A team of talented golfers is set to graduate with flying colours after maintaining a university's winning pedigree with victory in a national golf final.
The University of Birmingham is celebrating a return to number one status following its 5-4 victory over St Andrews in the British Universities Sports Association Championship final at Lindrick.
Victory was inspired by six undergraduates enrolled on the PGA-UoB degree in Applied Golf Management Studies, which is the first honours degree of its kind in the world and is gaining a burgeoning reputation by offering talented golfers and academic high flyers a range of exciting career options in the golf industry across the world.
But it was the playing skills that were required at Lindrick with the aptly named Ben Driver leading the way by claiming a maximum four points to win the player of the finals award.
In a further boost the UoB's fourth team also won the BUSA Shield Final to make it a unique double at Lindrick - the scene of Great Britain and Ireland's historic Ryder Cup victory in 1957 which ended 24 years of American domination.
The first team enjoyed a comfortable 6½-2½ victory over Northumbria in the semis but St Andrews proved stiff opposition in the final.
Requiring three points out of six in the afternoon singles matches, rain delayed play for an hour and UoB spirits were further dampened when they went 4-3 down after Sam Riddell, Andrew Smedley and Lucy Williams narrowly lost.
It left two matches remaining on the course but Eddie Parker levelled for the UoB with a 3&2 win before Matt Welsh played a captain's role by securing the decisive point on the final hole after a delicate chip on the par three 18th.
In the Shield Final UoB's fourth team beat Liverpool University 6&3.
Alex Bishop secured a win on the 12th while Nick Ansell earned the team a point with Lauren Spray then securing a vital point down the 18th to leave the remaining two members of the team on the course needing a half point to secure victory.
Jess Florey took her match to dormie three and holed out for a 3&1 victory with Tim Bamber also securing his point on the 16th green.
The AGMS degree is now in its seventh year of entry, requiring students to achieve ABB at A level plus a handicap of 4.4 or 6.4, and combines a multi-disciplinary approach in subjects such as sports-science, psychology, business management, material science and equipment technology while summer placement modules at golf clubs help cement club repair, coaching and retail skills.
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