Scot Duncan turns up the heat in Open
WEST KILBRIDE amateur Louise Duncan upstaged the biggest stars at Carnoustie yesterday as she launched herself into contention for the AIG Women’s Open.
The 21-year-old Scot earned the biggest roar of the day when she sank a 15-foot birdie putt at the last for a four-under-par 68 that leaves her just two off the pace ahead of today’s final round.
The Curtis Cup player is threatening to bridge a 54-year gap since an amateur last captured a women’s major.
France’s Catherine Lacoste achieved the feat in 1967 when she was crowned US Open champion. Sitting pretty at
seven under, Duncan is just two shots adrift of joint leaders Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and Norway’s Nanna Madsen.
‘I wouldn’t say I feel pressure, but definitely nerves and I don’t think they’ll go away tomorrow, either,’ she said.
‘They do seem to be helping me, surprisingly, because previously they haven’t, and it’s been good that I’ve been able to control them and hit the putts when I need to by taking a couple of deep breaths over every shot.
‘I think I’ll be doing the exact same tomorrow and I can’t wait to get going again.
‘This feels great and to have everyone supporting me and cheering for me as I walked off the 18th green was just phenomenal.
‘The roar felt a bit surreal and it will be great to watch the footage back and relive that for the rest of my life.’
Duncan admits that her initial aim was to make the weekend, play well, and have fun, but her focus has altered dramatically over the past three days.
‘I just wanted to try not to embarrass myself,’ she said. ‘But I feel like how I played today, I’ve got a decent chance if I can just keep the bogeys off the card.
‘I wasn’t hitting it great last week at the Scottish so to come here and actually hit the ball well and to follow up with some nice putts feels really good.’
With her experience of links golf giving her an edge over the majority of her rivals, Duncan is also hoping that the wind gets up today.
But regardless of where she finishes, Duncan will not see a penny of the record £4.2million prize-fund due to her amateur status.
When she was reminded of that fact, she added: ‘Thanks very much for that. I’ll be drowning my sorrows tomorrow, I think, with tears rolling down my face.’