FIFE, SCOTLAND – On a perfectly lovely 73-degree afternoon, UCF's Jess Baker walked with golfing's elite Monday on the Old Course at St. Andrews.
The occasion was the R&A's Celebration of Champions, a four-hole exhibition (Nos. 1, 2, 17 and 18). The leadoff foursome among 10 featured the current champions of The Open—2021 winners Collin Morikawa and Anna Nordqvist. They were joined in the group by Baker, who won the British Amateur last month at Hunstanton, and Asia-Pacific Amateur champion Keita Nakajima. The four players received a warm reception when they were introduced on the 17th green—then moments later posed together for photographers on the famed Swilken Bridge.
Also competing were two-time St Andrews Open winner and 15-time major champion Tiger Woods, 2014 Open champion Rory McIlroy, 2018 Women's British Open champion Georgia Hall and Lee Trevino, two-time winner of The Open in 1971 and 1972—along with familiar names Jordan Spieth, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Ernie Els and Sir Nick Faldo.
Baker's team built an early two-shot lead, then Faldo's foursome ended up winning at six-under-par.
The competition kicked off the week at St. Andrews where the R&A is celebrating the 150th version of The Open that begins Thursday.
Baker was invited by the R&A not only to participate but to take in all the golf this week at St. Andrews.
Baker picked up that honor after a successful sophomore campaign in 2022 that saw her play in 10 events (29 rounds) for the Knights in a year where UCF made it to the NCAA Championship.
Baker became the first Knight to win the British Amateur in June. The junior from Newcastle, England, took home first place at the 119th Women's Amateur Championship after a brilliant two rounds of match play golf in the final, capping off a 6-0 match-play run after a solid two rounds of stroke play to open