In for a Penny, in for a pound, as Stirling’s 

Brown claims match-play title at Lossie

By STEW FOWLIE

Stirling University student Penelope Brown produced some of the finest golf of her career to claim the Scottish student women's individual match-play golf title at Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth today (Thursday).

In the first of two matches for Brown, she showed steely nerves and great self-belief to overcome top seed and strokeplay champion Hazel MacGarvie (also Stirling) in a tight semi-final over the New Course. The two players shared five birdies in a nip and tuck round, with Penny eventually coming out on top by 3 and 2.

She commented ‘It was great to get through the semi-final as I didn’t really expect to beat Hazel given her current form. However we had never played a match-play tie before and so I just concentrated on my own game and eventually had just enough to win.’

Meanwhile fellow Stirling student Emily Laws was taken all the way by surprise packet of the draw , Georgina Hirst (St Andrews), before eventually prevailing by two holes. This set up an all-Stirling final, which got underway on the Old Course in blustery conditions

Penny Brown took advantage of a bogey at the first by Laws and never looked back. She narrowly missed an eagle putt at the second but tapped in to go two up. Laws rallied briefly – making a good four at the fifth to exploit a rare bogey from Brown, and followed it with a good 3 at the sixth and a birdie 4 at the seventh.

However, this was only good enough to stand still in the match as Penny put together a remarkable run, carding five consecutive birdies from the  seventh. One further birdie, at the 15^th ,was enough to put the icing on the cake and cement a  5 and 4 victory.

On lifting the trophy Penny said ‘It’s been a very special day and I am really thrilled to have won the event. It can be strange playing against team mates but I felt really comfortable out there and didn’t realise I’d made so many birdies!’

Play at the 96^th Scottish Student Golf Championships concludes on Friday with the men’s team final, featuring Stirling I v St Andrews I, who will contest four morning foursomes and eight afternoon singles over Moray’s Old Course.

TODAY'S WOMEN'S RESULTS SEMI-FINALS
Penelope Brown (Stirling) bt Hazel MacGarvie (Stirling) 3 and 2
Emily Laws (Stirling) bt Georgina Hirst (St Andrews) 2 holes.
FINAL
Brown bt Laws 5 and 4