There was an historic opening to the R&A’s 2022/23 Student Tour Series at Montrose Golf Links where Scottish international Lorna McClymont carded a 13-under-par 60.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play
The 22-year-old sliced six shots off the course record in compiling one of the best scores of modern times. The official world record for the lowest round is 16 under (achieved in 2012 in Oklahoma) and she missed a six footer at the last to card a 59. Golfnews24 understands no player has ever carded 15 under in the UK.
All-told the Stirling University student collected nine birdies and two eagles at the fifth oldest golf course in the world and it set up a one-shot victory in the Stirling International over England international Lucy Jamieson (St Andrews Uni) although McClymont admitted it was a “bittersweet” success after she backed up her stellar effort with a six-over-par 79.
“A win is always good, but this one is maybe bittersweet,” said this year’s Irish Open champion told the R&A last night.
“It’s hard to describe but I felt as if I was playing in a mist today that was stopping me from doing what I normally do.
“I’ll learn from both rounds of golf. Yesterday it was good to learn to have that control and how it feels. Today it was good because I learned there are times when golf doesn’t always go your way, and you have to take it on the chin and learn from it.”
Stirling University’s renowned Head Performance golf coach Dean Robertson described the 60 as “without doubt one of the best rounds of golf I have ever witnessed by any amateur or professional in my career.”
While other players and friends expressed their amazement, including the likes of recently-turned professional Louise Duncan, the 2021 British Women’s Amateur champion.
McClymont was four under through four thanks, in the main, to a pitch-in eagle at the fourth and she would turn in 29 (-7). She then reeled off four birdies in a row, starting at the 12th, before firing her second to 12 feet at the par five 17th and knocking in the eagle putt to get to 13 under.
At 18 she was all over the flag again, the ball almost pitching straight in before spinning away to 6/7 feet but the birdie attempt just took too much break and missed to the left.
In the men’s event Glenbervie’s George Cannon beat his Stirling University teammate Will Coxon (Carus Green) and Ben Willis of Swaffham GC and Edge University to claim his first R&A Student Series title after a three-hole play-off. Overall the top ten were separated by just two shots.
The next event in the series takes place at the Le Golf National in France next month (October 24-26).