Local rising golf star and pupil at Sunderland Academy has made history after breaking the Fairmont St Andrews course record during the Stephen Gallagher Fairmont Championship at the world-renowned St Andrews, earlier this month.

Millie Hixon, 15, a Year 11 student at St. Anthony’s Girls Catholic Academy, which is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, not only claimed joint 1st place in the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Girls’ U-18 Championship, but also broke the amateur course record scoring a gross 66, 8 under par on the second round. Millie shot rounds of 1 under, 8 under, and 1 over, finishing an incredible eight under par over the 3 days.

This exceptional performance places Millie firmly on the national radar as one of the UK’s brightest young talents in the sport. Millie, who began playing golf at just five years old, trains and plays out of Wearside Golf Club and is coached by Andrew Nicholson from Wynyard golf club. Millie has been supported by the Steve McClaren coaching group and receives strength and conditioning from Parnaby performance. Millie continues to be part of the England under 18 Regional squad coached by JJ Vallely; she has also been crowned the Durham Junior County Champion for both 2024 and 2025.

 

Reflecting on her achievement, Millie said, “I am extremely proud – all the hard work I have put in has paid off. I am looking forward to continuing my training and progressing toward my ambition of becoming a professional golfer. Along the way, I hope to study Business and Golf at university in America.”

Staff and fellow students at St. Anthony’s are thrilled to celebrate Millie’s success.

Laura Dudley, Assistant Headteacher, “Millie is an outstanding example of dedication, resilience, and ambition. We are incredibly proud of her success on the world stage and look forward to supporting her as she continues her journey in golf and education.”

Millie regularly competes in National tournaments across the UK playing against the best young players in the country and is one to watch in the coming years as she continues her rise through the golfing ranks.

To find out more about the school visit www.st-anthonys-academy.com

For more information about BCCET, visit www.bccet.org.uk