Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School Ranked 15th Overall in the Independent Schools Golf Association

Michael Sumner, Max Conway and Lewis Murphy, three members of the Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ Golf team travelled up to St Andrews, to take part in the two day Independent School Golf Association (ISGA) finals tournament on Sunday 24^th and Monday 25^th April. The team which also includes Tom Randall qualified as North West area winners beating Kings School, Macclesfield and Bolton School. The ISGA finals tournament included 20 schools from across the UK who had all qualified as area winners. The boys played on the Torrence Course at the Fairmont Hotel on the Sunday and on the Eden Course, on the Monday which runs alongside St Andrews Old Course which hosted the Open Championship in 2015.

The conditions for the start of the first day of play could not have been better, it was sunny with very little wind. However, as the day progressed the weather deteriorated and the wind made it hard to keep the score low. The top two scores out of the three were used to calculate the teams total score on day one, both Michael and Max shot a 9 over par total (81) putting themselves in joint 30^th place overall and the team in joint 15^th position out of 20 schools. The boys were disappointed as they knew that they could have shot lower scores but made some very costly errors on the back 9.

On day two,  at the Eden course the weather proved to be a major challenge with rain, hail, sleet and 40mph winds which saw the best score of the day being 6 shots over par (76). Michael and Max once again recorded the same scores, shooting an 82 (12 over par) which was very respectful considering the challenging conditions they played in. These results would put both Michael and Max in joint 30^th position overall, and Lewis in 55^th position, with the school finishing 15^th. The overall winners of the tournament were Wellington College, Berkshire who are fortunate to have their own golf course.

This was a great experience for the team and the boys thoroughly enjoyed it.  The three boys are currently in Year 12 and will all be part of the team next year with the aim not only to qualify for the ISGA finals day again, which will take place in St Georges, Kent but to finish in the top ten.