ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Challenging conditions greeted competitors Tuesday as the final round of stroke play concluded at the St. Andrews Links Collegiate. After ideal scoring conditions on Monday, strong winds and rain swept across the Jubilee Course, testing the field and determining both the individual champions and Wednesday’s championship matchups on the Old Course.
The fourth edition of the event brings together men’s and women’s teams from the University of Texas, University of Washington, University of Pennsylvania and the University of St. Andrews. After two rounds of stroke play, the individual champions were crowned and the team standings finalized ahead of Wednesday’s match-play finale.
On the men’s side, Texas’ Daniel Bennett captured medalist honors at even par. Bennett laid the foundation for victory Monday with a tournament-best 6-under 64, recording six birdies and taking a two-shot lead into the final round. While scoring conditions proved significantly tougher on Day 2, Bennett’s opening-round performance provided enough separation to secure the individual title and pace the Longhorns throughout stroke play.
“Really, really good day,” said Bennett, who shot 6-over 76 but still won by three. “I played really good all day and held it together nicely in some tough wind and rain and all of that. Obviously, a tough finish down the stretch, but we had some tough conditions, so it was good to get home.”
Bennett added that he is looking forward to Wednesday’s finale on the Old Course.
“I’m excited for tomorrow,” Bennett said. “It’ll be nice to play some match play. I’ve actually never played the format before, so it’ll be interesting.”
The women’s competition produced the most dramatic finish of the championship as Texas’ Farah O’Keefe and Washington’s Hannah Ounap finished tied atop the leaderboard at 2 under par, becoming the first co-medalists in tournament history. O’Keefe followed her opening-round 67 with a 73 in difficult conditions, while Ounap backed up Monday’s tournament-leading 66 with a final-round 74 as neither player could separate from the other over the closing stretch (the Jubilee played to a par 72 for the women and par 70 for the men).
“I think it’s one of the things you dream of, to come to St. Andrews and say you’ve won,” O’Keefe said. “To stand on the Old Course tomorrow is going to be super meaningful.”
Ounap, a 17-year-old Scot competing in just her second collegiate event, embraced the challenge presented by the weather.
“That was really, really tough. I’m so glad to have got through and finish well and managed to hit some good shots,” she said. “I’m really proud.”
The team competition also came into focus Tuesday, as Texas and St. Andrews earned spots in both the men’s and women’s championship matches, setting the stage for a pair of title showdowns on the Old Course.
The host Saints advanced both teams to the championship matches for the first time in event history. The men’s team did so in dramatic fashion.
Washington’s men’s team faltered down the stretch, giving St. Andrews an opportunity, and they capitalized on it, playing clutch golf down the stretch. Luca Suarez needed a bogey on the last to help the Saints advance. In howling wind, he hit it greenside in two, chipped up, and lagged it to a foot. When he tapped in, he pushed the Saints through to the championship final for the first time in school history by one shot over the Huskies.
Texas secured the top seed after finishing stroke play at 23 over, while St. Andrews claimed the second championship berth at 42 over. Washington finished third at 43 over and Pennsylvania fourth at 66 over.
On the women’s side, Texas led the way at 15 over par, followed by St. Andrews at 38 over, Washington at 41 over and Pennsylvania at 52 over.
University of St. Andrews coach Ian Muir said earlier in the week that he “hoped the weather kicks up because it will give us an advantage.”
The weather certainly did, and the Saints took full advantage of it. On a back nine that was more about survival than flourishing, the St. Andrews women’s team finished strongly. They gained 12 shots over Washington, highlighted by Mattison Frick, a post-grad from Phoenix, who played her last seven holes in 2 under par. Additionally, Ellie Monk, a senior from Virginia Water and last year’s individual champion, played her final seven holes in even par.
Wednesday’s competition moves to the historic Old Course at St. Andrews, where team champions will be crowned. Texas will look to complete a sweep of both divisions, while St. Andrews aims to capitalize on home-course advantage in pursuit of the program’s first St. Andrews Links Collegiate team titles.
Live coverage of the championship matches airs Wednesday on Golf Channel beginning at 9 a.m. ET.
