WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

Stirling 1 retain Charles McNeill Trophy after scare from student clubmates

By  BEN PHILIP

The final of the Scottish student men's team championship
got underway this morning under crisp conditions on Moray GC Old Course.

The combatants: two teams of quality golfing compatriots from the University of Stirling

At stake: The Charles McNeill Trophy, SSS medals, and a whole lot of pride.

Four morning foursomes ties would go a long way to determining the direction of the match and by a third of the way through the round things were already developing intriguingly. 

Stirling’s first pair of Jean De Wouters and Jordan Sundborg had been ahead early on but had trouble at the fifth to drop back to all square against the grinding Black and Decker.

In match two the experienced pair of Michael Lawrie and Mark Napier got their noses in front early and would prove difficult to dislodge, despite the best efforts of Matthew Fitzsimons and James Kempster, on a day where par was always a good score.

Meanwhile the Stirling II pair of Scott MacPherson and Matthew Bell came flying out of the traps and established an early lead against Alasdair McDougall and Harvey Talarczyk – stretching to three up thanks to a 3 at the sixth.

In the final match the 2’s pair of Daniel Morris and Jack Forgan also started the stronger and were two up on Rob Foley and Colin Edgar when their opponents failed to par the 5^th.

The middle stage of the round proved significant for three of the matches, as leads were steadily built around the tighter sections of the course. Sundborg and De Wouters won the 10^th and 11^thwith pars to established a 3 hole cushion. The gap widened to four holes after the 14^th and it seemed like impending doom for Black and Decker only for them to rally back by winning 15 and 16 with excellent birdies.

However, their resistance finally crumbled at the 17^th when their third consecutive birdie was coolly matched and the game finished in a 2&1 win for Stirling I.

In the second tie a visit to the water by Fitzsimons at the 12^th resulted in a hole loss and put the Stirling II duo two holes behind. After halves at 13 and 14 a dropped shot at the 15^th cost Matthew and James dearly and they slipped to 3 down. A gamble at the short par 4 16^th didn’t pay off for the embattled Stirling II pair and they would ultimately succumb by a score of 4 and 2.

The third match proved the highlight for the underdogs, with Stirling II’s Scott Macpherson and Matthew Bell in inspirational form against McDougall and Talarczyk. Their three-hole lead became four when a par was good enough to win the 10^th and from then they never looked back – depriving their lofty opponents of any real momentum as the back nine panned out.

 A moment of levity for Stirling I at the 11^th was soon cancelled out at the next and thereafter it was a case of gliding home. All was said and done at the 14^th hole where a par was good enough to get Stirling II their first point of the day by a compelling score of 5 and 4

Thus attention turned to the final group, with the prospect of an even match at lunch to sharpen the focus. Morris and Forgan combined brilliantly at the 9th to make a three from an impossible position in the back bunker and end the front nine 1 up. This came amidst a series of error strewn holes, and the 10^th, 11^th and 12^th were all won with pars in a run of tit-for-tat holes. Thirteen was halved in good pars but when Daniel Morris’ approach to the 14^th drifted slightly on the wind and proved impossible to find, the Stirling I pair of Edgar and Foley could sense an important breakthrough. A par was enough to win the hole and they would enter the final four holes with a slender 1-hole lead.

Both pairs made good pars at 15, each scared the hole for birdie on 16 without any luck, and the seventeenth was halved in four after two outstanding long range approach shots threatened the hole before gliding well past.

Stirling II came a whisker from finding the birdie they sought at 18, when Jack Forgan putted from the back of the green, but the ball stayed agonisingly just wide of the hole, allowing Rob Foley to cosy a similar shot down to the hole-side and seal the narrowest of victories.

Thus an immersive morning of golf ended with a two point cushion for the favourites Stirling I over what would prove a very cordial lunch.

After morning foursomes

STIRLING I           3,   STIRLING II  1

The afternoon singles must have appeared like something of an uphill struggle for the underdog second team, who knew that they needed to find 5.5 points out of 8 against their first team colleagues.

Nevertheless the plucky 2’s set out with stout hearts and bold spirits, buoyed by the prospect of a famous and historic win.

There was no hanging about as the eight matches took to the course at six minute intervals, and two by two the golfers stepped out purposefully into what was, for some of them, their 10^thcompetitive round in six days.

By the turn there was a fascinating picture emerging, as Stirling II crept into a projected victory position through sheer determination and good play.

Daniel Morris took a slender advantage against Jordan Sundborg with a birdie at 6, whilst behind him Oliver Bailey was also in trouble, dropping behind to Angus Bendell when the 2’s man birdied the 10^th.

Matthew Fitzsimons rocketed to a four hole advantage against Alasdair McDougall by the tenth, seemingly finding some renewed vigour from somewhere despite the long week of golf.

The Stirling I middle order of Lawrie and Napier, who had combined so effectively in the morning, provided a bit of much needed steel, getting to the back nine 3up and 6 up respectively against Matthew Bell and James Kempster.

