Calum Ward loses out in Student Series playoff
UCD student Calum Ward suffered heartbreak at St Andrews’ Old Course as he lost out in a playoff at the R&A Student Tour Series finale.
Ward was tied for the 54-hole lead with Will Coxon, Charlie Robb and Ben Willis on three-under-par after a final round of 72 where he birdied the last to force extra holes, but it was Willis who was left smiling at the end after a two-hole playoff.
Caitlin Maurice and Ollie George were the big winners as the University of St Andrews duo claimed the Order of Merit titles marking the second successive year that there was a double celebration for the college.
“I’m very happy. Really proud of myself,” Maurice, the 23-year-old New Zealander said. “I didn’t have my best stuff this week, and it was challenging conditions at times, but it was fun playing the Old Course.
“I had a decent lead coming into the week, but it got close. Elice had a good round yesterday and then she came out firing and had another good day today. I knew around the 12th hole that I needed to finish well, and I managed birdies on 14 and 15. It was a tough finish but really nice to end the way it did.”
George’s T6 result, which came after an excellent round of 67 on the Jubilee Course on Tuesday, was enough for him to take the overall prize.The permutations meant victory wasn’t certain until the four-way play-off was confirmed on the Old Course on Wednesday.
“Dad had the spreadsheets going. We were trying to figure out what the standings were, so it was a nervy last hour or so,” the 19-year-old George said.
“It’s a big relief. I’m in my second year now. I found my first year in the Series difficult, but this year to have four out of five top-tens has been great. This is a nice reward for a culmination of good golf, and hopefully it bodes well for this summer going forward.
“I’d been solid throughout all the tournaments, but my round on Tuesday on the Jubilee was 5-under and bogey-free. Considering the standings for the Order of Merit, and knowing where I was sitting, to go and play like that with a bit of pressure in the wind, that was definitely the moment of the series for me.”
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