Students to compete in top US golf tournament.

A top team of student golfers from St Andrews will fly the flag for Britain and Europe when they take part in a major American college golf tournament later this year.

The University of St Andrews team will be the only non-US representatives competing in the 2009 US Intercollegiate which takes place at Stanford University, California in April.

The invitation to St Andrews to go head to head with the best college golfers in the States is being seen as a major feather in the cap of Scottish university sport.

St Andrews is one of only a handful of non-US universities ever asked to take part in the prestigious college tournament which in the past has witnessed performances from such aspiring talents as Tiger Woods, Tom Watson and Notah Begay.

The Fife team of Will Wrisedale, Steve Pointon, Mike Gray, John Cork and Cammy Gray will be up against the cream of young American talent from Arizona, California, Oregon and Texas.

Travelling with the Scottish team will be University of St Andrews Director of Sport and Exercise Stephen Stewart and team head coach Steve North of Braemar Golf, who is the Director of Instruction at the St Andrews Links Golf Academy where the university players are coached in the state of the art golf academy.

Stephen Stewart said: “It’s a huge honour to be invited to Stanford and a fantastic opportunity for our lads to pit themselves against some of the most talented young golfers in the world.

“It’s very rare for a non-US team to get the chance to compete in this tournament. We will learn a lot and savour the experience – but our aim is to compete and show that Scottish university golf is there on merit.

“We’re got a really good team, a great team spirit and can’t wait to fly the flag for St Andrews and Scottish golf in front of American crowds.

“We’re really grateful to Braemar Golf for giving our head coach Steve North the time to travel out to Stanford with the team.¿

A total of 17 college golf teams will line up for the 2009 US Intercollegiate which will be played at the par-70, 6742-yard Stanford Golf Course on April 18 and 19.

ENDS

Issued by the Press Office, University of St Andrews
Contact Niall Scott on 01334 462244, mobile 07711 223 062, or email [email protected]
Ref:  Stanford trip 260209
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