However there was more to think about in the final three matches. Scott Machperson sneaked ahead of Colin Edgar through 3 holes and retained his lead into the back nine. Belgian duo Shasa Decker and Jean De Wouters engaged in a very tight match, tracking close to all square throughout the front nine in a game of cat and mouse. The pair halved the ninth in 3 when De Wouters made a wonderful sand save only for Decker to roll a putt in from 25 feet in order to stay just 1 down.

The final game of the match proved engrossing too, with Lewis Black just managing to edge in front of Rob Foley early on, before the Swiss sensation snapped back to turn with a two hole advantage.

Score Forecast as of 3.30 PM      STIRLING I           6              6              STIRLING II

Morris extended his lead over Sundborg at the 13^th, doubling the advantage to 2 holes with an impressive birdie. However, the steely Sundborg found another gear and made it to the 15^th tee all-square thanks in part to a birdie at 14.

Game three continued to slip away from Alasdair McDougall, as the relentless Fitzsimons kept piling on the pressure, taking a five hole lead through the 12^th and never looking back. The tall Northern Irishman obviously had the bit between his teeth and would go on to record the first of the afternoon points with a 5 & 4 victory.

Meanwhile Mark Napier was in imperious form as he turned the screw against a somewhat weary James Kempster, amassing a six hole cushion through the twelfth and wasting little time in securing a valuable point for the reigning champions via a 6&5 victory.

Game one continued to be a hugely significant bellweather for the outcome of the overall match and as they stepped on to the 17^th tee Jordan Sundborg and Daniel Morris were all square, each having birdied the 16^th.

As those two made their way down the long 17^th, there were signs of the 1^st team boys just turning the screw a bit over their clubmates. Oliver Bailey got back on level terms with Angus Bendell at the 14^th and Lawrie, De Wouters and Foley kept their noses in front, keeping the pressure on at every turn.

Score Forecast as of 4.00 PM      STIRLING I           8              4              STIRLING II

A birdie 4 on the 17^th gave Sundborg a one hole advantage on the 18^th and when both players found the centre of the fairway it looked a tall order for Morris to save a half. However his prospects improved a little when he fired a soaring approach shot to 12 feet below the hole. Sundborg’s response didn’t quite grip in time and slid off the back edge of the green, from where he would get down in two for a par. However, it proved to be enough when Daniel’s putt fell just short and thus another point was gained for Stirling I.

Oliver Bailey found that wee bit extra just at the right time too, as he began to stretch his legs a bit and took the lead thanks to a birdie at the 16^th.

Michael Lawrie came through the short par four with a two hole lead over Matthew Bell safely intact and he would go on to seal a very useful point by 3&1 – taking his team to the verge of victory.

There was contrasting news a hole behind as MacPherson completed a memorable victory over Colin Edgar by a score of 4&3, keeping the white side of the board ticking over.

Bailey and Bendall teed off at the 18^th with the former still enjoying a one hole lead, perhaps unaware that his match could decide the fate of the Charles McNeill Cup.

His tee shot found the middle of the fairway and, playing his second shot first, he then found the back edge of the green. Angus Bendall did well to get to the side of the green from the steep slope to the right of the fairway, but this left only a most improbable birdie opportunity. When his chip came up a little short Oliver knew that two putts were enough and he duly rolled his approach putt to gimme range and sealed his point – and with it the Final as a whole!

Score forecast as of 4.30 PM       STIRLING I           9              3              STIRLING II

With only the (significant amount of) pride still to play for, the final two games continued towards their conclusions.

In game seven Jean De Wouters made a very tidy birdie 2 at the 15^th to give him an unassailable three-hole advantage. Behind them the final match between Foley and Black came through the 14^th with the former enjoying a three-hole lead and this was maintained after Black narrowly missed a long birdie putt for the hole at the 15^th. He befell a similar fate at the 16^th and Foley holed out for par to finally see off his spirited opponent by 3&2.

Not wishing to go quietly, Shasa Decker found a moment of inspiration to win the 16^th hole and extend the match for another hole. However, his resistance was soon broken for the last time thanks to a birdie four at the seventeenth for De Wouters and a 3 and 1 victory

This prompted celebratory and good natured scenes at the back of the seventeenth green, with the full Stirling contingent rightly proud of their joint achievements over another compelling week of golf.

FINAL SCORE      STIRLING I  9,  STIRLING II 3

After a fine Championship, played in excellent spirits, the Stirling Club Captain Mark Napier commented

‘It’s tremendous for the club to once again deliver success at the Scottish Student Championships. It’s been a terrific team performance all round, and especially in the matchplay. It’s really been a great week for Stirling overall. Having both teams in the final makes us all proud of our strength in depth and adds to Stirling University’s reputation as a great sporting institution"

From a Scottish Student Golf perspective it has once again been an absolute pleasure for the students, staff and supporters to be in Lossiemouth and at the wonderfully hospitable Moray GC this past week.
 The standard of golf has matched the excellent surroundings provided by Kevin Thompson and his team on the course, by John Murray and his team of professionals with supplies for the round, and by Stevie Grant and all of the clubhouse team in between rounds.
All and sundry look forward to the prospect of a return next year, and hopefully for many years to come.

