Golfing greats to graduate

The University of St Andrews will award honorary degrees to three high-profile figures from the world of golf on the eve of the Open Championship.

Peter Alliss, Nick Faldo and Peter Thomson will join fellow golfing greats Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Colin Montgomerie and Seve Ballesteros as honorary graduates of the ancient University. The trio will each be made a Doctor of Laws (LLD) during a special graduation ceremony tomorrow (Tuesday July 12th 2005 at 11 a.m.).

Peter Alliss, ‘the voice of golf’, broadcasts for ABC in the United States and the BBC in Europe, and has hosted 140 Pro Celebrity Golf television programmes. The author of 20 books on the subject, Peter was twice Captain of the Professional Golfers’ Association and the first President of the European Women’s Professional Golfers Association.

Nick Faldo is Britain’s most prolific Major winner of the modern era, having won 30 times on the European Tour, six times on the U.S. PGA Tour, and has six majors to his name.

Five-times Open champion Peter Thomson is the only golfer in the 20th Century to win the British Open in three straight years (1954, ’55, and ’56) and is considered to be the greatest Australian golfer of them all.

Please note: Laura Davies will unfortunately no longer be taking part in tomorrow’s ceremony for personal reasons.

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS Photocalls with the honorary graduates will take place on St Salvator’s lawn, to the west of Younger Hall, North Street, St Andrews after the ceremony, at approximately 11.45am. In the event of poor weather, photocalls will be held in St Salvator’s Chapel, St Salvator’s Quadrangle, North Street, St Andrews. Strictly embargoed laureation addresses and biographies of recipients are also available from the Press Office.

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews For more information, please contact Gayle Cook or Niall Scott – 01334 462529 Ref: golfers 2005 pic call.doc View the latest University news at http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk