UNC Golf: Tar Heels to compete in event at St. Andrews

Golf has been a sport on the rise at North Carolina in recent years, with the men’s team come relatively close to some national championships in the past couple seasons. Now, they and the women’s golf team will get some shine and a massive honor, as they’ll compete at one of the sport’s most famous venues next season.

On Tuesday, it was announced that UNC’s golf teams will compete in the first ever St. Andrews Links Collegiate in Scotland this coming October. If you’re wondering, yes, it’s that St. Andrews.

From October 23-25, UNC will join the golf teams of Georgetown, Notre Dame, and Vanderbilt in a four-team event, the final day of which will be played at the famous Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland. The Old Course is arguably the most famous home of the British Open — or The Open Championship if you’d rather. Dating back to 1873, it has held the men’s British Open 30 times, most recently in 2022, and the women’s Open twice. The course itself is nearly 500 years old and is often called “the home of golf.”

The format of the event will features two rounds of stroke play at St. Andrews’ Jubilee Course, before a final day of match play held at the famed Old Course. The event will be aired on Golf Channel and NBC’s streaming service Peacock.

It’s not every day that a UNC team gets to compete on a sport’s hallowed turf. Sure, UNC basketball is set to play games at Madison Square Garden in coming years, but other than, there’s not much. You’re not likely to see UNC football play a game at Lambeau or UNC soccer at Wembley Stadium in London anytime soon. This will be a very cool event for the Tar Heels’ golf teams this coming fall.