Full Results are available on GolfBox.

Ben Philip | Head of Competitions | Scottish Student Sport (SSS)

3rd Floor | 48 Pleasance | Edinburgh | EH8 9TJ

LOSSIEMOUTH FINAL SCOREBOARD

SCOTTISH MALE STUDENTS' TEAM
MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth

SEMI-FINALS
STIRLING 1 10.5, STRATHCLYDE 1.5
Foursomes (3-1)
C Edgar and M Napier bt R Watson and A Woodhouse 2 holes.
M Lawrie and J De Wouters bt D Fair and A Reid 2 holes.
O Bailey and J Sundborg lost to M Friel and R Asher 7 and 5.
A McDougall and H Talarczyk lost G Andrews, J Williams 3 and 1.
Singles (7.5-0.5)
R Foley bt Woodhouse 3 and 1.
De Wouters bt Friel 1 hole.
Edgar halved with Asher.
Lawrie bt Williams 6 and 5.
Bailey bt Watson 3 and 2
McDougall bt Reid 7 and 5.
Napier bt Fair 1 hole
Sundborg bt Andrews 7 and 5

STIRLING II 8, UHI 4
Foursomes (2-2)
S Macpherson and M Bell  bt K McCormick and M Schinkel 4 and 3.
M Fitzsimons and J Kempster lost to E Ferguson and J Oster 5 and 4.
S Decker and L Black bt A McNaughton and G Minton 1 hole.
D Morris and A Bendall lost to R Cellerino and L Johnson 6 and 5.
Singles (6-2)
Bell bt McCormick 8 and 7.
Macpherson halved with Schinkel.
Black halved with K Towers.
Kempster bt Minto 3 and 2.
Bendall bt Ferguson 2 and 1.
Morris bt Johnson 3 and 2.
Decker bt Oster 2 and 1.
Fitzsimons lost to Cellerino 2 holes.

Stirling University No 1 team win Scottish students' title at Lossiemouth

Stirling University's No 1 golf team beat their No 2 team, 9-3 in the final of the Scottish students men's team championship over the Moray Golf Club links at Lossiemouth.
Stirling's No. 1 team took a 3-1 lead from the morning foursomes and captured the singles 6-2 for a comprehensive victory.
Paul Lawrie's son Michael was a key player for the winners, having a 100 per cent match-play record
DETAILS (Stirling 1  names on left)
FOURSOMES (3-1)
J De Wouters and J Sundborg bt Lewis Black and Shasa Decker 2 and 1.
M Lawrie and M Napier bt M Fitzsimons and J Kempster 4 and 2
A McDougall and H Talarczyk lost to S Macpherson and M Bell 5 and 4.
R Foley and C Edgar bt D Morris and J Forgan 1 hole.

SINGLES (6-2)
Sundborg bt Morris 1 hole.
Bailey bt A Bendall 1 hole.
McDougall lost to Fitzsimons 5 and 4.
Lawrie bt Bell 3 and 1.
Napier bt Kempster 6 and 5.
Edgar lost to Macpherson 4 and 3.
De Wouters bt Decker 3 and 1
Foley bt Back 3 and 2

Stirling University win Charles McNeill Trophy after scare from clubmates

By BEN PHILIP

The final of the Scottish Students Team Matchplay Golf got underway this morning under crisp conditions on Moray GC Old Course.

The combatants: two teams of quality golfing compatriots from the University of Stirling

At stake: The Charles McNeill Trophy, SSS medals, and a whole lot of pride.

Four morning foursomes ties would go a long way to determining the direction of the match and by a third of the way through the round things were already developing intriguingly. Stirling’s first pair of Jean De Wouters and Jordan Sundborg had been ahead early on but had trouble at the fifth to drop back to all square against the grinding Black and Decker.

In match two the experienced pair of Michael Lawrie and Mark Napier got their noses in front early and would prove difficult to dislodge, despite the best efforts of Matthew Fitzsimons and James Kempster, on a day where par was always a good score.

Meanwhile the Stirling II pair of Scott MacPherson and Matthew Bell came flying out of the traps and established an early lead against Alasdair McDougall and Harvey Talarczyk – stretching to three up thanks to a 3 at the sixth.

In the final match the 2’s pair of Daniel Morris and Jack Forgan also started the stronger and were two up on Rob Foley and Colin Edgar when their opponents failed to par the 5^th.

The middle stage of the round proved significant for three of the matches, as leads were steadily built around the tighter sections of the course. Sundborg and De Wouters won the 10^th and 11^th with pars to established a 3 hole cushion. The gap widened to four holes after the 14^th and it seemed like impending doom for Black and Decker only for them to rally back by winning 15 and 16 with excellent birdies.

