STUDENTS FROM IRELAND AND ULSTER WIN R AND A SCHOLARS TOURNAMENT

Gary Hurley and Paula Grant NEWS RELEASE FROM THE R AND A Young Irish players Gary Hurley and Paula Grant won the 2013 R and A Foundation Scholars’ Tournament in St Andrews. Hurley clinched the men’s event after winning the first hole of a sudden death play-off against Craig Howie from the University of Stirling. The 20 year-old from NUI Maynooth calmly rolled in a five foot par putt on the 1st hole of the Old Course and watched as Howie failed to hole his slightly shorter putt. Hurley and Howie finished the three-round stroke play event tied on 211 after both came in with four under par 68s in the final round on the Old Course.  They were one shot clear of Andrew Wilson from Northumbria and four players were tied on 213,  University of Stirling team mates Patrick Spraggs and Cormac Sharvin and their Ulster counterparts Tiarnan McLarnon (leader of the men's event after 36 holes) and Paula Grant. Hurley, who missed out on the Boyd Quaich after a countback last year, learned from that experience on the Old Course to control his nerves in the play-off and secure his place in the European Palmer Cup team to play the USA.  “It was great to come here and win,” he said. “I really wanted to win to make the team and not have to leave it up for selection. I have won university events at home but this is a bigger win for me. “When I was playing the 18th I didn’t know my putt was to win so I was more cautious than I would have been had I known. I made up my mind that if I had a putt to win in the play-off I wouldn’t hold back. My putt on the 1st green rolled a few feet past but fortunately I was able to hole the one coming back.” Grant, the 2011 Irish Girls’ Champion, won the women’s event by one shot from two-time winner and Stirling student Kelsey Macdonald.  The 19 year-old from Lisburn was playing her first round on the Old Course and, although she could not match her performance in the first two rounds on the Eden Course, was delighted to hole a lengthy putt across the famous 18th green to seal the victory after a round of 77. “This was my first time playing the Old Course and I was so nervous,” she said. “I hit a nice four iron on the 1st tee and that settled me down a bit. It has been incredible to play here and this is a great event. It is my first win overseas and I will definitely be looking forward to playing in it again.” A field of 56 competitors from throughout the UK and Ireland and countries such as Germany, Italy, Czech Republic and South Africa played two rounds on the Eden Course and one round on the Old Course.   SCROLL DOWN PAST THE NEXT REPORT  TO VIEW ALL THE FINAL TOTALS   By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com INDIVIDUAL honours in the annual R and A Scholars Tournament over the Eden and Old Courses, St Andrews went to Ireland's Gary Hurley (NUI Maynooth) and Paula Grant (Ulster) - but, with a little bit of luck, it might have turned out a double whammy for Stirling students Craig Howie from Peebles and Kelsey MacDonald from Nairn. Howie, last year's Scottish Under-18 boys match-play champion, tied with Hurley on 211 after the regulation 54 holes, both men shooting splendid 68s over the final 18 holes. Out they went again in a sudden death play-off and Irishman Hurley prevailed at the first extra hole. Hurley's victory earned him automatic selection for the Europe team to play the United States in the Palmer Cup students international match. In the women's event, Paula Grant built up a seven-stroke lead after a couple of impressive 68s. But Kelsey MacDonald, in second place on 143 after a 69 and 74, slashed the deficit to just one shot with a closing 71 for 214, while Grant struggled to a 77 to hold on for the narrowest of victories on 213. Eilidh Briggs (Stirling) finished third on 217. THE R AND A FOUNDATION SCHOLARS TOURNAMENT Eden and Old Course, St Andrews First two rounds over Eden Course. Third round over Old Course WOMEN FINAL TOTALS 213 Paula Grant (Ulster) 68 68 77 214 Kelsey MacDonald (Stirling) 69 74 71 217 Eilidh Briggs (Stirling) 73 73 71 221 Gemma Bradbury (St Andrews) 74 75 72 223 Vicki Troeltsch (Germany) 74 77 72 227 Melissa McMahon (Buckinghamshire New) 77 77 73, Gabrielle MacDonald (St Andrews) 78 75 74 230 Bronwyn Davies (Myerscough) 79 76 75 231 Sinead Sexton (NUI Maynooth) 78 75 78, Emma Newlove (Birmingham) 77 75 79 233 Ami Storey (Northumbria) 76 79 78 235 Katie Bradbury (Exeter) 82 78 75 240 Charlotte Austwick (York) 80 75 85, Lucie Hinnerova (Czech Rep) 83 76 81 249 Fererica Constantini (Italy) 85 80 84. MEN'S FINAL TOTALS 211 Gary Hurley (NUI Maynooth) 71 72 68, Craig Howie (Stirling) 72 71 68 (Hurley won play-off at first extra hole). 212 Andrew Wilson (Northumbria) 68 75 69 213 Patrick Spraggs (Stirling) 74 71 68, Cormac Sharvin (Stirling) 70 72 71, Tiarnon McLarnon (Ulster) 72 68 73 216 Matthias Eggenberger (Stirling) 74 69 73, Laurie Potter (Exeter) 70 74 72 217 Alexander Culverwell (Stirling) 74 72 71 218 Jack McDonald (Stirling) 75 72 71, Matthew McClean (Ulster) 69 68 71, Kit Homes (Stirling) 73 73 72 219 Craig Chalmers (Strathclyde) 78 70 71, Tai Yasuda (Loughborough) 71 73 75 220 Shaun Carter (NUI Maynooth) 74 70 76, Sean Blinkhorn (Myerscough) 75 74 71 221 Christopher Johnston (Exeter) 72 74 75, Freddie Edmunds (St Andrews) 68 80 73 222 Matt Hill (Loughborough) 76 74 72, Joe Heraty (Central Lancashire) 76 72 74 223 Gareth Jenkins (Birmingham) 73 76 74, Oliver Roberts (Stirling) 72 75 76 224 Scott Brown (SAC Ayr) 75 75 74, Nick Wildman (Exeter) 72 76 76 225 Lewis Pearce (Lincoln) 73 78 74, Harry Chapple (Birmingham) 75 76 74 226 Mike Howard (Stirling) 74 82 70 227 Thomas Jessamine (Birmingham) 74 83 70, Mark Duncalf (Central Lancashire) 76 79 72, Robert Mackay (Sheffield Hallam) 81 73 73, Nick Macandrew (Aberdeen) 78 76 73, Lewis Hollingworth (Lincoln) 79 71 77 228 Conor Wilson (Plymouth) 75 79 74, Dewi Merckx (Stirling) 76 77 75, Martin Tavoda (Birmingham) 72 79 77, Marco Loubster (South Africa) 76 74 78 229 David Prochazka (Czech Rep) 76 79 74 231 Angus Carrick (Stirling) 79 75 77, Ben Sardo (Central Lancashire) 80 70 81 232 Michael Daily (Stirling) 85 76 71 236 Daniel Hahn (Myerscough) 82 81 73 ENDS