Grove Academy pupils Cole Stewart and Lauren Evans picked up two of the main prizes from King Arthur actor Craig McGinlay from the Alfred Dunhill Schools Challenge at St Andrews on Sunday.
On the final day of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Cole and Lauren were the Junior winners at one of two special events for young players held in conjunction with the annual tournament.
The organisers of the tournament featuring star golfers and celebrities also host junior golf events, one at the Duke’s Course in St Andrews and the other at the Buddon Course at Carnoustie in the lead-up to the event.
Promising player Cole, who is part of the Carnoustie Craws junior golf section, won both the scratch prize and the Junior Boys title at the Buddon.
Playing off six, the youngster is a member at Carnoustie Caledonian and Panmure Golf clubs, and is in his first year at Grove.
Cole won this summer’s Angus County Scottish Boys U14 Open and he also competed in the Scottish Boys’ U14 Open Championship 2022 at Troon Darley.
“I was really delighted with the result but I didn’t expect to win because I was younger than many of the others who were playing,” he said.
“It’s been a good summer for me and this tournament was a great experience which is important as I have always wanted to play professional golf when I’m older.”
Lauren won the Junior Girls’ title at the Buddon event with Violette Mir of Glenalmond College and Conan Reid of Monifieth High School taking the Senior Girls’ and Boys’ titles respectively.
St Leonard’s dominate Duke’s event
At the St Andrews event held at the Duke’s the scratch winner was Jaspar Loewe, a German international student at St Leonard’s School in St Andrews.
Charlotte Eichhorn and Hazel Peters, also of St Leonard’s, won the Girls Senior and Junior titles while Sam Wilson of Madras was the Junior Boys winner.
All the winners received their prizes at the final day of the ADLC at the Old Course from Scots actor Craig McGinlay, star of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, who was playing in the event last week.
They included 15-year-old Connor Graham from Blairgowrie, who was paired up with Finnish professional Sami Valimak with the duo recording a team score of -10 over three rounds.
Two leading local amateurs also played in the Dunhill. Connor Graham, the 15-year-old Scotland international and R&A Junior Open winner from Blairgowrie, was called into the event to play with Finish pro Sam Valimaki. The pair recorded a team score of ten-under.
“It’s been fun and a great experience to play with a few Tour pros where you can really appreciate how good these guys are,” said Connor.
“It helps you see the level that you need to get to in this sport. It’s also been amazing to play at three of the best courses in Scotland.”
Connor’s elder brother Gregor (18), also a Scotland international, also played in the event as an injury replacement on Saturday and Sunday.
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