However, their resistance finally crumbled at the 17^th when their third consecutive birdie was coolly matched and the game finished in a 2&1 win for Stirling I.

In the second tie a visit to the water by Fitzsimons at the 12^th resulted in a hole loss and put the Stirling II duo two holes behind. After halves at 13 and 14 a dropped shot at the 15^th cost Matthew and James dearly and they slipped to 3 down. A gamble at the short par 4 16^th didn’t pay off for the embattled Stirling II pair and they would ultimately succumb by a score of 4&2.

The third match proved the highlight for the underdogs, with Stirling II’s Scott Macpherson and Matthew Bell in inspirational form against McDougall and Talarczyk. Their three hole lead became four when a par was good enough to win the 10^th and from then they never looked back – depriving their lofty opponents of any real momentum as the back nine panned out. A moment of levity for Stirling I at the 11^th was soon cancelled out at the next and thereafter it was a case of gliding home. All was said and done at the 14^th hole where a par was good enough to get Stirling II their first point of the day by a compelling score of 5&4.

Thus attention turned to the final group, with the prospect of an even match at lunch to sharpen the focus. Morris and Forgan combined brilliantly at the 9th to make a three from an impossible position in the back bunker and end the front nine 1 up. This came amidst a series of error strewn holes, and the 10^th, 11^th and 12^th were all won with pars in a run of tit-for-tat holes. 

Thirteen was halved in good pars but when Daniel Morris’ approach to the 14^th drifted slightly on the wind and proved impossible to find, the Stirling I pair of Edgar and Foley could sense an important breakthrough. A par was enough to win the hole and they would enter the final four holes with a slender 1-hole lead.

Both pairs made good pars at 15, each scared the hole for birdie on 16 without any luck, and the seventeenth was halved in four after two outstanding long range approach shots threatened the hole before gliding well past.

Stirling II came a whisker from finding the birdie they sought at 18, when Jack Forgan putted from the back of the green, but the ball stayed agonisingly just wide of the hole, allowing Rob Foley to cosy a similar shot down to the hole-side and seal the narrowest of victories.

Thus an immersive morning of golf ended with a two point cushion for the favourites Stirling I over what would prove a very cordial lunch.

After morning foursomes

STIRLING I           3              1              STIRLING II

The afternoon singles must have appeared like something of an uphill struggle for the underdog second team, who knew that they needed to find 5.5 points out of 8 against their first team colleagues.

Nevertheless the plucky 2’s set out with stout hearts and bold spirits, buoyed by the prospect of a famous and historic win.

There was no hanging about as the eight matches took to the course at six minute intervals, and two by two the golfers stepped out purposefully into what was, for some of them, their 10^th competitive round in six days.

By the turn there was a fascinating picture emerging, as Stirling II crept into a projected victory position through sheer determination and good play.

Daniel Morris took a slender advantage against Jordan Sundborg with a birdie at 6, whilst behind him Oliver Bailey was also in trouble, dropping behind to Angus Bendell when the 2’s man birdied the 10^th.

Matthew Fitzsimons rocketed to a four hole advantage against Alasdair McDougall by the tenth, seemingly finding some renewed vigour from somewhere despite the long week of golf.

The Stirling I middle order of Lawrie and Napier, who had combined so effectively in the morning, provided a bit of much needed steel, getting to the back nine 3up and 6 up respectively against Matthew Bell and James Kempster.

However there was more to think about in the final three matches. Scott Machperson sneaked ahead of Colin Edgar through 3 holes and retained his lead into the back nine. Belgian duo Shasa Decker and Jean De Wouters engaged in a very tight match, tracking close to all square throughout the front nine in a game of cat and mouse. The pair halved the ninth in 3 when De Wouters made a wonderful sand save only for Decker to roll a putt in from 25 feet in order to stay just 1 down.

The final game of the match proved engrossing too, with Lewis Black just managing to edge in front of Rob Foley early on, before the Swiss sensation snapped back to turn with a two hole advantage.

Score Forecast as of 3.30 PM      STIRLING I           6              6              STIRLING II

Morris extended his lead over Sundborg at the 13^th, doubling the advantage to 2 holes with an impressive birdie. However, the steely Sundborg found another gear and made it to the 15^th tee all-square thanks in part to a birdie at 14.

Game three continued to slip away from Alasdair McDougall, as the relentless Fitzsimons kept piling on the pressure, taking a five hole lead through the 12^th and never looking back. The tall Northern Irishman obviously had the bit between his teeth and would go on to record the first of the afternoon points with a 5 & 4 victory.

Meanwhile Mark Napier was in imperious form as he turned the screw against a somewhat weary James Kempster, amassing a six hole cushion through the twelfth and wasting little time in securing a valuable point for the reigning champions via a 6&5 victory.

