St Leonards dominate challenge

Caspar Graf was the overall scratch winner of this year’s Alfred Dunhill Schools Golf Challenge, an event dominated by St Leonards School.

The 15-year-old pupil from the St Andrews high school shot 74, winning the event by the closest of margins after a countback with Ellen Caton, also from St Leonards.

The competition was held on the Duke’s Course, St Andrews, with young golfers from St Leonards taking honours in three of the other four categories.

Caton won the Senior Girls’ title while fellow pupils Eric Berge won the Junior Boys’ category and Fiona Branch took the Junior Girls’.

Meanwhile Andrew Mclay, 15, from Mclaren High School in Callander took the Senior Boys’ title.

The event featured a bigger field than ever with players from 47 different Scottish schools represented in the tournament.

Playing off a three handicap, Caspar recorded a gross 74 to win the Scratch Prize.

He began playing golf at the age of four in his native Germany and last summer finished in the top 25 in a national German youth competition.

He relocated to Scotland last month to attend school in St Andrews, a move partly influenced by the opportunity to further develop his golf.

He said: “It was great to be part of this competition.

“I’m enjoying my studies in Scotland where I have been able to focus on improving my golf.

“I really enjoy the sport and hope I can continue to improve to the point where I can pursue a golfing scholarship in the US.”