Stirling students Jack McDonald and Eilidh Briggs both had to settle for the runner-up spots in a dramatic finish to the 54-hole R and A Foundation Scholars golf tournament over the Eden and Old Courses at St Andrews on Sunday.
Eilidh Briggs lost at the second hole of a women's title play-off to the defending champion, Paula Grant (University of Ulster), who is also the Irish women's amateur champion.
Four shots dropped over the first seven holes on the Old Course - including a double bogey 6 at the sixth - cost Stirling University's Jack McDonald victory in men's tournament.
McDonald, who had scored 69 and 65 over the Eden Course on Monday, could do no better than a closing two-over-par 74 over the Old Course for a four under par total of 212 for the 54-hole tournament contested by 60 student golfers from the UK, Ireland and some Continental countries.
All the competitors in this event receive financial assistance from the R and A to play competitively as amateurs while completing their studies.
In the women's event Paula Grant, joint overnight leader with Ailsa Summers (St Andrews), finished in a tie with Eilidh Briggs on seven under par 215 while Ailsa dropped down to join fourth place after a closing 81 for 219.
The Irish player had a pair of 69s over the Eden Course on Monday and a one-over-par 77 off the womens tees on the Old Course.
Eilidh, a physical education student and a member at Kilmacolm GC, had scores of 72, 68 and 75.
Eilidh birdied the first, second, ninth, 13th and 14th in her final round over the Old Course but bogeys at the fifth, 11th, 12th and 16th cost her victory the regulation 54 holes.
Paula had bogeys at the sixth, seventh and 11th but birdies at the 10th and 14th enabled her
to share the No 1 spot after 54 holes.
Then the Irish champion prevailed at the second extra hole of a sudden death playoff
R AND A FOUNDATION SCHOLARS' TOURNAMENT
St Andrews.
First two rounds, Eden Course; Third round, Old Course
FINAL TOTALS (LEADING SCORES)
MEN
Par 212 (70, 70, 72)
207 Louis Tomlinson (Myerscough) 67 69 71
208 Jack McDonald (Stirling) 69 65 74
209 Henry Tomlinson (Stirling) 66 73 70, Andrew Wilson (Northumbria) 66 66 77.
210 Filippo Campigli (Italy) 66 66 78, Gary Hurley (NUI Maynooth) 69 68 73, Mathias Eggenberger (Stirling) 65 71 74
211 Tiarnan McLarnon (Ulster) 66 70 75, Alex Culverwell (Stirling) 69 69 73
212 Oliver Roberts (Stirliing) 71 70 71, Ryan McKinstray (Queens, Belfast) 70 68 74
213 Shane McGlynn (Dublin City) 73 69 71, Cormac Sharvin (Stirling) 71 65 77
214 Sean 71 7(Myerscough) 73 67 74, Conor James Wilson (Plymouth 72 70 72, Craig Chalmers (Strathclyde) 67 71 76, Dewi Merckx (Stirling) 69 69 76
215 William Russell (Ulster) 71 67 77
216 James Ashman (Central Lancs) 73 72 71, Jacopo Jori (Italy) 71 73 72
217 Robert Mackay (Sheffield Haslam) 70 66 82
218 Angus Carrick (Stirling) 72 72 74, Daniel Rosevear (Plymouth) 72 71 75, Chris Johnson (Exeter) 70 70 78, Matthew Hayes (Northumbria) 70 66 82
WOMEN'S TOTALS
Par 222 (73, 73, 76)
215 Eilidh Briggs (Stirling) 72 68 75, Paula Grant (Ulster) 69 69 77 (Paula won sudden death play-off at second extra hole)
217 Sinead Sexton (NUI Maynooth) 69 73 75
219 Amy Farrell (Dublin City) 68 77 74, Ailsa Summers (St Andrews) 66 72 81
220 Emma Driscoll (UC Dublin) 75 71 74, Alessandria Braida (Italy) 71 70 79
222 Miranda Brain (St Andrews) 70 69 83
223 Ami Storey (Northumbria) 71 70 82
224 Chloe Ryan (UC Dublin) 72 74 78
225 Melissa McMahon (Buckinghamshire New) 71 76 78
229 Anyssia Herbaut (France) 73 72 84, Katie Bradbury (Exeter) 72 71 86
233 Emma Newlove (Exeter) 73 75 85
234 Brabara Borin (Italy) 76 73 85
Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report
Ladies Golf News in Scotland, the West of Scotland and Renfrewshire