Game one continued to be a hugely significant bellweather for the outcome of the overall match and as they stepped on to the 17^th tee Jordan Sundborg and Daniel Morris were all square, each having birdied the 16^th.

As those two made their way down the long 17^th, there were signs of the 1^st team boys just turning the screw a bit over their clubmates. Oliver Bailey got back on level terms with Angus Bendell at the 14^th and Lawrie, De Wouters and Foley kept their noses in front, keeping the pressure on at every turn.

Score Forecast as of 4.00 PM      STIRLING I           8              4              STIRLING II

A birdie 4 on the 17^th gave Sundborg a one hole advantage on the 18^th and when both players found the centre of the fairway it looked a tall order for Morris to save a half. However his prospects improved a little when he fired a soaring approach shot to 12 feet below the hole. 

Sundborg’s response didn’t quite grip in time and slid off the back edge of the green, from where he would get down in two for a par. However, it proved to be enough when Daniel’s putt fell just short and thus another point was gained for Stirling I.

Oliver Bailey found that wee bit extra just at the right time too, as he began to stretch his legs a bit and took the lead thanks to a birdie at the 16^th.

Michael Lawrie came through the short par four with a two hole lead over Matthew Bell safely intact and he would go on to seal a very useful point by 3&1 – taking his team to the verge of victory.

There was contrasting news a hole behind as MacPherson completed a memorable victory over Colin Edgar by a score of 4 and 3, keeping the white side of the board ticking over.

Bailey and Bendall teed off at the 18^th with the former still enjoying a one-hole lead, perhaps unaware that his match could decide the fate of the Charles McNeill Cup.

His tee shot found the middle of the fairway and, playing his second shot first, he then found the back edge of the green. Angus Bendall did well to get to the side of the green from the steep slope to the right of the fairway, but this left only a most improbable birdie opportunity. When his chip came up a little short Oliver knew that two putts were enough and he duly rolled his approach putt to gimme range and sealed his point – and with it the Final as a whole!

Score forecast as of 4.30 PM       STIRLING I           9              3              STIRLING II

With only the (significant amount of) pride still to play for, the final two games continued towards their conclusions.

In game seven Jean De Wouters made a very tidy birdie 2 at the 15^th to give him an unassailable three-hole advantage. Behind them the final match between Foley and Black came through the 14^th with the former enjoying a three-hole lead and this was maintained after Black narrowly missed a long birdie putt for the hole at the 15^th. He befell a similar fate at the 16^th and Foley holed out for par to finally see off his spirited opponent by 3&2.

Not wishing to go quietly, Shasa Decker found a moment of inspiration to win the 16^th hole and extend the match for another hole. However, his resistance was soon broken for the last time thanks to a birdie 4 at the seventeenth for De Wouters and a 3 and 1 victory.

This prompted celebratory and good natured scenes at the back of the 17th green, with the full Stirling contingent rightly proud of their joint achievements over another compelling week of golf.

FINAL SCORE      STIRLING I   9,  STIRLING II  3

After a fine Championship, played in excellent spirits, the Stirling club captain Mark Napier said:

''It’s tremendous for the club to once again deliver success at the Scottish Student Championships. It’s been a terrific team performance all round, and especially in the match-play. It’s really been a great week for Stirling overall. Having both teams in the final makes us all proud of our strength in depth and adds to Stirling University’s reputation as a great sporting institution.''

From a Scottish Student Golf perspective it has once again been an absolute pleasure for the students, staff and supporters to be in Lossiemouth and at the wonderfully hospitable Moray GC this past week. The standard of golf has matched the excellent surroundings provided by Kevin Thompson and his team on the course, by John Murray and his team of professionals with supplies for the round, and by Stevie Grant and all of the clubhouse team in between rounds. 

All and sundry look forward to the prospect of a return next year, and hopefully for many years to come.

Full Results are available on GolfBox.

Ben Philip | Head of Competitions | Scottish Student Sport (SSS)

3rd Floor | 48 Pleasance | Edinburgh | EH8 9TJ

Mirren Fraser wins Scottish students' women's titles at Lossie: Men's team final will be all-Stirling contest

 

 

All four semi-finalists in the Scottish women students' match-play championships  over Moray Golf Club's links at Lossiemouth were from Stirling University but form did not quite work out as expected.

Mirren Fraser, who is a member of Powfoot Golf Club, beat the favourite, Chloe Goadby, winner of the stroke-play title earlier in the week, at the 19th in the round of the last four and then was crowned champion by finishing two up on Nicola Slater in the final.

Slater had beaten Emily Laws 2 and 1 in the morning.

The men's team championship final will be contested by Stirling 1 and Stirling II teams.,

Stirling 1, who took the afternoon singles 7.5-0.5, beat Strathclyde comfortably, 10.5-1.5, in the first semi-final and in the other, Stirling II KOd UHI 8-4 after the morning foursomes where shared 2-2

 

BEN PHILIP REPORTS
 

Men’s Team Matchplay – Semi Final Stage

 

The four top student teams continued their bids for the coveted Charles McNeill Trophy on semi-final day at Moray GC today.

