University of Stirling International students' tournament at The Duke's

Gemma Batty and Craig Ross win individual titles

By ROB McPHERSON
Gemma Batty (Stirling University and Powfoot GC) continued her brilliant 2015 with a resounding win in the women's section at the 5th University of Stirling International Golf Tournament over The Duke's Course, St Andrews.

 
The 2015 Scottish women's student champion and GB World University Team member, pictured right with trophy by Kenny Smith, came from two shots back on a breezy day to triumph over local student and former BUCS Student Tour winner, Miranda Brain (St Andrews University and Gog Magog GC) with Slovenian youth champion Nastja Banovec (Abertay University, Dundee) finishing third.
 Speaking of her triumph, Gemma commented on the great condition of the course, particularly the greens at this time of year, which had allowed her to play her brand of attacking golf with confidence. 
In the women's team event, the Stirling University squad  of Batty, Sinead Sexton (Lahinch) and Tara Mactaggart (Minto) easily held off the challenge of the St Andrews students.

The men's saw a repeat victory for the Scottish Golf Union Select team following their 2014 success. Calum Fyfe, Jamie Savage, Ryan Campbell, Craig Ross, Daniel Young and Scott Gibson - who had a hole in one, the third of his career, at the 121yd eighth  hole,  led from the gun.

Although hosts Stirling got to within one shot at the turn, it was the national squad who were victors in the end by a margin of nine strokes. 

The SGU Select were led home by the new individual champion, Craig Ross, pictured below with trophy by Kenny Smith, whose clutch par putt on the last ensured he bettered Stirling student Marco Iten from Switzerland by one shot. 

Third place went to team-mate Calum Fyfe to round out an excellent end of season outing for the SGU men.

Next week, Stirling seek to defend their European University Championship in St Gallen, Switzerland - but first, all eyes will be on Cormac Sharvin (Stirling U and Ardglass GC) and Jack MacDonald (Stirling U and Kilmarnock Barassie GC) as they seek to help GB and I to victory in the Walker Cup match against the United States at Royal Lytham GC, Lancashire this weekend.

Performance coach and Stirling tournament host Dean Robertson, commented: "We all missed having Jack, Cormac and Gary Hurley (Maynooth) play in the Stirling International this week, but the opportunity for them to demonstrate their talents at the pinnacle of amateur team golf demonstrates the strength that institutions in the UK and Ireland can offer students as they seek to develop their game. 

"All at the University of Stirling and Scottish Student Sport wish Jack, Cormac and Gary great success this weekend."

RESULTS

INDIVIDUAL MEN

Par 213 (3x71)

212 Craig Ross (SGU Select) 70 71 71

213 Marco Iten (Stirling) 70 71 72

218 Calum Fyfe (SGU Select) 70 74 74

222 Andrew Davidson (Stirling) 75 76 71

223 Kyle McCarron (Maynooth) 72 72 79

224 Ryan Campbell (SGU Select) 80 73 71

225 Craig Chalmers (Strathclyde) 68 80 77

226 Angus Carrick (Stirling) 72 77 77

227 Daniel Young (SGU Select) 73 79 75

228 Ross Steedman (Maynooth) 73 77 78

229 Lukas Michel (St Andrews) 74 85 70, Colin 

Edgar (Stirling) 74 77 78, Craig Howie (Stirling) 73 

76 80, Mathias Eggenberger (Strling) 73 74 82, 

Jordan Hood (Maynooth) 76 89 74.

WOMEN

229 Gemma Batty (Stirling) 73 80 76

235 Miranda Brain (St Andrews) 82 79 84

236 Nastja Banovec (Abertay Dundee) 75 76 85

237 Marie Danielsson (St Andrews) 79 84 74

238 Tara Mactaggart (Stirling) 79 79 80

239 Hannah Holden (Sheffield) 75 83 81

240 Sinead Sexton (Stirling) 77 76 87
247 Alexa Hammer (St Andrews) 84 80 83

248 Molly Haslam (Exeter) 81 79 88