11 outstanding young people from all over the world have been selected as the latest recipients of Royal and Old Golf Club scholarships.
Now, the program is designed to identify, support and develop the next generation of golf leaders through financial support and unique connections with R&A and St Andrews’ Royal and Old Golf Clubs.
New scholars, selected from more than 300 applicants aged 18-29, represent a broad range of interests that are crucial to the future of the sport, including agronomical, golf with disabilities, golf development, golf development, business, administration and tourism, as well as nutrition and sports medicine.
This year’s cohort includes individuals from Spain, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Nepal, New Zealand, Kenya, Australia, the United States of America and Canada.
Each academic will receive a comprehensive support program to advance their academic and professional development:
- Up to £10,000 per year for educational expenses
- Up to £5,000 a year to support golf-related activities
- Guidance from members of the Royal and Old Golf Club of St Andrews
- Visiting academics’ peer support network, including last year’s inaugural group
- Their annual leadership meetings in St Andrews invite them to study, where all new and current scholars will meet.
The scholarship is funded solely by members of the Royal and Old Golf Club of St Andrews, reflecting the club’s commitment to supporting young people who are eager to have a lasting impact on the game.
R&A Chairman Niall Farquharson said: “This initiative is not only about recognizing talent, but also empowering young people who are passionate about golf to advance in the golf industry and contribute to the sport in innovative and meaningful ways.
“Scholars come from a variety of backgrounds and have a collective ambition to break down barriers and shape the future of the game. Thanks to the support of club members, they are able to build connections and experiences that will support their golf trips in the coming years.”
Royal and ancient golf club scholarships are an important part of the R&A Foundation mission, aiming to provide people with their potential as well as their opportunities to golf. Scholars have been chosen for their dedication, vision and potential to shape the future of golf in the coming years.
The second cohort builds on the momentum of the inaugural group, with scholarships gathering in St Andrews for leadership and cyber conferences later this month.
The winners of the 2025 Royal and Old Golf Club Scholarship are:
Rocío Alvear González, Spain
Rocío has a strong agronomic background through academic research, work experience and volunteering and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Agricultural Environmental Technology. Her passion for golf and science is for herself the ambition to become a global leader in the green management and agronomics of the golf industry. Rocío imagines the modern future of golf, combining natural needs with players’ needs. For her, golf is a unique opportunity to combine human, nature, sports and agronomics, and she believes all of this is crucial to sustainability in the game.
Amy O’Donnell, Northern Ireland
Amy is a performance nutritionist who supports women’s European tours, Challenge Tours and R&A, while also working with world-leading educational institutions to advance research on amateur and professional golf nutrition.
Amy recently supported the 2024 European Solheim Cup team and played a key role in the successful 2024 GB&i Curtis Cup team. Amy also works closely with event facilitators to ensure compliance with performance nutrition standards for players and caddies. She currently works in golf and nutrition, and she hopes her research and practical experience will inform male and female golfers, as well as support staff, how to effectively cheer for performance, recovery and overall lifestyle and help them compete at the highest levels.
Kashmira Shah, Nepal
Kashmira grew up in Nepal, just 100 yards from the sixth green of the Royal Nepal Golf Club, and he grew up watching others like the game. Through a free clinic organized by the Nepal Golf Association, she developed a passion for golf and has since represented the Nepal Women’s Amateur Asian Pacific Championships and Asian Games nationwide. Kashmira has ambitious plans to grow golf in Nepal with a special focus on developing women’s competitions. The scholarship will allow her to pursue a master’s degree in golf management before pursuing a career in club management, with her goal being to create programs that increase diversity.
Guy Harrison, New Zealand
As the European Disabled Golf Association’s highest ranking player in New Zealand and the first player to compete in the G4D event in his country, Guy is a leader in the field of disabled golf. He is a passionate golfer, swimmer and all-round athlete who lives with cerebral palsy. Guy’s ambition is to develop a single all-round golf program for New Zealand, bringing multi-level athletes under a system with clear pathways for international competition.
Anderson Kiplimo of Kenya
Anderson studied the culture and management of turf grass, landscape design, green space planning and soil science, and also gained practical experience with interns and interns at African golf courses. He aspires to be the principal of the international golf course for world-class courses. Anderson is passionate about mentoring others and guiding them to achieve their goals in the golf industry.
Claudia Mazarita, Australia
Claudia is a human resources professional currently working at Golf Australia, committed to promoting inclusive participation and workforce development across the golf industry. She believes that this scholarship, along with her MBA research, will give her the strategic, financial and leadership skills needed for sports governance, workforce growth and industry development. Claudia’s ambition is to play executive leadership roles in Golf, where she can influence lasting change and implement influential programs that will help make Australian Golf Australia’s largest and most inclusive sport.
Cameron Kpedekpo, Scotland
Cameron combines his passion for golf and works with junior players to bring a unique perspective to the sport. With a business degree and entrepreneurial mindset, he is currently studying at the PWC Flying Start program – a unique course that combines university research with PWC’s professional experience and advances in ICAEW chartered accounting qualification. Cameron’s ambition is to become CEO of a major golf organization who can lead positive change and help ensure the future of the sport.
Ramya Meenakshisundaram, United States
Ramya has a strong background as a college golfer and mini traveler on Annika Women All Pro Tour, and Ramya is now engaged in advertising campaigns for PGA Tour, LPGA and Ryder Cup in golf marketing. She realizes the huge gap in player support, especially in women’s golf, and she is passionate about developing practical resources for players and creating innovative solutions to better connect athletes with company stakeholders. Ramya’s goal is to help shape a future golf business that operates more equitably for all involved.
Ellen O’Gorman of Ireland
Ellen inspired her mother to represent Ireland at the golf course and later faced the challenge of a joint replacement and developed a strong passion for physiotherapy. Coupled with her achievements as an amateur golfer, this experience has given her valuable understanding of the sport’s unique physical needs. Her Sport and Sports Medicine Research MSC research focuses on injury and strength training for female amateur golfers, highlighting the need for more golf-specific physical therapies, especially for women, who are underrepresented in sports research. Ellen’s ambition is to become a leading physical therapist in sports medicine, specializing in golfing and lead a multidisciplinary team that combines physiotherapy and exercise science to support golfers around the world.
Eli Trestan, Canada
Eli is currently the first tee for Canada Golf – Senior Coordinator in Canada, who leads the National Youth Golf Program, dedicated to enhancing access, developing life skills and creating community impact. Building on his experience and leadership, finance and policy skills through MBA, Eli aims to modernize golf’s experience leveraging innovative programming, partnerships and technology. By influencing the highest levels of decision-making, advocating for change and implementing strategies that promote meaningful and sustainable growth, his ambition is to help redefine the future of golf and transform it from a traditional pastime to a sport that welcomes participants around the world.
Jaime Canal Campos, Spain
Jaime grew up in a green administrator family and praised the golf course game as well as nursing and management. He is passionate about sustainability and he is determined to be a global leader in green management and agronomics with a focus on water conservation, integrated pest management and traditional curriculum design. Jaime’s goal is to learn from the major experts in the field to help future generations enjoy golf in a way that respects the traditions and environment of the sport.