 

Top seeds Stirling I sought to capitalise on their extra day’s rest when they faced off against a Strathclyde side that showed a real flair for match-play in defeating Stirling III in the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Stirling II prepared to face ‘local’ favourites UHI in what promised to be a tantalising encounter.

 

The Strathclyde lads set out at a healthy pace with the aim of building a morning lead over the four foursomes matches. Three of the matches ‘turned maroon’ in the opening holes, and with the exception of match three it was nip and tuck well into the back nine.

Stirling’s lead pair of Edgar and Napier had to rely on good up-and-downs on three consecutive holes from the 10th to get ahead and they had to trade birdies on the way in to come out on top by a margin of 2 holes.

 

Lawrie and De Wouters timed things well and saved their best golf for the last six holes, accelerating from a position of one down through 12 to turn things in their favour and finish with a two-hole victory.

 

Strathclyde rallied in match three, with Martin Friel and Rory Asher who got ahead early on and never looked back, compiling a resounding 7&5 victory over Oliver Bailey and Jordan Sundborg.

 

In the final match of the morning, Alasdair McDougall and Harvey Talarczyk made a positive late run to eventually overcome the stiff resistance of Greg Andrews and Jack Williams by 3 and 1.

 

Further back on the course a mixed morning match was developing between UHI and Stirling II, with the overall score providing a sense of balance that was sometimes missing from each foursomes tie.

 

Scott Macpherson and Matt Bell got ahead early against Kieran McCormick and Michael Schinkel and never really looked back, eventually winning by two holes but without ever really looking in too much trouble.

 

Meanwhile it was quite the opposite picture in match two, with Euan Ferguson & John Oster racing away to a commanding position after six holes and maintaining a dominant position to ultimately defeat Matthew Fitzsimons & James Kempster by 5 and 4.

 

It was similarly emphatic for Riccardo Cellerino and Lewis Johnson who comfortably took care of Daniel Morris and Ashley Bendall by 6 and 5, but when Lewis Black and Shasa Decker ground out a close victory over Alistair MacNaughton and Graham Minton it left things very finely poised at lunchtime.

 

Lunchtime scores:

Stirling I                3              1              Strathclyde

UHI                        2              2              Stirling II             

 

The afternoon singles matches got underway in bright but gusty conditions over the fairways of the New course – and from an early stage a familiar pattern of Stirling dominance started to appear.

 

Reigning champions Stirling I clearly felt that only their best golf would do and set about painting the scoreboard green with a sense of genuine purpose.

 

Robert Foley led the charge very capably and would ultimately triumph over Allan Woodhouse by 3 and 1.

 

Jean De Wouters held his nerve to prevail over the ever-competitive Martin Friel, winning on the 18^th green by the closest of margins.

 

The overall result was secured when Michael Lawrie powered to a really impressive 6 and 5 win over Jack Williams in match 4.

 

The third match was perhaps the pick of the ties, with Captain Colin Edgar needing to hang tough in order to share the spoils with Nairn native Rory Asher.

 

Oliver Bailey, Alasdair McDougall, Mark Napier and Jordan Sundborg added their own points to the growing tally and combined to seal an emphatic win for the champions with a final score of 10.5 to 1.5.

 

In the second semi-final the UHI team struggled to build any momentum in the afternoon and will have felt that things just weren’t quite going their way.

 

Kieran McCormick struggled to find his stride against Matthew Bell and the Stirling player maintained a relentless pace throughout the match, coming out on top by 8 and 7 in what will have given his team-mates a real boost.

 

Matches two and three were never more than a hole or two in anyone’s favour and indeed they would each end in a half, with Schinkel and Macpherson swapping blows all the way round, and Towers and Black unable to outdo one another.

 

There was a second wave of green on the board though, when first Kempster, then Bendall, Morris and Decker each all weighed in with a treasured point.

 

Riccardo Cellerino showed great spirit and pride to add some UHI punctuation to the end of the story, playing some fine stuff on the way to a two hole win over Matt Fitzsimons.

 

Final Scores:

Stirling I                10.5        1.5          Strathclyde

UHI                        4              8              Stirling II             

 

All of that results in an all-Stirling final tomorrow as the 1s will take on the 2s from 0800. For full line-ups and live score updates please visit GolfBox

 

 

Women’s Individual Matchplay

 

Semi Final Stage

 

After a very competitive quarter final stage the semi-final line-up had plenty of quality for what it lacked in diversity – with four of the leading players from Stirling University populating an intriguing draw.

 

Strokeplay champion Chloe Goadby took to the first tee with dreams of a memorable double but would first have to contend with team-mate Mirren Fraser, whose form was hitting a crescendo just at the right time.

