return trip to Louisiana. Thomson, who plays off a handicap of one, said: “I am delighted to have played so well in such an important competition and it is the perfect note on which to go on this very special trip to the United States. I have ambitions to go there on a golf scholarship in 2009, if everything works out.”

Jenna Scott, from Bell Baxter High School, completed a remarkable double when she won the Senior Girls division for the second straight time, with a splendid net score of 66, a 13-shot improvement on last year.

Golf is obviously in the blood as her father is David Scott, Director of Golf at Kingsbarns, one of the three golf courses featured in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

Jenna said: “I think the draw was a big plus. Playing with boys really helped me to concentrate. With girls, I would just have been chatting all the way around.”

The Senior Boys title went to Jamie Stephen, 17, from Inverkeithing High School, with a net 64, which completed a remarkable seven days for the 13-handicapper. Last week he was goalkeeper in the Donibristle Under-17 football team, which won the Forth Valley Challenge Cup, getting knocked about in the process.

“I split my head, but today I was splitting the fairways. And I just couldn’t go wrong on the greens. My putting was terrific,” said Jamie, who begins a NC Golf Studies course at Elmwood College, Cupar, in the autumn.

It was an exceptionally good day for Inverkeithing as Samantha Munro, who celebrated her 15th birthday two weeks ago, won the Junior Girls title with a net score of 78. In the last month Samantha has won the Fife Schools Junior Girls title and the Fife Girls Championship, but she revealed that but for the Alfred Dunhill Schools Challenge she could have given up golf completely.

Samantha, a member of Aberdour, said: “Two years ago I was considering giving up golf to concentrate on badminton, but I finished second in the 2006 Alfred Dunhill Schools Challenge and that convinced me to stick with it. And now I’m a winner.”

The Junior Boys category was won by Scottish Under 15 squad member Andrew Whyte, 14, from Madras College, with a net 74, playing off six handicap. He played the first nine in a splendid one under par to set up his victory.

The best young school golfers from Fife, Angus and Dundee took part in the event, which provided serious, but enjoyable competition. The event aims to encourage potential future champions, but also to give everyone who plays a wonderful golfing day out.

All winners, their parents and a school representative will now be invited to the exclusive ‘Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Welcome Reception’ attended by many of the world’s leading golf professionals and amateurs, in the Alfred Dunhill Pavilion overlooking the 17th Green of the Old Course, on the evening of Tuesday, September 30, for the official prize-giving.

Additionally, everyone who entered the Alfred Dunhill Schools Challenge will be invited, together with their parents and a school representative, to the final day of the 2008 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews on Sunday, October 5 and to an exclusive Golf Clinic on the Championship practice ground given by the internationally renowned golf coach Robert Baker. The 2008 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will be played from October 2-5 over the Old Course at St Andrews, the Championship Course at Carnoustie and the highly regarded Kingsbarns Golf Links.

The final day’s action will focus solely on the Old Course. The championship, conceived as a celebration of links golf, is one of the highlights of the European Tour.

Entrance to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will be FREE at all three courses on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A ticket price of £15 (concessionary £10) will be charged for the final day’s play over the Old Course on Sunday, October 5. Entry for under 16s and students is free.

Tickets are available through the ticket hotline on 0870 010 9021 or at the entrance gates. There is free parking for spectators and a free shuttle bus service will be in operation between the courses on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.