Duncan makes history at home
LOUISE DUNCAN powered into the records books with a comprehensive victory in the Women’s Amateur Championship at Barassie.
On her native Ayrshire soil, the Stirling University student romped to a thrilling 9&8 win over Iceland’s Johanna Lea Ludviksdottir in the 36-hole showdown and recorded the biggest margin of victory in the championship’s 128-year history. It eclipsed Joyce Wetherhed’s 9&7 victory over Carol Leitch in the 1922 final at Royal St George’s.
Duncan’s success, the first by a Scot since Alison Rose back in 1997, earns her a host of golfing goodies too.
She will gain Major invitations to this season’s AIG Women’s Open at Carnoustie and the Evian Championship in France as well as next year’s US Women’s Open and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship.
“This is a massive win, I don’t think I can win any bigger. It’s definitely the best week of my life, and to do it in Ayrshire it’s been brilliant. I couldn’t have written it any better, to win in front of friends and family and the locals, the support I have had this week has been unbelievable,” said the 21-yearold, who is the 17th Scottish player to claim the prize.
“I am over the moon. I definitely wasn’t quietly confident coming into the week. My first goal was to make the match-play stage and see what happened from there, but I didn’t think I’d get this far.”
As for bridging that 24-year title gap for Scots in the event? “I wasn’t even born in 1997, I wasn’t even a thought,” she said with a smile. “So, I am unbelievably proud to be the first Scot to win the Women’s Amateur Championship in that amount of time. I am happy to have brought it home.”
It was a nip and tuck affair in the early stages of the morning’s first round but Duncan produced a significant thrust around the turn to stamp her authority on the final. She birdied the ninth and then eagled the 11th as she surged into a five-hole by the end of the opening 18.
If Ludviksdottir was left with a mountain to climb then her task got even more daunting on the first hole of the afternoon round as Duncan holed her bunker shot for another eagle to extend her advantage.
A bogey on the 22nd was good enough to give Duncan the hole and move seven up and the Scot made a birdie on the 25th as she edged closer to the title. Duncan moved eight up on the 27th hole and clinched the win, and the record breaking margin, on the next hole. It was a thumping triumph.
“I had better get practising a lot before I play up there at Carnoustie,” she added of the forthcoming Major experience alongside the world’s best female golfers. “I played there a lot of years ago so I don’t really remember it. It’s going to be some experience.”
While disappointed not to have won the title and the rewards on offer, Ludviksdottir made history of her own as the first Icelandic golfer to reach the final.
“’I cannot describe it, I am very happy with myself and proud of myself to achieve and go this far,” she said.
‘’I think my mindset was different, I didn’t put as much pressure as I usually do on myself, I just had fun.’’