 

A very tight match ensued, with rarely more than a hole between the two players – Fraser responding very well to her underdog tag and trading shot for shot with the always impressive Goadby.

 

Indeed it would take more than 18 holes to separate the two friends, and with lunchtime shortening by the minute they set off back up the 1^st hole in the stiff breeze.

 

With both players a long way back for their second shots the approaches both narrowly failed to hit the putting surface. Goadby was first to tackle her chip shot and from the right hand side of the green she uncharacteristically failed to make a clean contact and left her shot on the apron of the green.

 

This momentary blip meant that an up and down for Fraser from just off the front left of the green would be enough for a famous victory. Mirren held her nerve and made a neat and tidy four to seal the match.

 

She would later go on to face clubmate Nicola Slater, who would need all of her resolve to outlast Emily Laws. Laws, who is rightly seen as something of a matchplay specialist, provided gritty opposition and never gave Slater a moment’s peace over the course of the round – keeping things very close throughout before finally succumbing by a score of 2 and 1.

 

Semi Final Results

Mirren Fraser                    bt            Chloe Goadby                    19^th Hole

Nicola Slater                       bt            Emily Laws                          2&1

 

After a light lunch the two finalists convened at the first tee of Moray Old to play their last round of a busy week. Indeed Fraser, who unlike Slater had made the cut in the strokeplay earlier this week, would go on to have accumulated 148 holes of competitive golf in five action-packed days!

 

There was perhaps the occasional sign of fatigue during what was an entertaining but not too low scoring final – although the difficulty rating was enhanced by blustery winds and some very challenging pin positions.

 

Mirren Fraser started brightly and she went to 2up when she played a tidy approach chip and holed the putt for birdie four at the 3^rd.

 

She was briefly three up after the 5^th and again after the 7^th, but Nicola made a nice birdie four at the 8^th hole… A boomed drive down the middle of the fairway allowed her to have a go in two and a fine second shot allowed her to two putt from 35 feet to get back to within two.

 

It stayed that way until Mirren had a few difficulties at the 11^th, and when her concentration faltered again at the 12^th the match was all square.

 

It was then Nicola’s turn to hit a sticky spot. She couldn’t quite manage to get up and down from the front of the 13^th and, after halving the 14^th with an excellent birdie, she three putted the 15^th to fall to 2 down.

 

She never gave up however and pars at 16 and 17 were sufficient to bring the match up the iconic last hole, in front of a healthy gathering of her peers.

 

Both players hit fine tee shots up the middle of the fairway, leaving only short irons in to a tricky back-left pin.

 

The two approach shots were well struck and on target, but just failed to grab on the late afternoon green and resulted in long putts from behind the hole.

 

With both leaving their approach putts a handful of feet short, Nicola needed to hole her second putt to make Mirren hole out for the win, but as her ball slid past the hole she graciously conceded, giving Mirren Fraser a 2-hole victory and her maiden Scottish students' title.

 

This was a popular and well-deserved win for Fraser, who showed great staying power and a fine repertoire of skills to prevail at the end of a marathon week.

 

She can now turn her thoughts, along with a number of other leading Scottish players, to the BUCS Tour Finals at Lundin GC from 15-17 April. You will be able to follow all the action via www.bucs.org.uk

 

SCOTTISH STUDENT WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL MATCH-PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth

SEMI-FINALS
Mirren Fraser (Stirling) bt Chloe Goadby (Stirling) at 19th.
Nicola Slater (Stirling) bt Emily Laws (Stirling) 2 and 1.

FINAL
Fraser bt Slater 2 holes.

SCOTTISH MEN STUDENTS' TEAM MATCH-PLAY
Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth

Charles McNeill Trophy

QUARTER-FINALS
Strathclyde 8, Stirling III 4 (foursomes: 3-1, singles 5-3)
Stirling II 9, Glasgow 3 (foursomes 3-1, singles 6-2)

THURSDAY
SEMI-FINALS
Strathclyde v Stirling 1
Stirling II v UHI

 SCOTTISH WOMEN STUDENTS' INDIVIDUAL MATCH-PLAY
The female students started their individual match-play tournament in which the semi-finals will be staged Thursday morning over the Moray club's New Course followed by the final over the Old Course in the afternoon.

RESULTS
FIRST ROUND
Georgina Hirst (St Andrews) bt Cassie Kneen (St Andrews) 3 and 2.
Mirren Fraser (Stirling) bt Jennifer Rankine (Stirling) 2 and 1.
Emily Laws (Stirling) bt Fern Clark (St Andrews) 5 and 4.
Nicola Slater (Stirling) bt Rachel Thompson (Stirling) 1 hole.
QUARTER-FINALS
Chloe Goadby (Stirling) bt Hirst 3 and 2
Fraser bt Caitlin Boa (UHI) 2 holes.
Laws bt Penny Brown (Stirling) 4 and 3.
Slater bt Susan Woodhouse (Strathclyde) 2 and 1

.

