University of Stirling student golfer Alexander Farmer has won the Scottish Men's Amateur Championship - just weeks after his stablemate Lorna McClymont won the Women's event.
It is the first time that golfers from the high-performance programme at Stirling - Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence - have concurrently held the Men's and Women's titles.
Farmer - who is going into his second year at the University - won the coveted trophy after making it through a 36-hole qualifying round, comprising 264 golfers, before winning six knockout ties in the main championship. In the final, the 19-year-old, from Kilmacolm, defeated fellow student Charlie Reynolds, of the University of St Andrews, by a 5&4 margin.
Lorna McClymont - Scottish Women's Amateur champion - poses next to Alexander Farmer - Scottish Men's Amateur champion. Both are University of Stirling sports scholars (image credit: Scottish Golf).
It was a huge moment for Farmer who has written his name in the history books alongside the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Robert MacIntyre, Stephen Gallacher and his university coach Dean Robertson. But joining the prestigious list of Scottish golf's great and good wasn't the main highlight for Farmer - it was lifting the trophy in front of his grandfather, Iain. Iain had taken ill while watching last year's Amateur Championship - but was determined to be at this year's event to cheer on his grandson.
Farmer said: "My grandpa has had a tough year but to have him here alongside my mum Helen and friends and supporters was amazing. It was nice to see him on the 14th – he didn’t get to see all of it last year and missed out on me playing for Scotland down at Lindrick in the Home Internationals so for him to see me win this week was special."
Reflecting on his win, he added: "It all hasn’t quite sunk in yet. I look forward to seeing my name engraved on the trophy. To be alongside Monty, Dean, Stephen and Bob Mac as well is special."
One of the first to congratulate Farmer was fellow University of Stirling student McClymont - who was crowned Scottish Women's Amateur Champion in May. That title added to McClymont's wins in the Irish and Welsh Women's Open Championships in 2023.
Alexander Farmer poses with the trophy alongside University of Stirling's Head of Golf, Dean Robertson (image credit: Scottish Golf).
Dean Robertson, Head of Golf at the University of Stirling, said: "To win the Scottish Men's Amateur Championships is an incredible achievement for Alexander; he played very well, we are all very proud and send him our congratulations."
Robertson said that Alexander's experience competing in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Tour over the past year had played a part in winning the major title. He said: "Alexander finished second in the BUCS Order of Merit for 2023/24 - behind fellow Stirling golfer Ross Laird. The experience playing in BUCS has really allowed him to develop key skills and learn how to win - and that's really important for all golfers.
"The next step for Alexander is to use this win, and his success in the BUCS Tour, to target wins in the R&A Student Series in the year ahead."
He added: "For the University of Stirling to have both the Men's and Women's Scottish Amateur champion at the same time is a reflection of the hard work and determination our golfers show on a daily basis - and the support they receive through the high-performance programme."
Stirling continue to strengthen their golf team ahead of the 2024/25 academic year, with the Scottish Boys' Amateur Champion, James Wood, of Bathgate, set to join in September.