Solihull College have added to their recent Intercollegiate Tour regional title with a comprehensive performance at the National Finals, played over all 27 holes of Stonebridge Golf Club.

The two teams representing Solihull College were up against a field made up from the best college and school golf teams in the country.  Each team in the competition had eight players, with the best six scores counting for the team totals in both the nett and gross events.

After the first 9 holes, Solihull College’s second years were leading the gross event with a combined team total of six under par, narrowly ahead of Solihull College’s first year team.  However, with the wind picking up for the final 18 holes in the afternoon, scoring was to prove more difficult.

Following the afternoon play, Solihull College’s second year team, which was missing Curtis Cup bound, GB & I star Rachel Jennings, and volcanic ash cloud victim Ben Russell, ended up being narrowly edged out of second place by just two shots by Bristol Filton’s team for a highly respectable third place finish in the gross event.

Meanwhile, a fantastic afternoon from Solihull College’s first years, led home by a 27-hole total of one-under-par from Welsh International Chris Nugent, saw Solihull College’s first years romp home with a commanding 14 stroke winning margin.

In the nett competition, despite boasting some of the lowest handicaps in the event, Solihull College completed their domination of the event by taking first and second places.  Solihull College’s first years narrowly pipping the second years to the trophy to make it a double celebration.

Solihull College first year’s captain Tom Ibbertson was proud of the performance of his team.  He said ‘the hard work with our dedicated coaches, Alistair Davies and Stuart Bottrill through the winter has really paid off.  It meant that we were all well prepared to play our best golf in this tournament.  The team spirit really lifted the players when it counted against a very talented field.  I hope this win gives us the confidence to have fantastic seasons.’

Solihull College’s golf teams are made up by apprentices on their Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence for Golf.  An exclusive programme specifically designed to support elite young golfers in their quest for excellence in the sport without neglecting their academic studies.

Andrew Schneider, England Golf AASE Academy Manager at Solihull College said ‘the result today is a tribute to the work that everyone on the AASE Academy has put in.  Everyone involved in the programme from the coaching staff to the college tutors and from the apprentices themselves to the minibus driver have invested so much time and effort into making this programme what it is.  I’m really proud to be able to say that Solihull College is now the best golf college in the country.’

The Solihull team were wearing UKKO White Cotton Polos and Indigo Blue Merino V-necks.