              New Scottish students champion, James Blyth 
Goadby shines and Blyth grinds to

Scottish student titles at Lossiemouth

By BEN PHILIP
Chloe Goadby of Stirling University and St Andrews’ James Blyth proved too strong for the assembled fields at the 97th Scottish Student Championships at Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth.

Goadby began Day 2 two shots back of overnight leader Penny Brown, but came roaring through to the top of the leaderboard after a fine morning round of 67 (-4) on the New Course, aided by birdies at the/ 3rd, 6th, 12th, 13th and 14th .

Meanwhile Lorna McClymont (SRUC) was building an impressive round of her own, resulting in a two under par score of 69, featuring birdies on the 7th, 9th and 14th. This was a fine effort on a difficult day, especially as it was the first sub-70 round of her career.

Brown (Stirling) had an eventful morning, dropping three shots overall in a round that had only seven pars.  She struggled to get back to her best in the afternoon, and cut a slightly embattled figure in posting a four over 79 (Old Course) despite three birdies on the way and thus had to settle for third place and a total of +11.

Lorna couldn’t quite match the heights of the morning and dropped five shots to par in the front nine to lose any chance of 1st place. However she regrouped well and managed home with only one further dropped shot so as to secure a creditable second place at +10, one ahead of Brown.

Goadby never looked in too much trouble in the afternoon, though she was perhaps less than content with a front nine of 40 (+3). However she turned for home with a steely sense of purpose, and compiled an error-free run for home that included birdies at fourteen and seventeen.

Her +2 total represented four very strong rounds in challenging conditions and Chloe can be proud to lift her maiden Scottish xtudents title and the Smith-Murray Cup.

The Men’s Championship developed in absorbing fashion throughout 36 holes on Moray Old, on a day when par represented excellent golf.

On a tough day for chasing, overnight leader James Blyth (St Andrews) set out knowing that avoiding mistakes was key. Two bogeys and two birdies heading out into the prevailing wind was just what the doctor ordered and having dropped shots at 13 and 16 he would have been pretty satisfied over lunch with a 73 (+2) for a total of +3 and a four stroke lead.

Stirling duo Michael Lawrie and Robert Foley led the chasing pack on +7, with UHI’s Alistair McNaughton and Riccardo Cellerino a further two behind on +9.
With darkening skies the afternoon round played out dramatically - and at times slowly – with the top five staying just about in touch throughout, albeit never quite close enough to really ramp up the pressure on Blyth.

Cellerino played lots of good golf but would rue costly double-bogeys on the 2nd and 8th which left him with too much to do. A closing 75 gave him a total of +13 and fifth place.

Robert Foley also had to respond to a front nine of 40, including a 7 on the par-5 2nd and although he rallied back in level par he would finish just outside the top three, on a total of +12.

Team mate Michael Lawrie followed a very similar path, with the fiercely difficult Old Course front nine again showing its teeth. Despite a birdie three at the first hole he would struggle to the turn in 41 as a consequence of double bogeys at the fourth and seventh.

Amidst the slide of the chasers only Alistair MacNaughton may have felt like he was heading in the right direction. Four threes helped him to the turn in 36 and he produced a gritty back nine of 37 to post a clubhouse total of 293 (+11).

With the backdrop of faltering challenges, James Blyth’s primary task was to stick to his game plan and get round with the minimum of mistakes. Calamity called on the monstrously tough 2nd hole which yielded a triple-bogey 8 for the tournament leader.

 However, this perhaps galvanised things for Blyth as he covered the rest of the front nine in level par to turn in +3. The back nine, whilst a little scrappy, brought relatively little drama for Blyth and he did very well to par the final five holes under heavy skies and visible nerves to post a final round of 77 – probably the most welcome 77 of his career.

Blyth, therefore, deservedly claimed the Scottish students title and the Jack Allan Trophy.

That concludes the stroke-play part of Championship week, and for a number of the top Scottish players, thoughts now turn to the BUCS Tour Finals at Lundin GC from 15-17 April.

Meanwhile, at Lossiemouth the focus shifts to match-play, with the last 16 stage of the women’s individual championship, and the quarter-finals of the men’s team event commencing early Wednesday morning.

Match updates will be available throughout the next three days via GolfBox for both the Men’s Team Tournament and the Women’s Individual Tournament.

RESULTS SUMMARY
Women’s Individual Stroke-play (Smith-Murray Cup)
Chloe Goadby, Stirling Uni    +2
Lorna McClymont, SRUC    +10
Penny Brown, Stirling Uni    +11
Jasmine Mackintosh, RGU    +13
Alexa Hammer, St Andrews  +17

Men’s Individual Strokeplay (Jack Allan Cup)
James Blyth, St Andrews       +9
Alistair McNaughton, UHI    +11
Michael Lawrie, Stirling        +12
Robert Foley, Stirling            +12
Riccardo Cellerino, UHI        +13