Emilie triumphs with a burst of brilliance
EMILIE PALTRINIERI, a 14-year-old from Milan, won the recent British Girls’ Golf Championship at Royal St David’s, Harlech.
She beat 16-year-old Isobel Wardle from Prestbury, near Manchester, by 4 and 3 with a burst of brilliant golf in the 18-hole final.
“This is my biggest ever victory,” said Emilie, who will celebrate her 15th birthday on October 1.
“I won the English Under-14 girls in 2014 and Italian junior titles as well as the US Kids World and European championships but this one tops them all. I feel very excited to have done it.”
A total of 144 players from across the UK, Europe and beyond took part in the competition which consisted of a 36-hole stroke-play competition with the top 64 qualifying to compete in the knock-out stages.
In windy conditions the girls played some superb golf.
In the stroke-play qualifying competition four girls tied for the lead on 140, six under par, with Amanda Linner from Sweden winning with the lowest second round score of 67, six under.
The knock-out competition provided a number of close matches with Paltrinieri and Wardle each beating five opponents to reach the final.
After qualifying in 39th position in the stroke-play, Paltrinieri really raised her game in the knock out stages.
She explained: “In Italy we are not used to playing in winds as strong as we have had here this week but I gradually became accustomed to it and worked out how to play this links course a bit better every day.”
In the final Paltrinieri and Wardle matched each other on the front nine and were all square at the turn.
Paltrinieri then played faultless golf covering the next six holes in six under par, winning four of them and finishing the contest at the 15th hole.
For Wardle it was a bitter-sweet afternoon – her best ever golfing achievement to reach the British final, but then to run into an opponent in such strong form over the final few holes.
Gareth Lewis, club manager and head professional at Royal St David’s, could not have been more impressed, saying: “The quality of golf from girls as young as 14 was simply stunning.
“I am sure we have seen some potential future champions in ladies’ golf at Harlech this week.”