Four trophies for Stirling golfers at Scottish Championships

The University of Stirling – Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence – has won four competitions at the 100th edition of the Scottish Student Golf Championships.

Stirling’s James Wood won the Men’s Stroke Play, Abby Nisbet won the Women’s Matchplay, and the Stirling Men’s 1s – comprising Wood, Will Coxon, Jerry Fang, George Cannon, Nicholas Wall, Owen Tweed and Jacob Hodgson – won both the Stroke Play and Matchplay team events.

In total, 89 students from eight Scottish universities and colleges competed in this year’s Championships, which took place across six days at Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth. The event is run by Scottish Student Sport.

Dean Robertson, Head of Golf at the University of Stirling, said: “A huge congratulations to James and Abby, and to the Men’s 1s, on their wins at the Scottish Student Golf Championships.

“Our golfers put in excellent performances across the week, and we’re delighted to return with four trophies. We’re looking forward to building on these successes in the coming weeks as we compete in the BUCS Tour and Team Championship Finals.”

University of Stirling golfer Jerry Fang gets in the swing at Moray Golf Club. (photo credit: Scottish Student Sport).

Wood scored 71, 72, 71, 72 across four rounds to top the leaderboard ahead of Stirling teammates Fang, Coxon, Andrew Bowers and Alex Timms, while Nisbet overcame Parneet Kaur, of the University of the Highlands and Islands, with a 6-5 win.

The R&A Student Tour Series Finals also took place in St Andrews this week – with Coxon and Ross Laird finishing tied second, and Wood and Alexander Farmer finishing tied fifth. The results meant that Laird finished the season second in the Order of Merit, with Cannon in sixth, Farmer in seventh and Coxon in eighth. 

It comes just days after Laird and Farmer competed for Scotland at the Men’s European Nations Championships at Real Club de Sotogrande, Spain. Scotland finished in 15th position, with England winning the competition.

The British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Tour Finals take place in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, next week (April 7-9) before the BUCS Team Championship Finals at Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire (April 23-24).

Meanwhile, in other success for Stirling athletes, tennis player Liam Hignett – who won the BUCS Men’s Doubles with partner Robert Cowley earlier in the season – took bronze at the BUCS Individual Championships.

Unrivalled

At Stirling, athletes have access to world-class facilities, including a 50-metre pool, unrivalled outdoor space, and state-of-the-art strength and conditioning suites. In addition to its coaching and facilities, Stirling’s International Sports Scholarship Programme – one of the largest high-performance programmes in the UK – offers athletes funding support, academic flexibility, equipment and kit. It has supported hundreds of athletes since its inception in 1981 – with many competing on the world stage, including at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

Core sports include golf, tennis, swimming, football, triathlon, rugby and curling, while individual scholarships include modern pentathlon, fencing, BMX racing, and orienteering.

Read more about sports scholarships at the University of Stirling.